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Autism

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce an autism compact with employers to make it easier for autistic people to gain access to employment. [112674]

Maria Eagle: We are committed to improving employment opportunities for all disabled people, both through the help available from Jobcentre Plus and by extending basic rights through the Disability Discrimination Act. To this end, we support the National Autistic Society's Autism Awareness Week as an important campaign in ensuring that people with autism and their families are aware of their rights and the support available to them.

19 May 2003 : Column 632W

We have no plans at present to introduce an 'autism compact' with employers. However, we recognise that the employment needs of people with disabilities vary and we have been working with the National Autistic Society to improve our understanding of how best to help people with autism find and keep jobs. In addition, Disability Employment Advisers within Jobcentre Plus provide support to disabled people facing complex barriers to work and help employers develop good recruitment policies. They can offer help to disabled people with finding work and can refer them, where appropriate, to occupational health assessments training and the full range of Jobcentre Plus disability programmes.

19 May 2003 : Column 633W

Civil Service (People with Disabilities)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made in meeting targets for the proportion of people with disabilities in senior posts in the Department. [110532]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: The Department for Work and Pensions has made progress in meeting targets for disabled staff in senior posts as follows: 5 per cent. of Senior Civil Service Managers currently in post are disabled compared to a target figure of 3.2 per cent. In addition 4.1 per cent of staff at grades 6, 7, and SEO are disabled compared to a target figure of 3 per cent.

The Department is committed to increasing the number of disabled people in senior posts in the Department by for example using open competition to provide a wider pool of diverse applicants for senior posts. The Department is also involved in various developmental schemes for disabled people such as Fast Track, a graduate development programme for disabled people co-ordinated by SCOPE. This is a work based development programme that aims to provide disabled people with their first step into a chosen career. As part of this programme we currently have two graduates on six month placements. In addition we are during the period 2002–04 supporting 11 staff as part of the Civil Service Bursary scheme for disabled staff.

The Department also plays an active role in the Cabinet Office Disability working party that has been established to examine better ways of collating and monitoring disability data.

The European Commission has designated 2003 as the European Year of Disabled People. The Department is playing a key role in co-ordinating the UK programme of activities for this year. The UK theme for the year is "Promoting Rights and Participation".

Departmental Staff

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of regional variations in staff turnover in his Department. [112746]

Maria Eagle: Information on turnover by Government office region in the Department for Work and Pensions for the year ending 31 December 2002 is in the following table. The overall turnover rate and the variation between regions have been stable since the Department's formation in June 2001.

Percentage

Region	Wastage rate
East Midlands	7.7
East of England	8.5
London	8.6
North East	4.7
North West	7.1
Scotland	6.0
South East	9.9
South West	8.7
Wales	6.4
West Midlands	6.9
Yorkshire and the Humber	6.0
Total	7.1

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Entertainment

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [106389]

Maria Eagle: My ministerial colleagues and I meet hon. Members from all political parties from time to time to discuss various issues which concern the work of the Department for Work and Pensions. To establish the exact cost of hospitality supplied specifically to Labour MPs, we would need to examine the diaries of all our Ministers for the last 12 months. This would enable us to identify any meetings where Labour MPs were present and only then could we establish what, if any, hospitality was provided. Understandably, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

All offers of hospitality are made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in Government Accounting. The giving and receiving of hospitality is conducted fully in accordance with the guidance set out in the Ministerial Code.

EU Discrimination Committee

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list (a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee for implementation of the action programme to tackle discrimination, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110288]

Alan Johnson: I have been asked to reply.

The Community Action Programme to combat discrimination has met twice in the last 12 months, in May and December 2002. The current UK representative is Cathy Rees who is the responsible Assistant Director of this Department's Selected Employment Rights Branch.

I will place copies of the agenda for both meetings in the Libraries of the House. These show where agenda items were for information, and where decisions have been taken.

An evaluation of the programme will be reported to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. A copy of the evaluation report will be placed in the Libraries of the House once available.

Invalid Care Allowance

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many beneficiaries there would be and what the cost would be of extending the carers premium to all those eligible for invalid care allowance but disqualified because of the overlapping benefit rule. [112670]

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Maria Eagle: The carer premium in the income-related benefits can already be paid to people who have an established entitlement to carers allowance, previously known as invalid care allowance, but do not receive it as a result of the overlapping benefit rules.

Part-time Workers' Pensions

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of women who are affected by the ECHR ruling on occupational pension provision for part-time workers; what estimate he has made of the number that have successfully exercised their rights following that ruling; and if he will make a statement. [114512]

Maria Eagle: It is not possible to estimate precisely the total number of women part-time workers who might be affected by the European Court of Justice ruling on access to occupational pension schemes. About 60,000 claims were originally lodged with Employment Tribunals and aspects of the Court rulings are still awaiting clarification. Some claims have been struck out because they were lodged too late; while other part-time workers could still make claims.

In order to be successful, claims have to be lodged in time (ie while the individual is in work or within six months of leaving employment with the relevant employer); it has to be accepted that the part-time worker's exclusion from the particular scheme amounted to indirect sex discrimination; and agreement has been made regarding the appropriate rates of contributions to be paid in respect of the claim.

We understand that some private sector employers have already reached settlement with their applicants and negotiations are well advanced for public service schemes.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Criminal Records

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to respond substantively to the recommendation of the Review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 in relation to the deletion of offenders' criminal records at 18 for the purposes of employment. [113420]

Paul Goggins: The Government response to the Review was published in April 2003, and a copy placed in the Library. The recommendation attracted little support and the Government has deferred consideration of it until the impact of other elements of the proposed new disclosure scheme on the resettlement of young offenders can be assessed.

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Child Prisoners

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children are in prison. [111915]

Paul Goggins: On 28 February 2003 there were 2,346 juveniles (aged 15–17) held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales.

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