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Correspondence

Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the hon. Member for West Worcestershire will receive a response to his letter of 26 June 2003, reference AD/MC/011086/03. [134331]

Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to my letter to him of 10 July 2003, reference AD/MC/011086/03.

Entry Clearance

Mr. Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in respect of applications for entry clearance from working holiday makers, identical requirements and conditions are applied for applicants from each Commonwealth country. [133077]

Mr. Mullin: I have been asked to reply.

Yes.

Traffic Management Bill

Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Regulatory Impact Assessment on local government and the utility companies of the proposed Traffic Management Bill will be made available to Parliament. [134102]

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Mr. McNulty: As and when the Traffic Management Bill is introduced we intend to publish and make available to Parliament a Regulatory Impact Assessment at the same time.

Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the impact of the introduction of broadband has been taken into account in the Regulatory Impact Assessment on local government and the utility companies of the proposed Traffic Management Bill. [134103]

Mr. McNulty: In drawing up Regulatory Impact Assessments on the proposed Traffic Management Bill and secondary legislation flowing from it we will be taking into account, amongst other things, the possible impact on the rollout of broadband as well as on the work programmes of other utility sectors including gas, water and electricity.

Mr. Allan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the parties who have been asked by his Department to contribute to the Regulatory Impact Assessment on local government and the utility companies of the proposed Traffic Management Bill. [134104]

Mr. McNulty: We have consulted a wide range of different bodies on the measures under consideration for inclusion in the proposed Traffic Management Bill. In particular, in February this year we set up a working group, on which various Government Departments were represented, together with the utility regulators—OFWAT, OFGEM and OFTEL—and representatives of utility companies and local authorities. In drafting a Regulatory Impact Assessment for the proposed Bill, we are taking account of the different views put forward in the working group together with written contributions which we have received from utilities, highway authorities and others. We would also propose to consult widely on the secondary legislation which we envisage would be needed following the Bill to set out the detailed changes to the existing legislative regime.

Vehicle Excise Duty Offences

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unlicensed vehicles he estimates the DVLA will (a) wheel clamp and (b) crush in 2004. [134748]

Mr. Jamieson: So far in 2003–04, DVLA has clamped 46,302 vehicles. In addition, the 14 local authorities that now have devolved powers to clamp and impound on behalf of the Secretary of State have clamped an additional 6,601—a total of 52,903. We expect that to rise to 65,000 by the end of the financial year.

The number of vehicles crushed by DVLA is 21,144 so far, with the 14 local authorities crushing an additional 3,052—a total of 24,196. We expect that figure to rise to 30,000 by the end of the financial year.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Direct Payment

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consultations he has had with

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the Banking Association to ensure that pensioners required to open bank accounts to receive their state benefits do not incur extra charges on temporary overdrafts greater than their benefit. [132562]

Mr. Pond: Customers are being provided with detailed information on the account options available to them. It is for customers to decide which account best meets their needs and circumstances. 87 per cent. of benefit customers and 90 per cent. of pensioners already have access to a bank account. The move to Direct Payment will give people more choice about where and when they collect their money—including from the Post Office.

Officials have had a number of discussions with the British Bankers' Association about the move to Direct Payment of benefits and pensions. The features of individual accounts (including charges and overdraft facilities) are a matter for the account provider. There is a wide range of accounts available which are free to operate and do not offer overdraft facilities. Some account providers do charge their customers if there is not enough money in their account to cover direct debits. Account providers make their customers aware of these charges and leaflets provided to benefits customers and pensioners also set out the possibility of charges in these circumstances.

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many housebound, disabled and blind pensioners not in possession of a bank account he estimates will be able to receive state benefits over the counter after 2005. [132564]

Mr. Pond: With direct payment, customers can still collect their benefit or pension at the Post Office, if they choose to do so, by using some current bank accounts, basic bank accounts or the Post Office card account.

Already 87 per cent. of all customers and over 90 per cent. of pensioners have access to an account that can receive direct payment. And for those who do not, the new easy to operate accounts, which are accessible at the Post Office, are widely available.

We have always recognised that there will be a small group of people who we cannot pay directly into an account. We are developing an exceptions method of payment to pay this group, which can be accessed at Post Office branches. This will be based on an understanding of the individual problems such customers will face.

Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent consultations the Government has undertaken on the circumstances in which it will permit pensioners to retain their pension books under the direct payment scheme; and if he will make a statement. [133890]

Mr. Pond: The order book system is outdated, inefficient, open to fraud and abuse, and costly to administer. It needs to be modernised to keep in step with changing customer needs and to reflect the fact that most people now have and use a bank account. Already 87 per cent. of all customers and over 90 per cent. of pensioners have access to an account that can receive Direct Payment. And for those who do not, new easy to operate accounts, which are accessible at the Post Office, are widely available. Everyone who wishes to do

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so will be able to withdraw their money at post office branches by choosing an account, which is accessible at the Post Office.

We are consulting with Specific Interest Groups such as Age Concern, Help the Aged, Citizens Advice, and the National Pensioners Convention about an alternative method of payment, which is likely to be cheque based, for those who are genuinely unable to operate any type of bank account. Payment outlets for this exceptions method of payment will include Post Office branches. We expect this service will be in place from October 2004.

Child Support Agency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints were received per month from Child Support Agency clients (a) in the six months previous to the introduction of the new child support system and (b) in the last three months, in the latter case identifying how many of the complaints came from (i) clients of the old system and (ii) clients of the new system; what percentage of total clients the complaints represented per month; and if he will make a statement. [131447]

Mr. Pond: 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 Angus Robertson, dated 27 October 2003

The Secretary of State, in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked about the numbers of complaints received by the Agency in the 6 months prior to the introduction of the new child support system and in the last three months (identifying the number received from clients on the old and new systems) and what percentage of our total clients these figures equate to.

The figures you requested are summarised in the following tables:

Complaints received prior to the introduction of the new child support system

Month	Number of complaints received	Percentage oftotal clients
September	1,238	0.11
October	1,318	0.12
November	1,263	0.12
December	958	0.09
January	1,316	0.12
February	1,515	0.15
Monthly Average	1,268	0.12

In April 2003 we changed our complaints handling processes. This has ensured the more accurate recording of complaints and ensured the recording for the first time of telephone complaints. I have included below information on written complaints only, for a more representative comparison.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Child Support Agency has referred recipients of CSA payments back to their ex-partner in order to sort out future payments. [131469]

Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member.

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Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. David Drew, dated 27Ooctober 2003.

The Secretary of State in replying to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You ask whether the Child Support Agency has referred recipients of child support payments back to their ex-partner in order to sort future payments.

In all cases we aim to arrange maintenance payments through discussions with both the parent with care and the non-resident parent. If there is to be any delay in making these arrangements we would suggest to both parties that voluntary payments are made to avoid arrears building up.

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