| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
8 Jan 2004 : Column 460W—continued
Jobcentre Plus
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the terms are of the Jobcentre Plus Programme Procurement Review; what the timetable is for the completion of the Review; and what independent assessment of Jobcentre Plus procurement processes are being undertaken as part of the review. [144600]
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. George Osborne, dated 8 January 2004:
- As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the terms of the Jobcentre Plus Programme Procurement Review; what the timetable is for the completion of the Review; and what independent assessment of Jobcentre Plus procurement processes are being undertaken as part of the review. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
- The Jobcentre Plus Programme Procurement Review was initiated following two independent consultants reports towards the end of 2002/03 and is an ongoing review with the following aims and objectives:
- 1. define and communicate clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities for all those involved in the procurement, payment and contract management process;
- 2. improve procurement capability and professionalism across the procurement value chain at each tier of the organisation;
- 3. support more effective use of IT systems, for example by raising awareness of consequences of data input errors;
- 4. introduce streamlined, generic procurement processes increasingly supported by e-based approach, for example web based invitations to tender;
- 5. review funding models and policy to develop fewer IT supported models and to ensure rates support increased provider performance and share risk appropriately;
- 6. ensure that the provision purchased addresses the needs of customers and employers locally through use of standard 'requirement' templates in districts;
- 7. work jointly with all key stakeholders including Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Department for Education and Skills (DfES), Learning Skills;
- 8. develop and deliver an approved Jobcentre Plus Procurement Strategy, to be incorporated into DWP's Commercial Strategy, which will detail, for example, how best provision should be purchased and paid for, how Jobcentre Plus should interact and develop enhanced relationships with key providers;
- 9. provide resource, focus and structure through a Director led steering group to ensure proposals for change are developed and implemented resulting in better value for money and an increase in job outcomes from providers.
- Jobcentre Plus is committed to keeping providers informed of the progress of the review and to seek provider's views on implementation of proposals. Five provider awareness events launching the review, covering six Jobcentre Plus regions, have been held over the last six months. In addition an ongoing progress update has been sent to all existing providers and also made available on the Jobcentre Plus website. Providers will continue to be updated and their views sought through the Provider Liaison Group. This group meets bi-monthly to discuss issues of common concern. The primary purpose of the group is
8 Jan 2004 : Column 461W
- to involve providers in planning and implementation of change, giving them the opportunity to put the provider perspective to policy makers.
- The overall Jobcentre Plus Procurement Strategy for employment programmes is being developed by an independent consultant drawing on a range of expertise including the Office of Government Commerce, DfES, Home Office 'Active Communities Unit' (relationship with voluntary sector providers).
- Changes from the review are being implemented as they are developed and agreed by the Steering Group; the bulk of policy change will be agreed and many changes implemented by April 2004.
- I hope this is helpful.
Occupational Pensions
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent consultations he has had with the European Commission in relation to whether the Government are meeting their obligations to protect occupational pensions under Article 8 of the European Insolvency Directive 1980; and if he will make a statement. [145726]
Mr. Pond: We have not had recent consultations with the European Commission in relation to Article 8 of the EU Insolvency Directive 80/897. However, we have recently sent the Director General for Employment and Social affairs at the European Commission information on the transposition of Article 8 of the EU Insolvency Directive 80/897 and Article 3(4) of Council Directive 2001/23/EC (TUPE).
We take our obligations under Article 8 of the Insolvency Directive seriously and we fully meet our obligations under the Directive, as successive Governments have done since it was adopted in 1980.
8 Jan 2004 : Column 462W
In its report of 15 June 1995 on transposition of the Directive (COM(95)164), the European Commission concluded that United Kingdom legislation met the requirements of Article 8. This was further confirmed on 20 December 2002 by Mrs. Diamantopoulou, on behalf of the Commission, in response to a parliamentary question.
Poverty
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of children living in poverty in (a) the UK, (b) Yorkshire and (c) the City of York in (i) 1997 and (ii) now. [146469]
Mr. Pond: Poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional issues, affecting many aspects of peoples' lives—including their living standards, health, housing, the quality of their environment—and not just low income. The fifth annual "Opportunity for all" report (Cm 5956) sets out the Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion and presents information on the indicators used to measure progress against this strategy.
Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994/95–2001/02". Data is not available at the UK level, or below regional level.
"Measuring child poverty", published in December 2003, outlines the Government's measure of UK child poverty for the long term. This new measure will begin from 2004–05.
All publications listed are available in the Library. ana
8 Jan 2004 : Column 463W
HEALTH
Child Protection Register
Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children on the Child Protection Register have not yet been allocated a social worker. [145724]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held centrally.
The Government accepted Recommendation 54 of the Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report which stated that "Directors of Social Services must ensure that all cases of children assessed as needing a service have an allocated social worker. In cases where this proves to be impossible, arrangements must be made to maintain contact with the child. The number, nature and reasons for such unallocated cases must be reported to the Social Services Committee on a monthly basis, (paragraph 6.589)".
The allocation of social workers was included in the checklist of good practice recommendations issued on publication of the report. The resulting Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) audit revealed that a small number of local authorities had children who were not allocated a social worker. The SSI will follow up this issue as part of its performance assessment of councils.
Genetically Modified Food
Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 17 December, Official Report,
8 Jan 2004 : Column 464W
column 995W, on genetically modified food, whether safety testing for Bt11 sweetcorn was carried out on sweetcorn destined for human consumption. [146327]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The safety of Bt11 sweetcorn has been evaluated under the procedures set out in Regulation (EC) No 258/97 and according to the European Community Scientific Committee on Food's scheme for the safety assessment of genetically modified foods. The safety assessment involved detailed analysis of both the Bt11 field maize and Bt11 sweetcorn intended for human consumption. The Scientific Committee on Food was satisfied on the basis of all the information provided that the Bt11 sweetcorn was as safe as its conventional counterpart.
Health Visitors
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the vacancy rates were for health visitors in (a) the UK, (b) London and (c) each region for each year since 1997. [146326]
Mr. Hutton [holding answer 7 January 2003]: The Department's annual vacancy survey, which collects health visitor vacancies started in 1999. The three month vacancy rate and number for health visitors and also the number of health visitors in post in both whole time equivalent and headcount in England and in each Government Office Region since 1999 is shown in the table.
Information in respect of health visitors in Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. While the institutions in Northern Ireland are dissolved responsibility rests with Ministers in the Northern Ireland office.
| 3 month vacancy rate (percentage) | 3 month vacancy number | Staff in post (whole time equivalent) | Staff in post (headcount) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1999 | September 1998 | |||
| England | 1.0 | 99 | 10,068 | 12,572 |
| East Midlands | 0.4 | 3 | 796 | 988 |
| East of England | 1.5 | 14 | 913 | 1,192 |
| London | 2.2 | 36 | 1,622 | 1,965 |
| North East | 0.4 | 2 | 564 | 658 |
| North West | 0.2 | 3 | 1,591 | 1,911 |
| South East | 1.4 | 21 | 1,484 | 1,984 |
| South West | 0.4 | 4 | 946 | 1,205 |
| West Midlands | 0.5 | 5 | 1,105 | 1,346 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1.1 | 11 | 1,046 | 1,323 |
| 3 month vacancy rate (percentage) | 3 month vacancy number | Staff in post (whole time equivalent) | Staff in post (headcount) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2000 | September 1999 | |||
| England | 1.9 | 192 | 10,161 | 12,800 |
| East Midlands | 1.4 | 11 | 811 | 1,037 |
| East of England | 4.0 | 36 | 883 | 1,135 |
| London | 3.3 | 57 | 1,693 | 2,052 |
| North East | 0.4 | 3 | 569 | 659 |
| North West | 2.6 | 42 | 1,588 | 1,903 |
| South East | 1.2 | 19 | 1,524 | 2,084 |
| South West | 0.3 | 3 | 920 | 1,189 |
| West Midlands | 1.2 | 14 | 1,132 | 1,420 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 0.6 | 6 | 1,040 | 1,321 |
8 Jan 2004 : Column 465W
| 3 month vacancy rate (percentage) | 3 month vacancy number | Staff in post (whole time equivalent) | Staff in post (headcount) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2002 | September 2001 | |||
| England | 2.7 | 281 | 10,186 | 13,053 |
| East Midlands | 1.6 | 12 | 798 | 1,038 |
| East of England | 2.5 | 23 | 884 | 1,187 |
| London | 7.0 | 120 | 1,636 | 1,999 |
| North East | 1.8 | 13 | 565 | 655 |
| North West | 1.4 | 23 | 1,594 | 1,942 |
| South East | 3.1 | 46 | 1,496 | 2,047 |
| South West | 1.5 | 15 | 935 | 1,258 |
| West Midlands | 1.2 | 13 | 1,140 | 1,435 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1.5 | 16 | 1,139 | 1,492 |
| 3 month vacancy rate (percentage) | 3 month vacancy number | Staff in post (whole time equivalent) | Staff in post (headcount) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2003 | September 2002 | |||
| England | 2.3 | 229 | 9,912 | 12,774 |
| East Midlands | 2.7 | 21 | 784 | 1,016 |
| East of England | 3.4 | 31 | 855 | 1,148 |
| London | 5.2 | 77 | 1,454 | 1,763 |
| North East | 0.8 | 5 | 570 | 668 |
| North West | 1.2 | 18 | 1,578 | 1,968 |
| South East | 3.0 | 46 | 1,546 | 2.166 |
| South West | 1.6 | 15 | 919 | 1,241 |
| West Midlands | 0.5 | 5 | 1,108 | 1,391 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 0.9 | 11 | 1,097 | 1,413 |
Notes:
1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March each year.
2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which Trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole-time equivalents).
3. Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus whole-time equivalent staff in post.
4. From 2001, rates are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey. Prior to this, rates are calculated using staff in post from the previous September's workforce census.
5. Staff in post data is as at 30 September each year.
Source:
Department of Health Vacancy Survey.
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.
8 Jan 2004 : Column 467W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |