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3 Jun 2003 : Column 55W—continued
Executive Agencies
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) who the Chief Executive Officer of the Employment Service Agency is; [112702]
- (2) who the Chief Executive Officer of the Benefits Agency is. [112707]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The Benefits Agency and Employment Service ceased to exist in March 2002. They were replaced by our two new agencies: Jobcentre Plus, for people of working age, and the Pension Service.
Alexis Cleveland is the chief executive of the Pension Service and Clare Dodgson is currently acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus. We have recently announced the appointment of David Anderson as the new chief executive of Jobcentre Plus and he will take up post from 2 June.
European Year of the Disabled Citizen
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to list the measures his Department has taken to highlight the European Year of the Disabled Citizen; what projects have been undertaken; what funding has been given to each project; and if he will make a statement. [114499]
Maria Eagle: We held high profile launch events across the UK in January 2003 and announced our intention to publish a draft disability Bill later this year. We are funding 171 local and regional projects to highlight the UK theme for the European Year, "Promoting Rights and Participation". A list has been placed in the Library.
An EU Bus promoting the European Year will tour the UK during June 2003 and will provide a focal point for a range of further activities. We are also running media campaigns to support the European Year and raise awareness about disability rights.
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Inactivity Rates
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people of working age were economically inactive in each year since 1997; how many of these were claiming (a) welfare benefits, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) other disability benefits and (d) income support; and if he will make a statement; [114480]
- (2) how many people of working age who were economically inactive and claiming income support were lone parents in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [114481]
Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the following table.
| March to May | Number |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 7,588 |
| 1998 | 7,675 |
| 1999 | 7,560 |
| 2000 | 7,502 |
| 2001 | 7,675 |
| 2002 | 7,707 |
Notes:
1. Data are seasonally adjusted, and interim adjustments have been made to the data to take into account 2001 census results.
2. Statistically robust information is not available on the number of people of working age who were economically inactive and claiming benefit.
Source:
ONS publication—Labour Market Trends May 2003 Table D2
Jobcentre (Sutton)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were (a) on the NOMIS register and (b) non-claimants of jobseeker's allowance, but users of the Jobcentre Service at Sutton Jobcentre in each of the last three years. [112638]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, Clare Dodgson. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Clare Dodgson to Mr. Burstow, dated 22 May 2003:
- As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question about users of Sutton Jobcentre in each of the last three years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of the Agency.
- The number of people registered at Sutton Jobcentre, as shown by NOMIS, in March for the last three years was as follows:
| Number of people registered | |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,491 |
| 2002 | 1,732 |
| 2003 | 1,950 |
It is not possible to give a figure for the number of non-claimants of jobseekers allowance who use Sutton Jobcentre. Records are not kept of the number of people who make enquiries or who receive help with general employment advice through the Jobcentre. Statistics are kept for the number of job submissions
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made for non-claimants of jobseeker's allowance but, as an individual may be submitted for a number of different jobs, this is not a reliable guide for the number of these people using our services.
I hope this is helpful.
Jobcentre Plus
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to ensure that Jobcentre Plus remains in the public sector; and if he will make a statement. [112064]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Jobcentre Plus is committed to providing services in accordance with the principles of public service reform, set out in Reforming our public services: Principles into practice. The four key principles are standards and accountability; devolution and delegation; flexibility and incentives; and expanding choice. Jobcentre Plus is committed to putting the customer first by using the private sector where appropriate, such as to expand choice or to drive up the standard of performance.
Jobcentre Plus already makes considerable use of the private and voluntary sectors in delivering services to jobless people. This gives a much wider range of provision to choose from, helping to match services more closely with individual customer's needs. We expect Jobcentre Plus to continue to involve the private and voluntary sectors in delivering elements of its current and future programmes where they can help improve the service we deliver.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) of 6 May 2003, Official Report, column 555W, on Jobcentre staff, what effect across the UK the workforce efficiency plans will have on the level of staffing; and if he will make a statement. [113259]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, Clare Dodgson. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Clare Dodgson to Paul Holmes, dated 22 May 2003:
- As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the effect our workforce efficiency plans will have on our level of staffing. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of the Agency.
- As part of the last spending review, the Government has agreed to a major investment plan for the department including over £2 billion for rolling out of Jobcentre Plus. A significant part of this investment will mean better technology, improved training and modernised business processes. As a result we will, over time, need fewer staff to provide enhanced services to our customers.
- Jobcentre Plus plans to reduce its staff numbers to 76,600 by March 2006, equivalent to a 3.5 per cent. reduction over three years.
- While the precise impact will be different in different parts of the country and there may be areas of greater difficulty, the planned reductions in staffing will be carefully managed and are within our overall margins of staff turnover. We expect therefore to manage this reduction by moving staff to other parts of the Department for Work and Pensions or through natural wastage.
- I hope this is helpful.
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Medical Assessments
Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that doctors carrying out independent medical assessments of mentally ill people applying for benefits have specialist psychiatric experience and qualifications. [115903]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The role of doctors carrying out assessments of people applying for benefits is to assess the functional effects of a condition, whether physical or mental, on the claimant. All doctors carrying out assessments of people applying for benefits receive specialist training as medical disability analysts.
Training and guidance for these doctors on the assessment of people with mental health problems have been developed by Medical Services in collaboration with experts in psychiatry.
National Insurance (Married Women)
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 24 March 2003, Official Report, columns 105–06W, on National Insurance (Married Women), in which years the special insert regarding Home Responsibilities Protection was placed in child benefit order books. [113100]
Malcolm Wicks: The special insert regarding Home Responsibilities Protection directed at married women paying reduced rate National Insurance contributions was placed in child benefit order books in 1979. Inserts have a short-term life—the life of the order book. They are intended to draw attention to important information at a particular time in this case that married women who had chosen to pay reduced rate contributions could not qualify for Home Responsibilities Protection and might wish to reconsider their choice. However, information about HRP continued to feature in the order book notes.
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