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4 Jun 2003 : Column 482W—continued
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average processing time is of a new claim for jobseeker's allowance between first contact and payment in each (a) jobcentre area and (b) employment region. [113064]
Malcolm Wicks: The average national processing time for a new claim to Jobseeker's Allowance is 10.14 days against a target of 12 days. Information on the average processing time by District and Region has been placed in the Library.
Pension Service
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many face-to-face meetings were requested by pensioners in Perth constituency in their dealings with the Pension Service in Dundee in each year since 1997; how many requests were granted; how many have taken place at the home of the pensioner; and what record is kept of such requests; [115556]
- (2) how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are employed at the Dundee Pension Centre, broken down (i) by (A) managerial and (B) non-managerial posts and (ii) by civil service grades; [115557]
(3) on what occasions since November 2002 staffing levels in Dundee Pension Centre have been increased to cover busy periods and by what amount; [115558]
(4) what the criteria employed by the Pension Centre based in Dundee are when referring pensioners to the Pension Service based in Newcastle; and in what percentage of cases such a referral has been made since November 2002. [115559]
Maria Eagle: The matters raised are the responsibility of Alexis Cleveland, chief executive of The Pension Service. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from C. MacKinnon to Annabelle Ewing, dated 3 June 2003:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked Alexis Cleveland to respond to the following parliamentary questions relating to Dundee Pension Centre. Due to annual leave I am replying on her behalf.
- 1. How many face-to-face meetings were requested by pensioners in Perth constituency in their dealings with the pension service in Dundee in each year since 1997; how many requests were granted; how many have taken place at the home of the pensioner; and what record is kept of such requests.
4 Jun 2003 : Column 483W
- 2. How many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are employed at the Dundee Pension Centre broken down (i) by (A) managerial and (B) non-managerial posts and (ii) by civil service grades.
- 3. On what occasions since November 2002 have staffing levels in Dundee Pension Centre been increased to cover busy periods and by what amount.
- 4. What the criteria employed by the Pension Centre based in Dundee are when referring pensioners and the pension service based in Newcastle; and in what percentage of cases has such a referral been made since November 2002.
- I am unable to answer fully all of these questions as we either do not gather the data or do not retain it over lengthy time periods. I have provided answers where possible and where not have explained the context or reason.
- The Pension Service was launched in April 2002 and began moving work to Dundee Pension Centre on 20 April 2002.
- The Dundee Pension Centre does not keep records of the number of face-to-face meetings specifically requested by pensioners. General records of referrals for visit are kept for 3 months and then destroyed but it is not possible to distinguish from these whether the visit was requested at the instigation of the customer, or by us.
- There has been a staged programme of recruitment at Dundee Pension Centre in line with the movement of workloads from exporting sites. I have set out the information requested on staffing in the annex attached.
- Between February and October 2002, there were 432 staff recruited, with an additional 65 new staff recruited between April and May 2003. This additional recruitment is to support anticipated additional work to deliver Pension Credit.
- The Dundee Pension Centre processes all claims for Retirement Pension from customers living in Perth Constituency, amongst others. Where a customer wishes their Retirement Pension to be paid by direct payment into their bank account, their account is maintained by our centre in Newcastle. Information is not available about the number of cases dealt with by Dundee Pension Centre that have requested direct payment of Retirement Pension. Nationally, fifty per cent of pensioners currently have their benefit paid direct into a bank account.
- I am sorry that I have been unable to answer all your questions fully but hope that what I have been able to provide assists you.
| Substantive Grade | Status | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Unified Grade 6 | Full time | 1 |
| Senior Executive Officer | Full time | 3 |
| Higher Executive Officer (HEO) | Full time | 10 |
| Executive Officer (EO) | Full time | 70 |
| EO | Full time/part year | 1 |
| Total full-time managerial staff | 85 | |
| HEO | Part time | 1 |
| EO | Part time | 6 |
| EO | Part time/part year | 3 |
| Total part-time managerial staff | 10 | |
| Total managerial staff | 95 |
| Substantive grade | Status | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Adjudication Officer (AO) | Full time | 366 |
| Administrative Assistant (AA) | Full time | 27 |
| AA Casual | Full time | 40 |
| Total full-time non-managerial staff | 433 | |
| AO | Part time | 37 |
| AO | Part time/part year | 3 |
| Total part-time non-managerial staff | 40 | |
| Total non-managerial staff | 473 |
4 Jun 2003 : Column 484W
Pensions Appeals
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases at Pensions Appeal Tribunal by wives claiming an increased state pension because their husband has reached 65 have (a) failed and (b) succeeded in each year since 1997; and in how many cases succeeding at Tribunal payments were not fully backdated. [113851]
Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Christina Townsend to Mrs. Lait dated, 4 June 2003:
- The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question regarding the number of appeals in respect of wives claiming increased state pension because their husband has reached 65 in each year since 1997, and how many successful cases were not fully backdated.
- No information is available on the number of appeals where the issue was solely an increase of state pension or on how many successful cases were not fully backdated. However, the attached table shows the total number of Retirement Pension appeals cleared, as well as how many had the original decision upheld and how many were found in favour of the appellant. We began collecting information for the first full year in 1998 so no information is available for 1997.
- I hope this reply is helpful
| Appeals cleared | Decision upheld | Found in favour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1,270 | 1,115 | 140 |
| 1999 | 1,385 | 1,210 | 160 |
| 2000 | 965 | 815 | 135 |
| 2001 | 1,130 | 960 | 155 |
| 2002 | 1,170 | 1,010 | 150 |
Notes:All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available. Figures for the latest months may rise significantly as information feeds through to the Appeals Service. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.Source:
100 per cent. download of the Generic Appeals Processing System.
Widowers' Pensions
Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will make a statement on the factors underlying the Government's decision not to make a statement on widowers' pensions to the European Court of Human Rights on 15 May; [116294]
- (2) what plans the Government has to settle widowers' claims to benefits predating 9 April 2001. [116808]
Malcolm Wicks: Before April 2001, there was no statutory basis to make payments of widow's benefits to men. The Government, in introducing its reform of support in bereavement from April 2001, said, following earlier findings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) that similar cases were admissible, that its obligation was to future widowers. The reforms of 2001 met that obligation and went further by making the new Widowed Parent's Allowance available to existing widowers from its introduction.
4 Jun 2003 : Column 485W
In June 2002, the European Court of Human Rights found that the UK Government had violated the Convention in respect of Mr Kevin Willis by not paying him the Widowed Mother's Allowance and Widow's Payment that he would have been entitled to h.ad he been a woman in the same circumstances. The Court ordered a payment equivalent to the benefit that he would have received had he been a woman and an amount in respect of interest. The Government is not contesting that judgement.
The Court did not consider the question of widow's pension and litigation remains before the domestic and Strasbourg Courts. The Court of Appeal heard arguments in the domestic cases during week commencing 7 October 2002 and judgment was reserved. The European Court of Human Rights decided to adjourn further hearings of two applications by widowers concerning widow's pension until the completion of the domestic litigation.
There are important matters to be settled in both jurisdictions that will affect the Government's decisions in dealing with all the widowers affected. The Government is continuing to respond to the European Court of Human Rights1 requests for written observations on individual applications from widowers but, until the litigation is resolved, the Government cannot speculate about the outcomes of these cases or the decisions that it may take in the light of them.
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