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16 Jun 2003 : Column 90W—continued
School Funding
Mr. Willis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what modelling was done by his Department to test the new funding system for local authorities and schools with particular reference to its impact at individual school level. [117873]
Mr. Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (Mr. Miliband) on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 126W.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Autism
Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to ensure that people with autism spectrum disorders can obtain the full range of disability benefits. [118009]
Maria Eagle: People with autism spectrum disorders are entitled to disability living allowance and attendance allowance if they meet the usual qualifying conditions for the benefits. Receipt of these benefits can also give entitlement to disability premiums in the income-related benefits and to the disability elements in tax credits. To
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help severely disabled people claim disability living allowance and attendance allowance we are improving the claim forms and the process for making claims. Decision-makers receive specifically designed training to help them deal with claims from people with autism spectrum disorders and other learning difficulties.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases were dealt with by the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years in (a) Leeds Metropolitan District and (b) the Leeds, West constituency. [116010]
Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. John Battle of 13 June 12003:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
- You ask how many cases were dealt with by the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years in (a) Leeds Metropolitan District and (b) the Leeds West Constituency.
- I am unable to provide you with figures relating to the number of cases dealt with by the Agency in Leeds. I can however estimate the number of new applications received in the last four years to 31 March 2002.
| Year to 31 March | Leeds Metropolitan | Leeds West |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2,000 | 300 |
| 2000 | 1,700 | 200 |
| 2001 | 1,000 | 100 |
| 2002 | 1,000 | 200 |
I do not have the figures for the year ending 31 March 2003. I will ensure that you are provided with this information as soon as it becomes available.
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what methods are employed by the Child Support Agency to recover arrears of child maintenance by absent self-employed parents. [118029]
Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards of 13 June 2003:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive replyfrom the Chief Executive.
- You ask what methods are employed by the Child Support Agency to recover arrears of child maintenance by absent self-employed parents.
- In these circumstances the non resident parent will be approached by a caseworker who will seek to reach an agreement on payment which is acceptable to all parties. If that does not prove possible the caseworker will make a decision on the most appropriate payment arrangement having regard to all relevant facts and will seek the agreement of the non resident parent to that. If that is not agreed the Agency may apply to the Magistrates Court for a Liability Order, which is required before we can take any formal enforcement proceedings.
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- If the Court has granted a Liability Order, we may then try to recover the debt by one or more of the following actions:
- (a) Levying of distress involving the use of Bailiffs
- (b) Establishing a third party debt order—allowing money owed to the debtor to be frozen and sent to us to cover the outstanding debt
- (c) Establishing a charging order- registering the debt against certain assets owned by the debtor
- (d) Registering a County Court judgement, which may affect the debtors creditrating
- (e) Applying for a warrant to commit the debtor to prison or for an order preventing them from holding or obtaining a driving licence.
- The position I describe applies to England and Wales with a different but broadly similar approach in Scotland.
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what enforcement action is being taken against Graham Edward Morris in respect of maintenance arrears due to Deidre Hilder, a constituent. [118072]
Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 13 June 2003:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
- You ask what enforcement action is being taken against Graham Edward Morris in respect of maintenance arrears due to Deidre Milder a constituent.
- As individual cases are confidential I will write to you privately concerning Mr Morris.
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will recommend to the Child Support Agency that an advance payment is made to Deidre Hilder in respect of arrears due to her. [118073]
Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 13 June 2003:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
- You ask if he will recommend to the Child Support Agency that an advance payment is made to Deidre Milder in respect of arrears due to her.
- As individual cases are confidential I will write to you privately concerning Deidre Milder.
Partnership Agreements
Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to conclude a partnership agreement with the trade unions representing the staff in his Department. [117445]
Maria Eagle: The Department is about to introduce new arrangements for ensuring its trade unions are kept fully informed and are consulted about developments
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affecting staff, and for granting trade union representatives time off from their official duties. These arrangements reflect a commitment to work within the spirit of the partnership agreement between the Cabinet Office and the Council of Civil Service Unions (CCSU), which was signed in March 2000, and guidance on best practice provided to employers by the Arbitration, Conciliation and Advisory Service (ACAS). Once these new arrangements have been tested, we will consider our approach to a formal partnership agreement with the Department's trade unions.
Pathway Centres
Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions where within Essex he is establishing Pathway Centres to assist persons with health problems and disabilities to find work; what the purpose was of the centres; and what assessment he has made of their likely benefits. [119174]
Mr. Andrew Smith: People moving on to incapacity benefits should no longer be regarded as people at the end of their working lives, but people with working futures. The Green Paper "Pathways to Work" (CM 5690) set out a strategy for enabling people with health problems and disabilities to move into work, and so become and remain independent. The Government's consultation response and action plan (CM 5830), published on 10 June 2003, gives details of the proposals we are taking forward.
The new approach will be introduced in three pilot areas from October 2003, with a further tranche starting from April 2004. On 5 June 2003, I announced that the
second tranche of pilot areas would be based in the following Jobcentre Plus districts: Gateshead and South Tyneside, Somerset, Essex and East Lancashire. The Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices participating in the Essex pilot are: Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood, Canvey Island, Chelmsford, Clacton, Colchester, Grays, Harlow, Harwich, Loughton, Rayleigh, Southend, Stansted Airport, Tilbury and Witham.
A comprehensive evaluation programme of the pilots will be in place to assess the effectiveness of the proposals in supporting a return to work. As well as looking at the overall impact of the package of provision, the evaluation will assess what works best for whom, and in what circumstances, through quantitative surveys and qualitative studies of people claiming incapacity benefits, Jobcentre Plus staff and other key stakeholders.
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