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29 Jan 2003 : Column 936W—continued
Benefits Agency (Fraud)
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent guidelines he has issued in respect of the (a) disciplinary measures and (b) criminal proceedings to be imposed when staff of the Benefits Agency are found to have committed fraud. [92505]
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Malcolm Wicks: In December 2002 the Department issued a revised disciplinary policy to all staff which outlined the guidelines to be issued in all cases of serious and minor misconduct, including internal fraud. The policy is supported by separate guidance produced for individuals and managers and includes categories of disciplinary offences and the range and duration of penalties.
Guidance outlining the circumstances when criminal proceedings should be considered is regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate.
Call Centres
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the telephone call centres that provide services for his Department and its agencies, indicating in each case (a) who is responsible for operating the centre, (b) how many staff work in the centre and (c) what the cost of the centre was in the last 12 months to his Department and its agencies. [88448]
Mr. McCartney: The available information has been placed in the Library. This information is not routinely collected or validated centrally. Many DWP call centre services are integrated with the Department's core functions to varying degrees and this has made it difficult to disaggregate some staff functions and costs or to provide details on a consistent basis. The figures provided should, therefore, be read with reference to the explanatory notes that it has been necessary to provide for most returns.
Disability Living Allowance
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of higher level disability living allowance there are in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [92795]
Maria Eagle: The information requested is contained in the table. Disability Living Allowance is divided into two components: care, which has three rates; and mobility, which has two.
| Highest care | Higher mobility | |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 531.9 | 1,587.2 |
| England | 396.7 | 1,193.8 |
| Scotland | 56.7 | 172.1 |
| Wales | 40.1 | 137.5 |
| Northern Ireland | 38.3 | 83.8 |
Note:
Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.
Recipients of highest-rate care component may also be in receipt of a mobility component.
Recipients of higher-rate mobility component may also be in receipt of a care component
Northern Ireland Figures were provided by the Statistics and Research Branch, Department for Social Development
Source:
IAD Information Centre, data taken from 5 per cent).
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Gas Pipes
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the gas network has metal mains pipes. [87482]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: I am informed by the Health and Safety Executive that there are approximately 275,000 km of gas main in Transco's network of which approximately 55 per cent. of the total length are metal i.e. 151,000 km.
Government Subsidised Training
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) received into the length of time which individuals on average practise a particular trade or occupation after receiving Government subsidised training in it. [93560]
Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 27 January 2003]: The objective of our policies is to help jobless people, particularly the most disadvantaged, move into and remain in employment. Initiatives such as the New Deals and Work Based Learning for Adults are helping to achieve this. Some of those helped into work by government programmes may change their jobs or occupations at a later date. However, the skills and confidence they have gained through participation in our programmes will stand them in good stead in the current dynamic labour market. Success, therefore, should be measured by the improvement in the level of employment. This has increased by 1.3 million since 1997 and now stands at 27.8 million.
There has been no specific research into the length of time individuals stay in a particular occupation after receiving Government subsidised training. However, we have commissioned a study into Work Based Learning for Adults that will examine the impact of a subsidised training programme on client outcomes.
Grants
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the grants funded by his Department for which individual members of the public and organisations may apply; and if he will make a statement as to (a) the total of such funding in the last financial year, (b) the total number of awards and (c) their administrative costs. [82197]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Our objectives are to fight poverty, create opportunity for all and help people become self sufficient and independent. Jobcentre Plus and The Pension Service administer adiverse range of grant schemes, usually linked to specific life events such as maternity or bereavement, to which individual members of the public can apply for help. Grants are also available to help people lead independent lives in the community.
In addition the Department works in partnership with a number of grant aided organisations. However we do not administer any grant schemes which are open to application by outside organisations.
Information on administration costs is currently not available in the format requested. The Department now accounts for its administration and benefit expenditure
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by Strategic Objective, as set out in its Public Service Agreements (PSA), and by individual Requests for Resources (RfRs) as set out in the Departmental Estimates and Accounts.
Information relating to the principal grant schemes administered by the Department in 2001–02 is in the table.
| 2001–02 Expenditure (£ million) | Number of awards | |
|---|---|---|
| Sure Start Maternity Grant(47) | 61.2 | 201,000 |
| Funeral payments (47) | 38.4 | 42,000 |
| Community Care Grants (47) | 102.6 | 233,000 |
| Job Grant(48) | 5.3 | 530,000 |
| New Deal 50 Plus Training Grant (49) | 0.885 | 2,100 |
| Access to work (48) | 40.9 | 13.000 |
(47) Social Fund Annual Report 2002
(48) Jobcentre Plus computer system
(49) ND 50 plus evaluation data base.
Notes:
(i) Expenditure rounded to nearest thousand
(ii) Number of awards rounded to nearest thousand.
Incomes (Kendal)
Mr. Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the population of the Kendal travel-to-work-area had an income (a) below, (b) at and (c) above the national average in each of the past five years. [94817]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The information requested is not available.
Minimum Income Guarantee
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the 34-page version of 'Review Claim Form A2' continues to be issued to Minimum Income Guarantee claimants. [88202]
Mr. McCartney: The review claim form A2 continues to be used when reviewing certain Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) claims. It is completed, for example, when the claimant is in receipt of another income such
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as occupational pension, has capital, or receives Invalid Care Allowance or Attendance Allowance. It was used in around 10 per cent. of MIG claims in 2001–02 and was completed by a member of DWP staff in two thirds of these cases. Help to complete the form is available to everyone.
David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Telford benefit from the Minimum Income Guarantee. [93283]
Mr. McCartney: As at August 2002 there were 2,900 people benefiting from the Minimum Income Guarantee in the Telford constituency.
- Source:
- Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, August 2002.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the total expenditure by his Department on ministerial travel (a) in the UK and (b) abroad, in each year from 1995–96 to 2002–03 (estimated); and if he will make a statement. [92474]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, Mr. Alexander, on 22 January 2003, Official Report, column 334W.
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