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17 Nov 2003 : Column 479W—continued
Market Research
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each item of market and opinion research commissioned since May 1997 by (a) his Department and (b) agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible; what the purpose of each item was; and whether the results were published. [137004]
Mr. Touhig: The Wales Office was established in 1999. Since then the Wales Office has not commissioned any market or opinion research.
New Jobs
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many new jobs there are in (a) the private sector and (b) the public sector in Wales; [137649]
- (2) how many new jobs there have been in (a) the private sector and (b) the public sector in Wales since 1997. [137648]
Mr. Touhig: Comparing the 12 months to August 2003 with 1997, there has been an increase of 49,000 people employed in the public sector and 61,000 employed in the private sector in Wales.
- Source:
- Labour Force Survey
Performance Monitoring
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total cost was of (a) setting, (b) monitoring and (c) measuring the performance targets for his Department in 2002–03; and how many and what grades of civil servants monitor these targets. [137952]
Mr. Touhig: The setting, measuring and monitoring of Wales Office's performance targets is an integral part of the job of all managers. It is not possible to disaggregate the cost. The Wales Office Management Board regularly reviews targets. It consists of the eight most senior people in the Department. Their grades are 3 (one person), 6 (four people) and 7 (three people).
Mr. Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the performance targets that (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are required to meet; and if he will specify for each target (i) who sets it and (ii) who monitors achievement against it. [137967]
Mr. Touhig: This information is published in the Wales Office Departmental Report (Cm 5928), copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
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The targets are set by Ministers on the advice of the Management Board and are monitored by Ministers and the Management Board.
Work-related Stress
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work-related stress, and at what cost, what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress, and at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [136852]
Mr. Touhig: Detailed sick absence statistics are derived from medical and self-certificates, which are completed by staff or their GPs. While certain illnesses, such as "depression", "anxiety", "general debility" and even "stress" may be indicated on certificates, it is not possible to determine levels of "work-related stress". Consequently, we have no details on the number of working days lost due to work-related stress or the cost to the Department.
The Wales Office staff have available to them the resources of the National Assembly, and since June 2003, of the Department for Constitutional Affairs in tackling stress. These include a range of stress management courses for both line managers and employees, Health, Safety and Welfare intranet site, a stress handbook for line managers, and a fully trained in-house Welfare service.
The Department offers flexible working patterns, enabling staff to adopt more effective working patterns to better balance their work and home life.
We have a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment for all our staff and, under the Government's Revitalising Health and Safety initiative, we are committed to meeting targets for reducing the number of working days lost generally to work-related injuries and illnesses.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Pension Schemes
18. Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures are in place to protect the (a) values and (b) benefits of pension fund schemes created by the former publicly owned industries. [138651]
Malcolm Wicks: Responsibility for the pension fund schemes created by the former publicly owned industries is a matter for the relevant sponsor Departments, or their successors, and the successor companies themselves. More generally, however, we have proposed a range of protection measures which will apply to the pension funds created by the former publicly owned industries in the same way as they will to those of any other privately owned company.
Through the introduction of the new Pension Protection Fund, we are taking action to make sure that members of defined benefit schemes will still have the secure retirement they were expecting. The Government has also published and consulted on draft regulations
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that increase the debt due from solvent employers when their salary-related pension scheme is wound up. In addition we are at present consulting on draft Regulations on the proposed new priority order.
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce legislation to prevent employers from taking contribution holidays from their employees' pension fund schemes. [137921]
Since pension provision by employers is voluntary, the levels of contributions are a matter for agreement between pension scheme trustees and sponsoring employers.
Under the new scheme-specific funding regime which will replace the Minimum Funding Requirement, trustees and sponsoring employers will be required to develop and agree, with the scheme actuary's advice, the funding principles for their scheme—including a determination of whether the level of contributions is sufficient to meet a scheme's long-term pension commitments.
The new simplified tax regime for approved pension schemes (set out in the document "Simplifying the taxation of pensions: increasing choice and flexibility for all" (December 2002)) would abolish the rules requiring approved occupational pension schemes to run off their surplus funds (for example by agreeing contributions holidays) or lose their full tax exempt status. In addition, the document "Action on Occupational Pensions" announced that pension funds will no longer be able to make payments of surplus to employers from an actuarial surplus only where the scheme was funded above a level sufficient to secure full buy-out of scheme liabilities.
Pension Credit
19. Mr. Martlew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to maximise take-up of pension credit. [138652]
Malcolm Wicks: We want every pensioner to take up their entitlement. At the heart of our marketing campaign is a direct mail pack to all pensioner households who have not been converted to pension credit automatically. We will have written to all pensioner households by June 2004. To support this process we are running an advertising campaign on TV, radio and in the press to encourage pensioners to apply.
The Pension Service Local Service are also playing a key role in take-up of pension credit, particularly in encouraging pensioners who traditionally do not take up their entitlement to apply. Working closely with key partners such as Citizens Advice, Age Concern and local authorities and with local voluntary organisations the local service reach these pensioners at locations that suit their needs. Activities being undertaken include awareness sessions, information surgeries and take-up campaigns. Over this month the Local Service has held or plans to hold over 1,300 events which are expected to reach around 117,000 people.
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21. Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners he estimates will be in receipt of means-tested benefits as a result of the introduction of the pension credit by 2004–05. [138654]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department estimates that in 2004–05 there will be approximately three million pensioner benefit units receiving income related benefits.
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the pension credit. [138637]
Malcolm Wicks: Pension credit is making a real difference to the lives of millions of pensioners. As the Secretary of State reported on 11 November, at the end of October there were already 1.97 million pensioner households, around 2.3 million individuals, receiving pension credit. And 1.2 million households, around 1.4 million individuals, are now receiving more money than they did before, with the average award being £47.10 per week, Official Report, 11 November 2003, column 18WS.
Our advertising campaign is continuing and we are working with partner organisations, such as Help The Aged, Age Concern and Citizens Advice, to fulfil our aspiration that every pensioner takes up their entitlement.
And it is not too late to apply. Anyone who makes an application before October 2004, where entitlement exists, will have their award backdated to October 2003, or to the date entitlement begins if this is later.
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what he estimates that the average (a) single pensioner and (b) pensioner couple will receive each week under the pension credit in (a) the North West region, (b) Merseyside and (c) St. Helens South. [137982]
Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is for estimates. The figures set out in the following table are the actual average amounts.
| Area | All claimants | Couples | Singles |
|---|---|---|---|
| North West and Merseyside (GOR) | 45.92 | 58.26 | 43.30 |
| Merseyside Metropolitan County Council | 46.24 | 56.66 | 43.95 |
| St. Helens South Parliamentary Constituency | 44.63 | 55.37 | 42.23 |
Notes:
1. Figures are based on 100 per cent. Generalised Matching Service (GMS) data.
2. Local authorities, Government Office Regions (GOR), and Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) the north west region, (b) Merseyside and (c) St. Helens South have claimed the pension credit. [137985]
Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.
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As at 17 October 2003 the number of people receiving pension credit in St. Helens South was 3,615, in Merseyside Metropolitan 67,185, and in the north west and Merseyside region 261,250.
- Notes:
- 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five.
- 2. Figures are based on 100 per cent. Generalised Matching Service (CMS) data.
- 3. Local authorities, Government Office Regions (GOR), and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
- Source:
- IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by how much he estimates the income of the average (a) single pensioner and (b) pensioner couples will change under the pension credit for (i) the north west region, (ii) Merseyside and (iii) St. Helens, South compared with that in 1997. [138014]
Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested.
As at 17 October 2003 the average weekly gain for those on Pension Credit is indicated in the table.
| Area | All claimants | Couples | Singles |
|---|---|---|---|
| North west and Merseyside | 5.31 | 7.40 | 4.86 |
| Merseyside Metropolitan County Council | 5.59 | 7.98 | 5.05 |
| St. Helens, South Parliamentary Constituency | 6.21 | 8.06 | 5.78 |
Notes:
1. Figures produced by IAD from 100 per cent Generalised Matching Service (GMS) data at 17 October 2003.
2. Gainer figures have been produced by comparing Pension Credit amount at 17 October 2003 with MIG amount immediately prior to introduction of Pension Credit.
3. Local authorities, Government Office Regions (GOR), and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent sample.
The Government will be spending around £8 billion extra on pensioners in 2003–04 as a result of the measures introduced since 1997. This includes around £3.75 billion on the poorest third of pensioners—the very people who need help the most. This is almost six times as much as an earnings link to the basic state pension since 1998 would have given them.
Following the introduction of the Pension Credit, the average pensioner household will be £1,250 per year, or £24 per week, better off due to the Government's personal tax and benefit changes than they would have been under the 1997 system.
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's plans are to ensure maximum take-up in (a) the north west region, (b) Merseyside and (c) St. Helens South of the pension credit. [138015]
Malcolm Wicks: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Eltham (Clive Efford) on 15 September 2003, Official Report, column 559W. The Pension Service local service continues to work with partner organisations in the
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north west, Merseyside and St. Helens South, including Age Concern, local authorities and local voluntary organisations, to tell pensioners about pension credit, raise awareness and encourage those eligible to apply. Activities at the local level are particularly aimed at encouraging applications from pensioners who traditionally do not take up their entitlement and include awareness sessions, information surgeries and take-up campaigns.
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) the North West region, (b) Merseyside and (c) St. Helens South are entitled to the pension credit. [138016]
Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested but we estimate that around 500,000 pensioner households in the North West and Merseyside region are eligible for Pension Credit.
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