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Written Ministerial Statements
Thursday 18 March 2004
TRANSPORT
Road Haulage Modernisation Fund
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. David Jamieson): On Wednesday 17 March my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Department for Transport would be allocating resources to allow the more worthwhile road haulage modernisation fund (RHMF) projects to continue.
I am pleased to announce today that the Department will be allocating a budget of £3 million in 2004–05 so that more of the haulage industry can benefit from projects to help them apply the most up to date and efficient practices. The budget will also allow the completion of some projects started during the current financial year.
The list of projects includes:
- (a) A further phase of the Driver Training programme to promote Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED).
- (b) A further phase of the Fuel Economy Advisor programme to encourage more fuel efficient operations, using regional seminars and site specific advice.
- (c) A further phase of training using the truck driver simulator—more drivers will benefit from simulator training followed by a study to understand better the medium term benefits of simulator training.
- (d) A further phase of the Respect for People project—to consolidate industry take-up of this project, which spreads best employment practice by encouraging the use of key performance indicators so that operators can benchmark their performance against the best companies.
- (e) The development of a careers website—to raise the industry's profile and draw attention to its opportunities.
In addition, the Department will provide funding to complete the training of 1,200 existing candidates for licence acquisition, with over half of these being funded through to achievement of their Logistics Skills Award. We are also considering proposals made through the Road Haulage Forum to fund some research projects to help understand recruitment and training needs and how they can be met.
This programme reflects the Government's commitment to help the industry to help itself. I look forward to discussing this programme with industry stakeholders at the next meeting of the Road Haulage Forum.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr. John Spellar): The accounts of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIA 8/03 ) for the year ended 31
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March 2003 incorporating the Reports of the Local Government Auditor and the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon will be laid before the NI Assembly on Thursday 18 March 2004.
Copies of the Northern Ireland Assembly Paper have been placed in the House of Commons Library at Westminster and in the NI Assembly Library at Stormont.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Fisheries
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Ben Bradshaw): From 1 January 1999 all British registered fishing vessels over 10m in length and catching more than 2 tonnes of quota stocks have had to demonstrate an economic link with fisheries dependent communities in the United Kingdom. This link can be demonstrated in a number of ways—for example, by vessels landing at least 50 per cent. by weight of their quota catch into the UK or by employing a crew of whom at least 50 per cent. are normally resident in a UK coastal area.
In 2002, 1,362 vessels caught more than 2 tonnes of quota stocks and in each case achieved a satisfactory economic link, primarily through landings into the UK.
The arrangements have also resulted in UK registered but foreign-owned vessels continuing to land and incur expenditure at UK ports or making quota available for re-distribution to the inshore fleet. Compared with 1998, benefits have included:
- a 40 per cent. increase in the volume of quota stocks landed into the UK by foreign owned UK registered vessels. This figure is proportionally higher when viewed against cuts in TACs since 1998;
- a significant increase in the number of landings into the UK by Anglo-Spanish vessels, resulting in additional expenditure at our ports of some £3 million; and
- the provision of almost 500 tonnes of quota for redistribution to our inshore fleet, notably nephrops, North Sea sole and North Sea cod.
A full report by the fisheries departments in the United Kingdom on the operation of the economic link measures in 2002 and their impact has been placed in the Library of the House.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Pension Protection Fund
The Minister for Pensions (Malcolm Wicks): Improving member protection is a Government priority. As outlined in the Pensions Bill, we intend to introduce the new pension protection fund, which will enhance protection for pension scheme members and improve confidence in pension provision.
It will protect members of defined benefit and hybrid schemes by paying compensation should their employer become unable to meet their pension obligations following insolvency.
Our intention, subject to parliamentary approval, is that we protect as many individuals as we can, from as early a date as possible. Therefore, although we have a
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challenging timetable, our plans are to have the organisation up and running in April 2005. In order to do this we need to carry out essential activities, which will require some expenditure in advance of the legislation achieving Royal Assent.
Parliamentary approval for additional resources of £450,000 for this new service will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the Department for Work and Pensions. Pending that approval, this urgent expenditure will be met by a repayable cash advance from the contingencies fund.
Housing Benefit
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Chris Pond): On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, I am announcing the publication of performance statistics for local authority administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit (HB and CTB) for the third quarter of 2003–04. A copy of the quarterly statistics for all local authorities in Great Britain has been placed in the Library and has been published on the Department for Work and Pensions website at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/performance.asp
Publishing these statistics is part of our strategy for reforming housing benefit and for ensuring that local authorities are accountable for their performance in administration of housing benefit and council tax benefit.
Housing benefit and council tax benefit performance statistics show that in the third quarter of 2003–04 for those authorities that submitted data:
- 155 authorities reported meeting the 36-day standard of processing new claims, compared with 134 authorities in the third quarter of 2002–03;
- the average reported number of days to process new claims reduced from 53 days in the third quarter of 2002–03 to 47 days in the third quarter of 2003–04;
- 175 authorities reported the standard of processing changes in circumstances, on average within nine days, compared to 166 in the third quarter of 2002–03.
The statistics are un-audited and are provided quarterly by local authorities to my Department.
The audited Best Value performance information for English local authorities for 2002–03 was published by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 18 December 2003 on the best value performance indicators website at: http://www.bvpi.gov.uk/home.asp.
A copy is available in the Library.
The most recent corresponding data for local authorities in Wales are also for 2002–03. These are published on the Audit Commission website at: http://www.lgdu-wales.gov.uk/eng/Project.asp?id=SX99A1-A77F4BA8
A paper copy of the relevant extract from this site is available in the Library.
The most recent corresponding data for local authorities in Scotland are also for 2002–03 and are in the Accounts Commission publication "Performance Indicators 2002/2003: Benefits, Finance and Corporate Issues" a copy of which is available in the Library.
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DEFENCE
Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin): The key targets have been set for the chief executive of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA) for the financial year 2004–05. The targets build upon progress made by the agency since it formed on 1 April 1997 and reflect the high level of service delivery required for pay, pensions and allowances, and a change programme to deliver new harmonised joint personnel administration for the Armed Forces.
- To make 99.9 per cent. of all pay payments by the due date (excluding late payments caused by events determined to be outside the control of the Agency).
- To keep the monthly error rate of accuracy for the volume of payments within 0.1 per cent.
- To make 99 per cent. of all pension payments (including new awards) by the due date (excluding late payments caused by events determined to be outside the control of the Agency).
- To keep the monthly error rate of accuracy for the volume of payments within 0.1 per cent.
To Support the Delivery of Joint Personnel Administration Programme
- Subject to Main Gate approval, Joint Personnel Administration Partnering Agreement to be signed, by 30 September 2004 for the Manufacture, Roll Out and Delivery.
- To commence the Roll Out of Joint Personnel Administration Core System for the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and Army by October 2005, May 2006 and October 2006 respectively.
To transform the Agency to Deliver the full Potential of the Joint Personnel Administration Environment
- To deliver Joint Personnel Administration Centre capability through six stages, commencing, June 2004 Stage 1 and March 2005 Stage 2.
- To deliver 100 per cent. of Key critical path milestones in Agency Transition Plan.
To deliver a cost effective change programme in accordance with departmental priorities
- To deliver 96 per cent. of major change to ensure individual development Projects are delivered to specification and schedule.
- To deliver 96 per cent. of all minor change in accordance with Joint Change Management Team plans agreed by partner and customer.
To Develop targets for implementation in 2005–06 that will measure the delivery of Pay. Pensions and Personnel Services against Service Level Agreements
- To achieve the agreed service levels of all Performance Assessment Indicators (levels 4 and 5 of current contract Schedule 2) not already included in Key Targets 1 and 2.
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To meet approved efficiency targets for the delivery of core services
- To reduce the unit cost by 6 per cent. in 2004–05 which will contribute to a 12 per cent. reduction over a 4-year period from 2002–03 for the delivery of core pay and personnel administration.
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