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27 Jan 2003 : Column 655W—continued
Disability Living Allowance (Deaf Recipients)
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disability living allowance recipients, whose main disabling condition is deafness, are aged between (a) 0 to 16 years and (b) 16 to 64 years and live in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland. [92811]
Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
Number of recipients of disability living allowance aged under 16 and 16 to 64 whose main disabling condition is deafness or deaf and blind at 31 August 2002.
| England | Wales | Scotland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–15 | 7.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| 16–64 | 15.6 | 1.0 | 1.8 |
Note:
Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred
Source:
IAD Information Centre, data taken from 5 per cent. sample as at 31 August 2002.
Disability Living Allowance (Fraud)
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what investigations were (a) undertaken and (b) completed in 2002 into fraud in disability living allowance claims. [93559]
Malcolm Wicks: During 2001–02, a total of 2,021 disability living allowance benefit fraud cases were investigated, and of these, 1,172 resulted in identification of an overpayment. In addition, a total of 404 disability living allowance instrument of payment fraud cases were investigated, and of these, 229 resulted in identification of an overpayment.
- Source:
- Disability and Carers' Benefit Unit management information.
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Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his assessment is of the level of fraud and the amount of money defrauded in disability living allowance in 2002. [93561]
Malcolm Wicks: The most recent assessment of the level of fraud in disability living allowance found confirmed fraud in 1.5 per cent. of cases. This equates to approximately £78 million per year.
- Source:
- National Benefit Review of Disability Living Allowance, published February 1997.
European Year of Disabled People
Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many regional and local projects to be funded as part of the European Year of Disabled People are based in (a) the Scottish Borders and (b) Scotland. [92624]
Maria Eagle: Of the 171 projects in the UK, 22 are based in Scotland. There are no projects based in the Scottish Borders but three of the 22 projects cover the whole of Scotland and will therefore benefit the Scottish Borders.
Fair Trade Criteria
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what fair trade criteria he sets when deciding upon what suppliers to use. [89915]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary on 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 92W, which sets out the-Government-wide position.
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to fair trade and ethical supply routes. There are no prescribed fair trade criteria, and each contract is considered individually on its merits in line with EC procurement regulations and Government policy regarding value for money. However, our supply policy is that supply decisions must be based on a balanced assessment of benefits which must include value for money and ethical issues across the whole supply chain. This policy allows individual procurement exercises to set the right criteria, including fair trade criteria, that are appropriate to the business requirement and the commodity or service being procured.
Income Support
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people in receipt of income support have full refugee status; [89111]
- (2) how many non-UK citizens who have been granted exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom are in receipt of income support; [89112]
(3) how many non-UK citizens are in receipt of income support by reason of their status of having suffered a recent upheaval in their country. [89118]
Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available.
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Nationals from a country which my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, has declared a "country of upheaval" may claim asylum in this country. Asylum seekers no longer have access to income-related benefits, such as Income Support, as the National Asylum Support Service now deals with any claim for financial support.
Minimum Income Guarantee
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons have claimed the minimum income guarantee in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1997. [93087]
Mr. McCartney: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available relates to the number of people receiving Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) and is shown in the table.
| County of Shropshire | Parliamentary constituency of Shrewsbury and Atcham | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 7,900 | 2,900 |
| 1998 | 7,700 | 2,800 |
| 1999 | 7,600 | 2,800 |
| 2000 | 7,400 | 2,700 |
| 2001 | 7,800 | 2,900 |
| 2002 | 8,100 | 2,700 |
Minimum Income Guarantee (Pensioners)
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have benefited from the minimum income guarantee in (a) Coventry and (b) West Midlands. [92346]
Mr. McCartney: As at August 2002 there were 13,700 people benefiting from the Minimum Income Guarantee in Coventry and 219,800 in the West Midlands region.
- Source: Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, August 2002
New Deal
Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what number and proportion of those on each option of the New Deal for Young People and for those aged over 25 years went into a sustained job, in the most recent period for which figures are available. [90373]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The information is in the tables.
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In addition to these job outcomes, we know from survey findings that around 56 per cent.of young people who leave the New Deal for unknown destinations do, in fact, find work.
| Stage of leaving | Number of people leaving the New Deal | Number who left New Deal for a sustained, unsubsidised job(29) | Proportion of leavers who moved into a sustained, unsubsidised job (per cent.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| From gateway | 304,800 | 42,200 | 13,8 |
| After entering each option: | |||
| Subsidised employment | 16 900 | 1 800 | 10.7 |
| Full-time education and training | 7,400 | 1,100 | 14.9 |
| Work based learning for adults | 23.100 | 2,500 | 10.8 |
In April 2001, New Deal 25 plus was extended and enhanced to provide a flexible, more individually-tailored service to help more people get jobs and remain in them. This included the introduction of an Intensive Activity Period (IAP) for participants after an initial Gateway period. The IAP provides a wider package of tailored help, which might combine, for example, work experience, work-focused training, help with motivation and soft skills, and help with job search. From April 2001, all those eligible for New Deal 25 plus joined this re-engineered programme.
| Stage of leaving | Number of people leaving the New Deal | Number who left New Deal for a sustained, unsubsidised job(29) | Proportion of leavers who moved into a sustained, unsubsidised job (per cent.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| From gateway | 82.100 | 24.900 | 30.3 |
| After entering each option: | |||
| Subsidised employment | 5,600 | 700 | 12.5 |
| Basic employability training | 4.300 | 800 | 18.6 |
| Self employment | 1,500 | 500 | 33.3 |
| Education/Training opportunity | 700 | 200 | 28.6 |
| Work experience | 8,500 | 1,900 | 22.4 |
| Intensive activity period training | 9.300 | 2.100 | 22.6 |
| Other (includes training for work) | 200 | 40 | 20.0 |
(29) Sustained employment is when a client has not returned to claim JSA within 13 weeks of leaving the programme.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database
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