| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
23 Oct 2003 : Column 703W—continued
Combined Benefits Payments
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people did not receive combined benefits payments owing to the breakdown of the link between Pension Service computer systems; when the link broke down; how long the link was broken; how much in benefit payments was not paid in this period owing to the problem; why the Department did not realise the breakdown had taken place until contacted by a benefit recipient; and if he will make a statement. [125932]
Malcolm Wicks: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of The Pension Service. She will write to the hon. Member.
23 Oct 2003 : Column 704W
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Paul Holmes, dated 17 July 2003:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people did not receive combined benefits payments owing to the breakdown of the link between Pension Service computer systems; when the link broke down; how long the link was broken; how much in benefit payments was not paid in this period owing to the problem; why the Department did not realise the breakdown had taken place until contacted by a benefit recipient; and if he will make a statement.
- It would appear that the breakdown of the link between The Pension Service computer systems was restricted to a single benefit recipient and was not a national problem affecting numbers of customers. It is of course possible that other cases may have similar circumstances however, we are not aware of any other cases where this problem has occurred.
- The customer was receiving a combined payment of Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) and Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) and then submitted a claim for Retirement Pension (RP). For the RP claim to be assessed and paid, the other two payments for MIG and SDA had to be de-combined as three payments cannot be combined into a single payment for these benefits.
- The customer subsequently withdrew the RP claim and an attempt was made to recombine the SDA and MIG payments. However, due to incompatible data being held in the two benefit systems, we were not able to reconnect the interface. Incompatible data may occur due to a simple inconsistency such as an incorrect office code, resulting in the two pieces of information 'missing' each other when attempting to link.
- The MIG section was notified on the system on 9 February 2003 when an error message 'interface failed' appeared on the customers account. We were aware that a system error had occurred prior to the customer writing to us and took action to issue payments in the most efficient manner.
- Arrears have been paid in full to the customer in question. The customer is currently receiving all benefit entitlement, but these are being paid separately.
- The Pension Service has a duty to ensure that all of our customers receive their payments correctly and on time. Therefore alternative arrangements were made to ensure that the customer received the correct payment amounts on time.
- I hope that this is helpful.
Compulsory Interviews
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many compulsory interviews have taken place in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) benefit and (b) welfare to work scheme; and what the total cost of interviews was in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) benefit and (ii) welfare to work scheme; and if he will make a statement. [125935]
Mr. Browne: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Paul Holmes, dated 28 July 2003:
- As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the number of compulsory interviews that have taken place in each year since 1997, broken down by benefit and welfare to work scheme and the total cost of the interviews. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
- Jobcentre Plus conducts a wide range of compulsory interviews in a variety of circumstances. For example compulsory interviews are conducted at the start of every Jobseeker's Allowance claim and in our new integrated offices at the start of every claim for a
23 Oct 2003 : Column 705W
- Jobcentre Plus benefit. Compulsory interviews are then conducted at various stages of a claim and also under a variety of circumstances in our welfare to work programmes.
- We do monitor workflows and activity in Jobcentre Plus offices and maintain statistics for some individual programmes, such as those held on the New Deal database. However, it is not possible to provide the information you have requested on the total number of interviews or breakdowns by benefit or welfare to work programme. Similarly we cannot provide a figure for the cost of compulsory interviews.
- My apologies for not being able to provide the information you requested.
Disability Issues
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the non-discriminatory treatment of disability issues alongside other equal opportunity issues will form part of the United Kingdom's position in negotiations on the EU constitution. [129980]
Maria Eagle: The existing Treaty provides a good basis for legislation to combat various forms of discrimination including discrimination against disabled people.
23 Oct 2003 : Column 706W
Legislation under the Article 13 of the Treaty establishing the European Community can only be adopted by the unanimous agreement of member states. This allows for the wide diversity between member states' social systems to be respected as demonstrated by the provisions of the Race and Employment Directives adopted by the Community in 2000. Our view is that the existing voting arrangements should be retained in the Intergovernmental Conference.
Health and Safety Executive
Mr. Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries at work occurring in the Edinburgh area have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years, broken down by sector. [128542]
Mr. Browne: The number of fatal and serious injuries 1 reported to HSE and local authorities (LAs) in the LA area of the city of Edinburgh 1997–98 to 2001–02 are in the table.
- 1 Defined as reported as a major or fatal injury under RIDDOR
| Agriculture | Extractive and utility supply | Manufacturing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year/Employment status | Fatal injury | Serious injury | Fatal injury | Serious injury | Fatal injury | Serious injury |
| 1997–98 | ||||||
| Employee | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 36 |
| Self-employed | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Member of the public | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Total | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 37 |
| 1998–99 | ||||||
| Employee | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | 22 |
| Self-employed | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Member of the public | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 |
| Total | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | 24 |
| 1999–2000 | ||||||
| Employee | — | 1 | — | — | — | 14 |
| Self-employed | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Member of the public | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Total | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 14 |
| 2000–01 | ||||||
| Employee | — | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| Self-employed | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Member of the public | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Total | — | 4 | — | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| 2001–02 | ||||||
| Employee | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 17 |
| Self-employed | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Member of the public | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Total | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 17 |
23 Oct 2003 : Column 707W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |