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24 Feb 2003 : Column 19W—continued
Public Guardianship Office
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many outstanding items of casework there were at the Public Guardianship Office in the last four quarters. [97142]
Ms Rosie Winterton: At the end of April 2002 there were 15,356 outstanding items of casework, at the end of July 15,580, at the end of October 6,510 and at the end of January 3,637.
Solicitors (Complaints)
Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints the Department received about the performance of solicitors in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [97940]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I would refer my hon. Friend to my answers on 15 March 2002 to his earlier questions, Official Report, column 1282W. I also refer him to the statement that was made on 30 January 2003, Official Report, column 174W, informing the House that the Lord Chancellor had appointed Dr. Zahida Manzoor as Legal Services Ombudsman.
Special Advisers and Press Officers
Mr. Laws: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) special
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advisers and (b) press officers have been employed by his Department in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and at what cost in each year. [92432]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In relation to (a), I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander), on 31 January 2003, Official Report, column 1056W.
With regard to (b), the number of press officers employed by the Lord Chancellor's Department and Court Service since 1994 is as follows:
| Press Officers | Paybill (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 to 1998–99 | 3 | not available |
| 1999–2000 | 3 | 146,558 |
| 2000–01 | 5 | 152,840 |
| 2001–02 | 6 | 186,894 |
| 2002–03 | 10 | not yet available |
The number of press officers does not include the Director and Deputy Director of Communications who also include media work among their responsibilities.
The increase in numbers of press officers reflects the increasing workload of my Department, including extra responsibilities transferred to us from other Government Departments following machinery of Government changes.
Full annual paybill figures prior to 1999–2000 are not available because press office functions were incorporated into a new group in 1998 and the Department changed accounting systems.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Capital Projects
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place the evaluations for Capital Modernisation Fund projects since 1998 in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [97028]
Mr. McCartney: The Capital Modernisation Fund provides capital funding for innovative projects which will deliver genuine improvements in public services. It is a requirement of receiving this funding that the Department has robust arrangements in place for the implementing, monitoring and final evaluation of these projects.
Round 1 provided resources to develop a sophisticated IT and call centre system to match jobseekers to employers, final evaluation reports for these were produced in July 2002 and have subsequently been placed in the Library.
Round 2 provided funding for an electronic claim form and telecentre costs to deliver the Minimum Income Guarantee. Initiatives within MIG are awaiting evaluation reports and will be placed in the Library in due course.
Round 3 provided funding for WORKSTEP, a project to provide support in work to disabled people facing complex barriers to working. This project is ongoing and due for completion in 2003–04.
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Round 4 provided funding for three projects, Interactive e Services, Modernising Appeals and Transport and Worklessness. These projects are all in the very early stages and as such have not yet reached the evaluation process.
When the rounds are completed the Department is committed to placing the evaluation reports in the Library in due course.
Departmental Vehicles
Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual rate is at which his Department and its agencies renew their vehicle fleets, by (a) volume and (b) percentage for each (i) category of vehicle, (ii) type of power unit, and (iii) type of fuel. [97970]
Mr. McCartney: Petrol and Alternatively Fuelled vehicles are replaced when they have covered 80,000 miles, are four-years-old or when they become financially non viable to retain, which ever comes first.
Diesel vehicles are replaced when they have covered 100,000 miles, are four-years-old or when they become financially non viable to retain, whichever comes first.
The percentage of vehicle replaced each year depends on the size of the fleet that continually fluctuates in line with essential business needs.
There is a continual audit and review of fleet requirements based on the daily usage and mileage covered by all our vehicles. The overall size of the fleet has been reduced by 382 vehicles compared to the fleet of the former Department for Social Security and the former Employment Service in April 2001.
Entertainment Expenditure
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the total spending of his Department on entertainment in each year from 1994–95 to 2002–03; and if he will make a statement. [92401]
Mr. McCartney: All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting.
It is not possible to provide expenditure figures back to 1994–95 for the Department for Work and Pensions as it was only created with effect from 1 April 2001. The figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03, therefore, are the only expenditure figures relating to the Department for Work and Pensions.
In order to provide figures which are reasonably comparable, information for the earlier years has been provided by combining expenditure on "official hospitality" by the former Department of Social Security, and on "official entertainment" by the former Employment Service (ES) which, together with relatively small numbers of staff from the Employment Policy Divisions of the former Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), combined to form the new Department for Work and Pensions. However, information on entertainment expenditure by ES is only
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available from 1996–97 onwards, whereas expenditure by the former DfEE Policy Divisions is not separately identifiable.
Estimated expenditure on this basis is set out as follows:
| £ | Department | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 127,000 | DSS |
| 1995–96 | 100,000 | DSS |
| 1996–97 | 147,000 | DSS and ES |
| 1997–98 | 46,000 | DSS and ES |
| 1998–99 | 86,000 | DSS and ES |
| 1999–2000 | 327,000 | DSS and ES |
| 2000–01 | 127,000 | DSS and ES |
| 2001–02 | 155,000 | DWP |
| 2002–03 | 100,000 | DWP (Estimated outturn) |
Notes:
1. Figures rounded to the nearest £000.
2. Expenditure for the 2002–03 financial year represents estimated outturn.
New Deal
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he plans to adopt the definition of New Deal achievement proposed by the Select Committee on Work and Pensions at paragraph 55 of its Third Report of 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [91614]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The sustainability of jobs is one of a number of key measures we already use to analyse the success of the New Deal programmes.
Up to September 2002, 313,700 New Deal clients had moved into jobs lasting 13 weeks or more. The programme is continuing to help significant numbers of disadvantaged young people into work. Many of these have moved into jobs more quickly and have stayed there longer than they would have done without the New Deal.
We are building on this success, developing further measures to help even more young people to move into sustained jobs. We have introduced initiatives such as progress2work and StepUP to provide more assistance for those who face the greatest barriers to work. We are piloting post employment mentoring support to increase job retention and we are testing tailored pathways to help young people use the New Deal Options more flexibly and move into sustained jobs.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many New Deal for Disabled People job brokers are active; and how many have stopped offering their services since the programme went nationwide; [96604]
- (2) how much the New Deal for Disabled People job brokers receive for placing a disabled person into work for six months or more; [96605]
(3) what advice is available to New Deal for Disabled People job brokers on cost-effective ways to attract new clients. [96607]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: We believe that disabled people should be provided with the same opportunities as everyone else. New Deal for Disabled People enables
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those with a health condition or disability to find and move into work and to help themselves become, and remain, more independent.
A network of Job Brokers across Great Britain are providing support and services to people on incapacity benefits who want to participate. The aim is to achieve lasting paid employment for people with health conditions and disabilities.
There are currently 60 Job Brokers delivering New Deal for Disabled People. Of the 66 Job Brokers who were originally contracted, six have withdrawn from their contracts for a variety of reasons. Consequently, some of the existing Job Brokers have extended their provision so as to ensure national coverage.
Job Brokers have access to a variety of advice and support in marketing their services to new customers. In particular there is a Job Broker website which provides details of marketing tools and techniques and information on how best to maximise opportunities to place customers in work.
Job Brokers individually negotiate prices for successfully delivering the New Deal for Disabled People reflecting their operational processes, business assumptions and local labour market conditions. They receive a payment for customers who remain in work for 26 weeks out of 39 following a job entry. The average payment is £1,274.
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) received into the reasons why new deal participants eligible for new deal photocards failed to take up the scheme; if he will place it in the Library; and if he will make a statement; [94003]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 17 December 2002, Official Report, columns 773–74W, on New Deal photocards, by what means the reduced rail fare scheme is brought to the attention of New Deal participants at the initial interview with their personal adviser; what forms are required to be completed in order to apply for the photocard; and if the reduced fares applies to all rail travel or only to that connected with the New Deal. [94056]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Up to November 2002, over 129,000 photocards had been issued to New Deal participants, helping them reduce the cost of travelling to job interviews and getting to work in the early days of a new job. Take up of the scheme has risen greatly since its launch, with the number of photocards issued growing by more than a third on average each quarter.
New Deal personal advisers are responsible for ensuring that all eligible New Deal participants are aware of the reduced rail fares offer. They issue to the New Deal client, either with the first New Deal invitation letter or at the first Gateway interview: an Association of Train Operating Companies Fact Sheet; an application form; and the terms and conditions of the offer. The personal adviser will also inform the participant that two passport-sized photographs should be submitted with the completed application form, and that the photocard is valid for up to three calendar
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months (after which repeat applications can be made). Photocards should only be used for rail travel connected with the New Deal.
The Department has not commissioned any research on the take up of the New Deal Reduced Rail Fare Scheme.
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