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NORTHERN IRELAND
Maghaberry Prison
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Paul Murphy): I wish to announce that with effect from 31 March 2004, in accordance with the powers conferred on me by Rule 5(1) of the Prisons and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995, part of Maghaberry prison site, formerly the site of Maze prison, is removed from within the boundaries of Maghaberry prison. The area to be removed is indicated on the site map, which I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses, by the words
-
"area to be removed from the site of Maghaberry prison".
Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Ian Pearson): The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland Annual Report and statement of accounts for 2002–03 has been deposited in the Library of the House today.
DEFENCE
Business Process Review of Defence Housing
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin): I announced in July 2003 that the Ministry of Defence was conducting a business process review of the management and delivery of Defence housing, 2 July 2003, Official Report, column 20WS. The Review has been completed and I have placed a copy of the final report in the Library of the House.
This work has been part of a coordinated approach to the future direction of defence housing. It supports detailed work to improve accommodation through the defence housing strategy that, as set out in the Defence White Paper: "Supporting Essays", will direct the future provision of housing for service personnel and their families worldwide. It also takes forward work from earlier internal and cross-departmental studies. The Review has focused primarily on delivery and management of Defence housing in mainland UK, but it includes recommendations on our living accommodation overseas that might be considered in the future.
The main conclusions were that some improvement could be made to the processes involved with the management and delivery of Defence housing. It was also recognised that we could benefit from the synergies within Defence Estates (DE) and the Defence Housing Executive (DHE). A number of recommendations have been made to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes and organisations involved in delivery of Defence housing, the most significant of which are:
- DHE and DE will merge from 1 April 2004. Initially DHE will be absorbed into DE as a self- contained business unit but over time Head Office processes will be merged.
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- The Chief Executive of DE will become responsible for the delivery of Defence housing in mainland UK.
- To protect the interests of Service personnel and their families a dedicated housing customer care function will be maintained within DE with suitable governance arrangements.
- Initiatives to improve customer care, particularly the housing prime contract for England and Wales, will continue.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Household Statistics
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Andrew Smith): Today I have published households below average income for 1994–95 to 2002–03. This is a report published under national statistics arrangements with headline results that cover Great Britain. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The report shows that there has been strong growth across the whole income distribution, and comparing incomes between 1996–97 and 2002–03, the poorest fifth of households have kept up with the strong income growth of middle-income households.
Steady progress has been made towards the Government's target to reduce by a quarter the number of children living in low-income households by 2004–05.
Some 700,000 fewer children are living in relative low income compared to 1996–97.
There has been a more dramatic reduction in children in "absolute" low income and this has now halved since 1996–97, equating to 2.1 million fewer children growing up with their opportunities undermined by acute financial hardship.
For pensioners below the same fixed threshold, the decline has been around two-thirds, from 2.7 million in 1996–97 to fewer than 1 million in 2002–03, meaning enhanced dignity and security for 1.8 million people during their retirement.
Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance
The Minister for Work (Mr. Desmond Browne): In a written statement on 4 December 2003, I announced the publication of the Department's second stage and final report of the review of ELCI.
The report described the work that had been undertaken since June 2003, identified the further actions we intended to take and set these in the context of a strategic approach aimed at improving the efficiency, sustainability and outcomes of the ELCI system.
A number of initiatives have been put in place to improve the functioning of the ELCI market. In addition we are working immediately to help business by a range of actions.
I am pleased to announce the publication today of a partial regulatory impact assessment on a proposal to remove the requirement for ELCI from limited companies that employ only their owner (incorporated owners/sole employees). It is estimated that there are about 300,000 such companies.
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The partial assessment seeks the views of employers (in particular incorporated owners/sole traders) and insurers and their representative bodies and other stakeholders (e.g. employees, lawyers) and their representatives on the proposal. The views of the wider public are also welcome.
Copies of the partial assessment have been placed in the Library.
We will continue to take forward the initiatives and long-term proposals in the second stage report. We believe that they will continue to deliver significant, sustained improvements within the ELCI market.
Business Plan
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. Andrew Smith): I am today able to announce the 2004–05 annual performance targets for the rent service, responsibility for which transfers to my Department from 1 April 2004, and the disability and carers service. The targets I have agreed are set out below.
Further information on the plans of the businesses in 2004–05 is contained in their individual business plans that have been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
- To process 87 per cent. of housing benefit determinations, with an inspection, within 15 working days.
- To process 87 per cent. of housing benefit determinations, without an inspection, within 3 working days.
- To process 87 per cent. of pre-tenancy determinations within 4 working days.
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- To process 87 per cent. of redeterminations within 15 working days.
- To process 87 per cent. of fair rent determinations within 40 working days.
- Productivity: To increase productivity by 1 per cent. by the end of the year compared to last year.
- Costs: To reduce the cost per case by 1 per cent. in real terms by the end of the year.
- Quality: 87 per cent. of local reference rent housing benefit determinations to be upheld on redetermination.
- Quality: 87 per cent. of fair rent valuations to be upheld by judicial review.
- To raise the customer satisfaction rating, of satisfactory or better, from 87 per cent. in 2003–04 to 90 per cent. in 2004–05.
| Business Event | Targets for 2004–05 |
|---|---|
| Decision Making Quality: DLA | 90 per cent |
| Decision Making Quality: AA | 90 per cent |
| Accuracy: CA | 95 per cent |
| Claims—Normal Rules: DLA | 39 days |
| Claims—Normal Rules: AA | 24 days |
| Claims: CA | 24 days |
| Claims—Special Rules: DLA | 8 days |
| Claims—Special Rules: AA | 8 days |
| Renewal claims: DLA | 32 days |
| Renewal claims: AA | 23 days |
| Appeals: DLA | 40 days |
| Appeals: AA | 40 days |
| Appeals: CA | 38 days |
Note:DLA – Disability living allowance
AA – Attendance allowance
CA – Carer's allowance