House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 5 Dec 2002 (pt 23)

5 Dec 2002 : Column 1003W—continued

Tax Credit Claims

Mr. Simon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to issue Regulations under section 42 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 relating to claims by persons subject to immigration control. [85403]

Dawn Primarolo: Regulations under section 42 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 will be made shortly.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Basic State Pension

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the arrangements and procedures are for deferring the basic state pension. [84449]

Mr. McCartney: Entitlement to the state pension arises when a person attains state pension age but to be entitled they have to make a claim. They can put off claiming their state pension to earn increments. When they claim, each part of the state pension is increased by about 7.5 per cent. for each full year of deferral. The minimum period of deferral is seven weeks.

Currently the maximum period for deferral is five years but from April 2010 there will be no time limit and the incremental rate will increase to about 10.4 per cent. for each full year.

It is up to the individual to decide whether to claim their state pension at state pension age or to defer claiming. A person can choose to defer either by writing to the Pension Service to request deferral or by not returning their claim for a state pension.

Lone Parents

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of lone parents are (a) in full-time employment, (b) in part-time employment, (c) in education, (d) on a training scheme, (e) unemployed and (f) claiming sickness benefits. [86163]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: The information requested is in the tables. As these categories are not comprehensive or exclusive there will be some lone parents counted in more than one category and some that are not included in any.

Data from the spring 2002 labour force survey Percentage of lone parents

Full time employment⁽⁹⁾ 29.1

Part time employment⁽⁹⁾ 24.5

In education⁽¹⁰⁾ 12.7

On a training scheme 1.1

Unemployed 6.6

Data from the spring 2002 labour force survey	Percentage of lone parents
Full time employment⁽⁹⁾	29.1
Part time employment⁽⁹⁾	24.5
In education⁽¹⁰⁾	12.7
On a training scheme	1.1
Unemployed	6.6

⁽⁹⁾ Full time employment is classified as work of at least 30 hours on average per week. Part time employment is classified as work of less than 30 hours on average per week.

⁽¹⁰⁾ The percentage of lone parents in education is taken as those lone parents enrolled in some type of formal education; this includes both part time and full time education as well as those enrolled on courses and not attending and those enrolled and not revealing their work status

5 Dec 2002 : Column 1004W

Data from Family Resources Survey⁽¹¹⁾2001–02 Percentage of lone parents

Claiming sickness benefits⁽¹²⁾^,⁽¹³⁾ 8

Of which

Incapacity benefits 2

Sickness benefits 7

Statutory sick pay 1

Data from Family Resources Survey⁽¹¹⁾2001–02	Percentage of lone parents
Claiming sickness benefits⁽¹²⁾^,⁽¹³⁾	8
Of which
Incapacity benefits	2
Sickness benefits	7
Statutory sick pay	1

⁽¹¹⁾ In the FRS benefit receipt is based on self-assessment and therefore may be subject to mis-reporting.

⁽¹²⁾ XSickness benefits" comprises all lone parents claiming at least one of the following: DLA, War disablement pension, Severe disability allowance, Disabled persons tax credit, Attendance allowance, Industrial injury disablement benefit, Disabled person's tax credit.

⁽¹³⁾ Lone parents claiming one type of sickness benefit may also be in receipt of other sickness or incapacity benefits, hence the percentage of lone parents claiming any type of sickness benefits is smaller than the sum of those claiming each type of benefit.

New Deal

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what data is collected on the number of persons who have entered the New Deal gateway more than once; and if he will make a statement. [84439]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 2 December 2002]: The New Deal for Young People and the New Deal 25 plus are the only New Deals that have a gateway period. The New Deal Evaluation Database contains details of each spell a person has spent on gateway.

At September 2002, 776,800 people had started on the gateway of the New Deal for Young People programme (629,920 individuals). Of these 126,410 clients (20 per cent. of all individual gateway starters) have entered the gateway more than once.

At September 2002, 508,380 people had started on the gateway of the New Deal 25 plus (383,580 individuals). Of these 97,560 clients (25 per cent. of all individual gateway starters) have entered the gateway more than once.

Source:

New Deal Evaluation Database.

Voluntary Sector

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the impact of the voluntary sector on the labour market. [80408]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: We recognise the value of the voluntary sector to the community and have recently laid before Parliament draft regulations that should make it easier for people out of paid employment and claiming jobseeker's allowance to make a greater commitment to volunteering.