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WORK AND PENSIONS
Adult Education
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what proportion of (a) economically inactive people on (i) incapacity benefit and (ii) other disability benefits and (b) lone parents were on income support without a first Level 2 qualification in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [114488]
- (2) what the duration of claims by (a) economically inactive people on (i) incapacity benefit and (ii) other disability benefits and (b) lone parents on income support without a first Level 2 qualification was in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [114489]
Mr. Browne: The information is not available.
However, the Labour Force Survey shows that 69 per cent. of disabled people receiving Incapacity Benefit and 78 per cent. of lone parents receiving Income Support have qualifications below level 2.
This is why Jobcentre Plus training is strongly focused on basic skills and more appropriately targeted training, ensuring that this is linked to the labour market rather than just a qualification. Our evidence suggests that a Level 2 qualification is not, in general, the most significant milestone in terms of employability. There is a much bigger difference in terms of employment rates between those with no qualifications and a qualification of any kind, and particularly between those with or without basic skills, than between Level 2 and lower qualifications.
Benefits Payments
Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) child benefit customers, (b) veterans agency customers, (c) pensions customers and (d) Jobcentre Plus customers received their payments by means of a Post Office card account as at 27 June 2003. [125381]
Mr. Pond [holding answer 11 July 2003]: The question cannot be answered in the format requested. Information available on the number of child benefit, veterans agency, pensions and Jobcentre Plus customers that have received their payments by means of a Post Office card account as at various dates in June 2003 is shown in the following table.
The numbers are expected to grow rapidly in the coming months as 20 week order books begin to expire and customers begin to receive payment direct into their card accounts.
| Customers | Number |
|---|---|
| Child benefit | 508 |
| Veterans agency | 109 |
| Pensions | 246 |
| Jobcentre Plus | 2,856 |
Disability Benefits
Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has
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received from disability organisations concerning the Cumulative Rule for withdrawal of disability benefits for people in hospital. [125425]
Maria Eagle: We have received no recent representations from disability organisations about the rules which treat periods of hospital in-patient treatment separated by no more than 28 days as a single period for the purpose of determining when payments of disability living allowance or attendance allowance can be made. We believe that these rules are fair and reflect that all the disability related needs of severely disabled people entitled to those benefits are met free of charge by the national health service when they are in hospital.
Ductile Iron Gas Mains
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the medium pressure ductile iron gas mains within 30 metres of buildings owned and recently discovered by Transco was replaced by 30 April 2003. [120476]
Mr. Browne: Transco completed the replacement of the outstanding quantity of medium pressure ductile iron mains within 30 metres of buildings by 30 April 2003 in various locations across Great Britain. Originally Transco calculated the length was 11.382 km. However, further site investigation revealed some pipe was not in fact ductile iron and the total replaced was 10.69 km.
Health and Safety
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the role competition can play in health and safety regulatory functions other than building control; and if he will make a statement. [123218]
Mr. Browne [holding answer 4 July 2003]: The basic framework set out in the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, places a duty to manage and control risk on those who create it and be responsible for the protection of workers and the public from any consequence of their work activity. Enforcement by health and safety inspectors is an essential element of the basic framework, which has stood the test of time. The possibility of contracting out health and safety inspection was however, considered and rejected in the course of the 1996 quinquennial review.
Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2003, ref 121171, when he expects to receive the report from the Health and Safety Commission. [123680]
Mr. Browne: We expect to receive the report from the Health and Safety Commission by the end of the year.
Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of funding was for the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last 10 years. [122516]
Mr. Browne: The following table reflects the funding for the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1993–94:
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| Cash budget(16) | Resource budget | |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | 188.4 | — |
| 1995–96 | 186.8 | — |
| 1996–97 | (17)179.5 | — |
| 1997–98 | 174.1 | — |
| 1998–99 | 175.7 | — |
| 1999–2000 | 180.6 | — |
| 2000–01(18) | 181.3 | — |
| 2001–02(19) | — | 199.4 |
| 2002–03 | — | 210.4 |
| 2003–04 | — | 225.5 |
(16) The funding has been interpreted as the total amount voted by Parliament.
(17) On 1 April 1996 the accounting arrangements changed as the Health and Safely Laboratory was set up as a net running cost regime (separately identifiable for financial reporting purposes).
(18) The budget for 2000–01 was the last under the cash budget system.
(19) The increase in the funding was due to the introduction/implementation of Resource Accounting and Budgeting in Government Departments. Under RAB, all departments produce budgets and accounts on an accruals basis, which include costs for depreciation, cost of capital and provisions for liabilities. Therefore, Resource Budgets for years from 2001–02 are not directly comparable with previous cash budgets.
Hepatitis C
Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he last met the Scottish Health Minister to discuss compensation for the hepatitis C sufferers in Scotland. [125647]
Maria Eagle: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met the Scottish Health Minister to discuss this issue. However, Ministers are in regular contact with the devolved Administrations over a wide range of issues.
Income Replacement Benefits
Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to bring (a) disability living allowance, (b) attendance allowance and (c) carers allowance into line with income replacement benefits for people who stay in hospital. [125429]
Maria Eagle: None. We believe that the current rules are fair. The changes we have made ensure that for most people the benefits they receive for every day living are not touched while they are in hospital. This recognises that hospital in-patients are likely to have on-going costs of maintaining their homes. Disability living allowance and attendance allowance, however, help with the disability-related needs of severely disabled people. These needs are met by the national health service when the recipients are in hospital, and so payment of these benefits stops after 4 weeks. Entitlement to carer's allowance can continue throughout breaks in care for holidays or for hospitalisation of the carer or disabled person. Provided the DUVAA remains in payment, these breaks can total 12 weeks in a period of 26 weeks.
IT Specialists
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of British IT specialists seeking employment in each year since 1999. [120300]
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Mr. Browne: It is not possible to estimate the number of IT specialists seeking work in the economy as a whole. Jobcentre Plus does however keep records of the number of IT specialists seeking work through their offices, however this is not broken down by their nationality. The available information is in the table:
| Calendar year | Number seeking work that year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 5,600 |
| 2000 | 11,279 |
| 2001 | 22,921 |
| 2002 | 27,601 |
| 2003(20) | 6,658 |
(20) Figures are for January to May 2003 inclusive.
Source:
Labour Market System
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