House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Apr 2004 (pt 22)

1 Apr 2004 : Column 1624W—continued

Departmental Expenditure (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)

Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the expenditure of his Department and its predecessors for the constituency of Sittingbourne and Sheppey was between (a) 1992 and 1997, (b) 1997 and 2001 and (c) 2001 and 2004. [159489]

Mr. Browne: This information is not currently available in the form requested and could not be assembled without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Policies (Older People)

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what (a) initiatives, (b) campaigns and (c) advisory bodies relating to older people his Department (i) is responsible and (ii) has provided funding since 2001; and what the cost in each year was for each one. [165142]

Malcolm Wicks: The information has been placed in the Library.

1 Apr 2004 : Column 1625W

Direct Payments

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were eligible for direct payments in Scotland in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002–03, broken down by local authority area. [161755]

Mr. Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. The information in the table gives the number of benefit and pension accounts paid by Direct Payment in December 2002 and December 2003. The number of accounts paid by Direct Payment in each Scottish local authority is shown as a percentage of the overall total of accounts paid by Direct Payment in Scotland.

December 2002 December 2003

Number Percentage Number Percentage

Total benefit or Pension accounts in Scotland paid by Direct Payment 923,120 100 1,296,750 100

Aberdeen City 39,120 4.24 51,155 3.94

Aberdeenshire 43,120 4.67 58,705 4.53

Angus 22,790 2.47 30,975 2.39

Argyll and Bute 18,980 2.06 24,675 1.90

The Scottish Borders 22,835 2.47 30,600 2.36

Clackmannanshire 8,945 0.97 12,835 0.99

West Dumbartonshire 14,960 1.62 23,800 1.84

Dumfries and Galloway 30,640 3.32 41,865 3.23

Dundee City 25,055 2.71 35,340 2.73

East Ayrshire 21,045 2.28 30,670 2.37

East Dumbartonshire 24,680 2.67 31,325 2.42

East Lothian 18,575 2.01 24,610 1.90

East Renfrewshire 20,695 2.24 26,245 2.02

City of Edinburgh 82,750 8.96 104,860 8.09

Falkirk 25,830 2.80 36,595 2.82

Fife 65,440 7.09 92,960 7.17

Glasgow City 79,600 8.62 133,390 10.29

Highland 43,470 4.71 59,210 4.57

Inverclyde 13,865 1.50 20,605 1.59

Midlothian 15,400 1.67 21,435 1.65

Moray 16,560 1.79 22,630 1.75

North Ayrshire 24,970 2.70 36,470 2.81

North Lanarkshire 46,805 5.07 74,440 5.74

Orkney Islands 3,695 0.40 5,060 0.39

Perth and Kinross 30,350 3.29 38,810 2.99

Renfrewshire 31,760 3.44 44,030 3.40

Shetland Isles 3,905 0.42 5,380 0.41

South Ayrshire 24,445 2.65 32,400 2.50

South Lanarkshire 54,315 5.88 77,715 5.99

Stirling 17,165 1.86 22,180 1.71

West Lothian 27,030 2.93 39,380 3.04

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 4,330 0.47 6,405 0.49

	December 2002	December 2003
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
Total benefit or Pension accounts in Scotland paid by Direct Payment	923,120	100	1,296,750	100
Aberdeen City	39,120	4.24	51,155	3.94
Aberdeenshire	43,120	4.67	58,705	4.53
Angus	22,790	2.47	30,975	2.39
Argyll and Bute	18,980	2.06	24,675	1.90
The Scottish Borders	22,835	2.47	30,600	2.36
Clackmannanshire	8,945	0.97	12,835	0.99
West Dumbartonshire	14,960	1.62	23,800	1.84
Dumfries and Galloway	30,640	3.32	41,865	3.23
Dundee City	25,055	2.71	35,340	2.73
East Ayrshire	21,045	2.28	30,670	2.37
East Dumbartonshire	24,680	2.67	31,325	2.42
East Lothian	18,575	2.01	24,610	1.90
East Renfrewshire	20,695	2.24	26,245	2.02
City of Edinburgh	82,750	8.96	104,860	8.09
Falkirk	25,830	2.80	36,595	2.82
Fife	65,440	7.09	92,960	7.17
Glasgow City	79,600	8.62	133,390	10.29
Highland	43,470	4.71	59,210	4.57
Inverclyde	13,865	1.50	20,605	1.59
Midlothian	15,400	1.67	21,435	1.65
Moray	16,560	1.79	22,630	1.75
North Ayrshire	24,970	2.70	36,470	2.81
North Lanarkshire	46,805	5.07	74,440	5.74
Orkney Islands	3,695	0.40	5,060	0.39
Perth and Kinross	30,350	3.29	38,810	2.99
Renfrewshire	31,760	3.44	44,030	3.40
Shetland Isles	3,905	0.42	5,380	0.41
South Ayrshire	24,445	2.65	32,400	2.50
South Lanarkshire	54,315	5.88	77,715	5.99
Stirling	17,165	1.86	22,180	1.71
West Lothian	27,030	2.93	39,380	3.04
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	4,330	0.47	6,405	0.49

Notes:

1. Figures refer to a snapshot of live accounts in payment on 24 January 2004

and 25 January 2003.

2. The people eligible for Direct Payment are those who have an account suitable for receiving direct payment and who have an agreement with the Secretary of State that they want their benefit or pension made by this method. The figures above are of those people who have taken up the option of receiving their benefit or pension this way.

3. The figures relate to payments administered by Department of Work and Pensions only. They do not include Child Benefit accounts which are the responsibility of Inland Revenue or War Pension accounts are now the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence

4. The figures above are rounded to the nearest five, totals may not sum due to roundings

Source:

DWP Information Centre, Information and Analysis Directorate (100 per cent. data).

1 Apr 2004 : Column 1626W

E-business Strategy

Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to produce his Department's e-business strategy. [162815]

Mr. Browne: Making services available online is an intrinsic part of DWP's business strategy, not a free-standing activity. It is therefore no longer appropriate to publish a separate e- business strategy. Details of DWP's approach to customer service delivery can be found in the business plans of each of the main delivery businesses, copies of which are on the Department's websites and in the Library.

Employment Agencies

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the employment agencies which his Department and its predecessors have used to supply temporary staff in each financial year since 1996–97 to the most recent date for which figures are available. [163816]

Maria Eagle: The Department's use of agencies to supply temporary staff is limited, temporary vacancies are normally notified to, and filled by, Jobcentre Plus Offices. The information requested is not held centrally and where available would only go back to 2001/02, due to the length of time the Department is required to keep recruitment information. Obtaining any information would be at disproportionate cost.

Endometriosis

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how much (a) Disability Living Allowance and (b) (i) short-term and (ii) long-term Incapacity Benefit was paid out in England and Wales as a result of (A) chronic pelvic pain and (B) endometriosis in each year since 2000–01, broken down by region; [163135]

Maria Eagle: There is no data available to answer the question (a) on Disability Living Allowance nor the question on Disability Allowance contained in PQ 163136. The items on Incapacity Benefit for which answers can be provided are contained in the table.

Great Britain£ million

2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

Incapacity Benefit short-term

Endometriosis 0.1 0.4 0.1

Abdominal and Pelvic Pain 3 3 3

Incapacity Benefit long-term

Endometriosis 2 2 2

Abdominal and pelvic pain

North East 1 1 1

North West 2 2 2

Yorkshire and Number 2 2 2

East Midlands 1 1 1

West Midlands 2 2 2

East 1 1 1

London 1 1 1

South East 1 1 1

South West 1 1 1

Total England 11 12 12

Wales 2 2 2

Scotland 3 3 3

Great Britain 16 17 18

	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Incapacity Benefit short-term
Endometriosis	0.1	0.4	0.1
Abdominal and Pelvic Pain	3	3	3

Incapacity Benefit long-term
Endometriosis	2	2	2

Abdominal and pelvic pain
North East	1	1	1
North West	2	2	2
Yorkshire and Number	2	2	2
East Midlands	1	1	1
West Midlands	2	2	2
East	1	1	1
London	1	1	1
South East	1	1	1
South West	1	1	1
Total England	11	12	12

Wales	2	2	2
Scotland	3	3	3
Great Britain	16	17	18

1 Apr 2004 : Column 1627W

Numbers are based on a 5 per cent. sample of administrative records, drawn quarterly from the Incapacity Benefit computer system, and averaged over each financial year.

Expenditure figures have been rounded to the nearest million and may not sum to the total as a result. The exception to this is contained in the Table showing Incapacity Short Term expenditure on Endometriosis, which is rounded to the nearest one hundred thousand.

Incapacity Benefit

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of the Incapacity Benefit caseload have been in continuous receipt of the benefit since before 1 May 1997. [163693]

Maria Eagle: The total number of IB and SDA claimants at 30 November 2003 is 2,720,500. Of these, 1,129,200 or 41.5 per cent. have a claim start date before 1 May 1997.

Before 1997, people claiming Incapacity Benefits received virtually no support to get back to work despite the fact that large numbers want to work again. That is why, since 1997, we have sought to provide greater incentives to try out work, and to offer specialist support to put individuals in a better position to secure a job.

Our Pathways to Work pilots bring all existing and new measures together in a more coherent package of choices. On 17 March, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced further incentives to be trialled in pilot areas to enable those preparing for a return to work to receive an additional £20 per week for up to 26 weeks.

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and the percentage is rounded to one place of decimal.

2. Some cases, which have been "rebuilt" onto the system, may have a start date later than the original commencement date of the spell.

3. Cases where payment has been temporarily suspended for a period within the spell, cannot be identified.

Source:

DWP—IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. sample.

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of time was for which (a) a man and (b) a woman has received Incapacity Benefit on mental health grounds in each year since 1997 in relation to (i) stress, (ii) behavioural problems, (iii) anxiety and (iv) depression. [164731]

1 Apr 2004 : Column 1628W

Maria Eagle: The information has been placed in the Library.

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