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26 Mar 2004 : Column 1124W—continued
PRIME MINISTER
Environmental Matters
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister on what date he next intends to give a speech on environmental matters. [164038]
The Prime Minister: I regularly give speeches on a wide range of domestic and international issues, which cover environmental issues. My forthcoming speaking engagements are announced at the appropriate time.
Mr. Kenneth Norden
Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet Mr. Kenneth Norden to discuss the loss of his final salary pension scheme. [163594]
The Prime Minister: I have asked my hon. Friend the Minister for Pensions to meet the hon. Gentleman's constituent about this matter on my behalf.
Parliamentary Questions
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how many, and what percentage of Written Parliamentary Questions tabled to him in 2003 he answered by reference to an earlier Parliamentary Answer. [164037]
The Prime Minister: This information is not held in the format requested. However, it is a matter of public record and can be found in the Official Report.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Environmentally Sustainable Procurement
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what ways environmentally sustainable procurement strategies within the Department have driven innovation in the design and supply of products. [159149]
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Maria Eagle: In September 2003, a report signalled how recommendations from the inter-departmental Sustainable Procurement Group (SPG) would be taken forward. Following this DWP introduced revised policy guidance that made it official departmental policy to purchase sustainable goods and services wherever possible.
Guidance is currently being revised to include comprehensive assistance for the Department's procurement officials to achieve this objective. Additionally governance controls for Departmental projects and programmes, which can include major procurement exercises, require that sustainability issues are considered within business cases.
We are now working to include sustainability within several major contracts that are shortly to be renewed as well as reviewing existing contracts for their sustainability impacts. Further work on sustainable procurement and innovation is in hand but it is too early to assess what impact these provisions have had on innovation in the design and supply of products. Information on progress in this area will be included within the annual DWP Sustainable Development Report, which is published in the autumn.
European Year of Disabled People
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what funding his Department granted to the European Year of Disabled People National Co-ordinating Chamber in each year since 2002; [163699]
- (2) what plans the European Year of Disabled People National Co-ordinating Chamber has made for its employees in 2004; and if he will make a statement; [163700]
(3) how many people are employed by the European Year of Disabled People National Co-ordinating Chamber. [163701]
Maria Eagle: The UK National Co-ordinating Committee was established in January 2002 to develop, agree, implement, and oversee a programme of activity for the European Year of Disabled People 2003. It has been responsible for making recommendations to Ministers on the use of the £2.5 million allocated in 2002 by the Department for Work and Pensions and the European Commission to support EYDP activities. It comprises 16 representatives of key national disability organisations and organisations in the public and private sectors. It has met regularly since January 2002 and will be disbanded on 30 June 2004 when the EYDP officially comes to an end. It has no employees. Secretariat services have been provided by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Executive Agency Staff
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many full-time equivalent jobs there were in his Department and its executive agencies, and prior to 2001 with the Department of Social Security and its agencies, and those agencies which transferred to his Department in 2001, in each year since 1997. [162975]
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Maria Eagle: Information is not available on the number of full time equivalent jobs in the Department for Work and Pensions as the numbers of historical vacancies at any given time is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The number of full time equivalent permanent and temporary staff employed in the Department for Work and Pensions, and the relevant predecessor organisations, for each year since 1997 is shown in the table.
| Department of Social Security | The Employment Service | Total | Department for Work and Pensions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March 1997 | 98,194 | 31,550 | 129,744 | — |
| 31 March 1998 | 93,635 | 30,796 | 124,431 | — |
| 31 March 1999 | 95,048 | 32,675 | 127,723 | — |
| 31 March 2000 | 87,261 | 32,620 | 119,881 | — |
| 31 March 2001 | 85,423 | 34,110 | 119,531 | — |
| 31 March 2002 | — | — | — | 126,906 |
| 31 March 2003 | — | — | — | 130,007 |
Notes:
1. Figures are on a whole time equivalent (rounded) and include temporary staff.
2. Figures are point in time at the dates quoted.
3. Figures are consistent with Cabinet Office definitions other than that staff on paid maternity leave are included in the figures above.
4. The reduction in the Department of Social Security staffing in 1999–2000 takes account of the transfer of the Contributions Agency and Working Families Tax Credits to the Inland Revenue.
5. The reduction in staffing in 2000–01 takes account of the outsourcing of the Information Technology Services Agency.
Jobcentre Plus (Staff with Disabilities)
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) male and (b) female advisers working for Jobcentre Plus in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2003 had a disability, broken down by disability type. [163694]
Maria Eagle: Information on numbers of staff in the Department for Work and Pensions is not held by job type.
Pension Credit
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to publish in advance a schedule of publication dates for pension credit monthly progress reports; and if he will make a statement on the method of release of these reports to hon.Members. [164047]
Malcolm Wicks: We have so far published progress reports on a monthly basis, starting on 14 October 2003. Publication dates for future reports have not yet been agreed. The precise timing, frequency and format of the reports to Parliament will be reviewed in the context of Agency Business Plans for the next operational year. The method of release of reports has been to place them in the House of Commons Library and to make copies available for hon. Members in the Vote Office. More detailed information is also frequently provided to hon. Members in reply to written and oral Questions.
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Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 17 March 2004, Official Report, columns 317–8W, on pension credit, if he will break down the changes of circumstances reported by customers by (a) category of change and (b) age group of claimant. [164049]
Malcolm Wicks: It is not possible to break the information down in the way requested.
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Pensions
Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of (a) women and (b) men are members of private (i) occupational and (ii) personal pension schemes, broken down by ethnic group. [163767]
Malcolm Wicks: The breakdown of those of working age contributing to a private pension by ethnic grouping is given in the table.
| Occupational | Personal | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnic group | Male | Female | All | Male | Female | All |
| White | 35 | 33 | 34 | 17 | 9 | 13 |
| Mixed | 30 | 24 | 26- | 11 | 9 | 10 |
| Indian | 28 | 23 | 26 | 12 | 7 | 10 |
| Pakistani and Bangladeshi | 9 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Any other Asian/Asian British background | 17 | 22 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
| Black or Black British | 25 | 28 | 27 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Total | 34 | 32 | 33 | 16 | 8 | 12 |
Notes:
1. All figures are estimates derived from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) 2002–03, the latest year for which data are available. The coverage of the survey is the UK.
2. Percentages are based on relevant ethnic group respondent population from the Family Resources Survey. Some estimates are based on small sample numbers.
3. Membership relates to those who are currently contributing to a private pension scheme or whose employer is currently contributing.
4. Stakeholder pensions are included as personal pensions.
5. Working age is ages 20–59 for women and 20–64 for men.
Source:
Family Resources Survey 2002–03.
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