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4 Jul 2003 : Column 522W—continued
Energy Efficiency
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets he has on improving energy efficiency in (a) his Department and (b) agencies sponsored by his Department; what steps he is taking to achieve these targets; and if he will make a statement. [119125]
Maria Eagle: The Department, including its Executive Agencies, is covered by the interim, cross-Government target of a 1 per cent per annum reduction in (weather corrected) CO2 emissions. A dedicated Energy Manager is based within the Sustainable Development Team, who works closely with Estates Partners to achieve this target. A number of projects are under way to install energy efficiency measures across a range of buildings on the Estate. In addition, the Sustainable Development Team undertake regular campaigns to highlight to staff the important contribution that they make to achieving this target.
Fraud (Scotland)
John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the estimated cost of (a) council tax benefit fraud and (b) housing benefit fraud in Scotland was in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority; [119712]
- (2) if he will estimate the cost of housing benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997; [119877]
(3) how many instances there were of council tax benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997; [119878]
(4) how many instances there were of housing benefit fraud in Scotland, broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997. [120134]
Mr. Pond: All the information requested is not available. However, the National Housing Benefit Accuracy Review of 1997–98 estimated that between 0.7per cent. and 2.9 per cent. housing benefit claims in Scotland were fraudulent in 1997–98, with a further 1.2 per cent. to 3.7 per cent. strongly suspected of fraud and 0.2 per cent. to 0.8 per cent. mildly suspected of fraud. These figures cannot be broken down to individual local authority level.
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We have now begun, for the first time, an ongoing review of fraud and error in housing benefit. National estimates of fraud and error for 2002–03 are expected to be published in December 2003 with further, more detailed, analysis following in early 2004. However, the sample sizes used may allow estimates to be broken down to regional level but not local authority level. Due to improvements in methodology and definitions used in the Housing Benefit Review it is unlikely that meaningful comparisons will be able to be made with the 1997–98 Review.
Information on the cost of fraud and error is not available separately for council tax benefit. The measurement of fraud and error is complex and expensive and therefore it is concentrated on benefits with the highest expenditure and risk of loss, such as housing benefit. However, the measures that we are taking to fight fraud and error in housing benefit will also serve to improve the accuracy of council tax benefit.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) on 20 May 2003, Official Report, columns 749–50W, on incapacity benefits, how many people claimed both incapacity benefit and income support in each year since 1995. [121256]
Mr. Browne: The information is in the table.
| As at 30 November | Number |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 768,900 |
| 1996 | 794,400 |
| 1997 | 864,800 |
| 1998 | 872,800 |
| 1999 | 911,500 |
| 2000 | 970,300 |
| 2001 | 1,013,800 |
| 2002 | 1,057,100 |
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
2. Figure includes cases where people are claiming incapacity benefit but receiving national insurance credits only.
Source:
Figures are based on 5 per cent. samples of the incapacity benefit and income support computer systems, and exclude a small number of cases held clerically.
Mental Health
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his staff retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year. [111943]
Maria Eagle: Between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003, 79 staff within the Department for Work and Pensions retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems.
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This information comes from British Medical International Health Services (BMI).
Pension Credit
Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the proportion of claimants for pension credit who will receive payment at the commencement of the scheme. [115397]
Malcolm Wicks: We have a Public Service Agreement target that pension credit should be in payment to at least three million pensioner households by 2006. The current 1.8 million recipients of MIG will be automatically converted to pension redit and will start to receive payment from when it is introduced in October 2003. In addition we are writing to 20 per cent. of pensioner households inviting them to make advance claims and expect the vast majority of successful claims to be in payment by October 2003. No-one will lose out because they have not made an advance application. All those who apply before October 2004, if they're entitled will receive payment as though they had claimed at the very start, or to the first day they could have qualified, if later.
Pensions
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his response of 7 May, Official Report, column 701W, whether his Department will assess the submission to his Department's Pensions Green Paper made by the Pensions Policy Institute on this issue. [119217]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department for Work and Pensions has assessed all of the comments and feedback received during the Green Paper consultation period and benefited from the many people and organisations who responded. This was the biggest ever consultation on pensions—during which we received some 800 responses from a wide range of groups and individuals. On 11 June, we published "Simplicity, security and choice: Working and saving for retirement. Action on occupational pensions" (Cm 5677) setting out action we will take to improve the security of occupational pensions and make it easier for employers to provide pensions. The document also signposts progress on the rest of our programme of reform on which we will make further announcements in due course.
All of the comments received during this exercise have been assessed.
Sewel Motions
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list Sewel motions passed by the Scottish Parliament since May 1999 that apply to his Department's responsibilities and Government bills he has sponsored. [120689]
Maria Eagle: No bill sponsored by this Department has been the subject of a Sewel motion in the Scottish Parliament.
Sustainable Development
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the departmental strategy for
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sustainable development will be published; and if he will make a statement on steps that (a) are being taken and (b) are planned to take forward the strategy. [119126]
Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions has already published some extracts from its Sustainable Development Strategy, as responses to the published targets from the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate. The full strategy is currently being developed by the Department's dedicated Sustainable Development Team in consultation with officials from across DWP and its Executive Agencies. It is intended that the strategy will be published using the web site by the beginning of 2004, with subsequent additions being made as further targets are published under the Framework.
There is already in place a Sustainable Development Steering Group who have overall responsibility for the delivery of the objectives contained within the DWP Sustainable Development Policy Statement. They will have strategic control of the strategy and ensure that it remains on course to deliver real improvements.
A further group of officials—the Sustainable Development Network Group—have a more practical role to play in actively working within their areas and Business Units, on a day to day basis, to deliver the targets contained within the strategy.
Water Bills
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of income a single person on jobseeker's allowance pays towards the average water bill in (a) Stoke on Trent, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England. [116377]
Mr. Pond: The information requested is not available.
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