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

22 Apr 2004 : Column 666W—continued

External Consultants

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a list of the projects on which his Department employed external consultants in each of the last six years. [152844]

Maria Eagle: The information requested for each of the last six years for all projects is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The following table provides a list of current modernisation projects that have employed external consultants. It should be noted that project details may alter as they pass through the project lifecycle.
Current DWP Modernisation Projects employing External Consultants

Project name Brief description of the project

Child Support Reform This project will implement the Child Support Reforms, involving the transformation of the existing CSA business processes and structures, through the introduction of a new IT system that supports new rules, legislation and operating model.

Customer Management System This system is an information gathering business process for working age IS/JSA/IB benefit claims. It will allow information supplied by the customer to be gathered electronically by staff, improving efficiency and customer service. Staff will be able to check information supplied against that already held. The system will also support the arrangement of work-focused interviews.

Debt Management The Debt Programme introduces a new organisational structure based on 10 Debt Centres and a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) package to provide new Management Information systems, combined with increased focus on the management and ultimately reduction of debt stock.

Digital Office Infrastructure (formally Early Office Infrastructure) DOI aims to implement a modern IT infrastructure platform across the Department allowing access to the internet and intranet and modern business software.

New Tax Credits This project supports the implementation of new tax credits by Inland Revenue by putting a tax credits service in place for DWP customers (principally through Jobcentre Plus) and ensuring that necessary amendments are made to DWP benefits.

Payment Modernisation Programme The Payment Modernisation Programme aims to establish direct payment into a bank, building society or post office card account as the normal, convenient method of payment for all customers. This includes those who wish to collect their money from the Post Office. (The national banking infrastructure was successfully implemented in April 2003 through the Universal Bank project).

Pension Credit This project successfully introduced pension credit in October 2003 and aims to increase the take-up of pension credit. It will deliver new IT functionality to existing DWP systems, and associated business products (e.g. training, staff guidance, customer notifications).

Pensions Transformation Programme This Programme will transform the Pension Service bringing together business and IT change in ways that improve customer and staff satisfaction and deliver efficiencies.

Resource Management System This programme will provide modernised HR, financial and procurement functions for DWP staff. These systems will introduce significant business process change, enabling Departmental resources to be managed more effectively.

Pensions Forecasting We have introduced a modernised IT system to support the growing numbers of combined forecasts we are producing.

ISCS/JSAPS Modernisation The key objectives are to improve interfaces with other DWP systems to reduce fraud and error; reduce costly clerical interventions by improving work management systems; improve customer service by enabling staff to view on-line system generated letters; provide a modern user interface for ISCS and JSAPS.

'Focus' Human Resources Modernisation Programme The Human Resources Modernisation Programme includes:

HR Service Centre Modernisation to restructure the existing HR Service Centres and consolidating Jobcentre Plus HR administration;

design and delivery of a range of technologies required for the modernisation of learning and development over three-year period;

a strategy to ensure delivery of effective leadership development and education to senior managers and those identified as potential leaders;

review of the current payroll system to ensure it is capable of delivering changes to the DWP reward strategy.

Customer Information System The Project will deliver a database of key customer information to be shared across DWP. The database will complement information currently available in the Department's key customer information systems, i.e. Personal Details Computer System and Departmental Central Index, and become their replacement. The Project will use cost-effective modern technology with minimum impact on the existing systems.

Managing Core Systems Estate The objective of this project is to undertake, and where appropriate plan the activities necessary to maximise the effectiveness of the legacy systems in future.

Working Age IS/IT Strategy Programme (formally IT Development Programme) This programme made up of a series of individual projects, three of which are:

Better Off Calculator—This project will support the Government's focus on getting people back into work by illustrating how they would be better off working. It will be available to Jobcentre Plus staff, other DWP users and to citizens as a self-service package.

Assessment Engine—The Assessment Engine will automate (as fully as possible) the assessment of income support and other benefits.

Entitlement Management—This will increase the level of automation of the entitlement management processes reducing or eliminating the need for clerical intervention.

Disability and Carers Service Change Programme This is an over-arching change programme that brings together a range of infrastructure projects, covering process, IT and telephony changes, into a single coherent programme. The programme will design and deliver changes to business processes and Information Technology (IT) and support ongoing changes to the business organisation and telephony to reflect the emerging DCS Business Model.

Note:
This list is based on the best possible match between information from our systems to monitor DWP Modernisation projects and separate systems to monitor all use of consultancy across DWP. The list is not complete because a list of all projects is not available and differences in recording the names of projects in the different systems makes matching between them difficult.

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Project name	Brief description of the project
Child Support Reform	This project will implement the Child Support Reforms, involving the transformation of the existing CSA business processes and structures, through the introduction of a new IT system that supports new rules, legislation and operating model.

Customer Management System	This system is an information gathering business process for working age IS/JSA/IB benefit claims. It will allow information supplied by the customer to be gathered electronically by staff, improving efficiency and customer service. Staff will be able to check information supplied against that already held. The system will also support the arrangement of work-focused interviews.

Debt Management	The Debt Programme introduces a new organisational structure based on 10 Debt Centres and a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) package to provide new Management Information systems, combined with increased focus on the management and ultimately reduction of debt stock.

Digital Office Infrastructure (formally Early Office Infrastructure)	DOI aims to implement a modern IT infrastructure platform across the Department allowing access to the internet and intranet and modern business software.

New Tax Credits	This project supports the implementation of new tax credits by Inland Revenue by putting a tax credits service in place for DWP customers (principally through Jobcentre Plus) and ensuring that necessary amendments are made to DWP benefits.

Payment Modernisation Programme	The Payment Modernisation Programme aims to establish direct payment into a bank, building society or post office card account as the normal, convenient method of payment for all customers. This includes those who wish to collect their money from the Post Office. (The national banking infrastructure was successfully implemented in April 2003 through the Universal Bank project).

Pension Credit	This project successfully introduced pension credit in October 2003 and aims to increase the take-up of pension credit. It will deliver new IT functionality to existing DWP systems, and associated business products (e.g. training, staff guidance, customer notifications).

Pensions Transformation Programme	This Programme will transform the Pension Service bringing together business and IT change in ways that improve customer and staff satisfaction and deliver efficiencies.

Resource Management System	This programme will provide modernised HR, financial and procurement functions for DWP staff. These systems will introduce significant business process change, enabling Departmental resources to be managed more effectively.

Pensions Forecasting	We have introduced a modernised IT system to support the growing numbers of combined forecasts we are producing.

ISCS/JSAPS Modernisation	The key objectives are to improve interfaces with other DWP systems to reduce fraud and error; reduce costly clerical interventions by improving work management systems; improve customer service by enabling staff to view on-line system generated letters; provide a modern user interface for ISCS and JSAPS.

'Focus' Human Resources Modernisation Programme	The Human Resources Modernisation Programme includes:
	HR Service Centre Modernisation to restructure the existing HR Service Centres and consolidating Jobcentre Plus HR administration;
	design and delivery of a range of technologies required for the modernisation of learning and development over three-year period;
	a strategy to ensure delivery of effective leadership development and education to senior managers and those identified as potential leaders;
	review of the current payroll system to ensure it is capable of delivering changes to the DWP reward strategy.
Customer Information System	The Project will deliver a database of key customer information to be shared across DWP. The database will complement information currently available in the Department's key customer information systems, i.e. Personal Details Computer System and Departmental Central Index, and become their replacement. The Project will use cost-effective modern technology with minimum impact on the existing systems.

Managing Core Systems Estate	The objective of this project is to undertake, and where appropriate plan the activities necessary to maximise the effectiveness of the legacy systems in future.

Working Age IS/IT Strategy Programme (formally IT Development Programme)	This programme made up of a series of individual projects, three of which are:
	Better Off Calculator—This project will support the Government's focus on getting people back into work by illustrating how they would be better off working. It will be available to Jobcentre Plus staff, other DWP users and to citizens as a self-service package.
	Assessment Engine—The Assessment Engine will automate (as fully as possible) the assessment of income support and other benefits.
	Entitlement Management—This will increase the level of automation of the entitlement management processes reducing or eliminating the need for clerical intervention.

Disability and Carers Service Change Programme	This is an over-arching change programme that brings together a range of infrastructure projects, covering process, IT and telephony changes, into a single coherent programme. The programme will design and deliver changes to business processes and Information Technology (IT) and support ongoing changes to the business organisation and telephony to reflect the emerging DCS Business Model.

Incapacity Benefit

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many (a) men and (b) women receiving incapacity benefit payments made on mental health grounds in relation to (i) depression, (ii) stress, (iii) anxiety and (iv) behavioural problems received these payments for longer than five years in each year since 1997; and if he will break these payments down by region; [164718]

(2) how many (a) men and (b) women receiving incapacity benefit payments made on mental health grounds in relation to (i) anxiety and (ii) behavioural problems received these payments for longer than

22 Apr 2004 : Column 668W

(A) one month, (B) six months, (C) a year, (D) two years and (E) five years in each year since 1997; and if he will break these payments down by region. [164719]

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

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women receiving incapacity benefit made on mental health grounds in each year since 1997 in relation to (i) stress, (ii) behavioural issues, (iii) anxiety and (iv) depression previously received (A) income-based and (B) contribution-based jobseeker's allowance. [164720]

Maria Eagle: The information is in the table.
Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance commencements each year since 1997 by diagnosis, and whether they previously received JSA

Year to November

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Men

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of depression 56.2 51.7 55.3 58.6 59.7 59.7 61.9

of which the following were:

Previously receiving JSA (income based) 23.1 18.7 20.5 20.9 21.8 22.3 22.6

Previously receiving JSA (contributory) 3.5 3.5 4.1 3.8 3.8 4.2 4.6

Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾ 1.0 0.8 1.2 1.0 0.9 1.4 1.3

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of stress/anxiety 39.1 35.0 35.4 36.3 36.5 35.5 33.9

of which the following were:

Previously receiving JSA (income based) 15.2 12.1 12.8 13.7 13.2 11.6 11.8

Previously receiving JSA (contributory) 2.3 2.1 2.2 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.3

Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾ 0.6 0.6 0.6 ⁽³⁹⁾0.4 0.6 0.6 0.6

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of behavioural issues ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 — — ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 — — —

of which the following were:

Previously receiving JSA (income based) — — — — — — —

Previously receiving JSA (contributory) — — — — — — —

Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾ — — — — — — —

Women

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of depression 51.7 51.4 51.1 54.3 57.2 59.3 56.5

of which the following were:

Previously receiving JSA (income based) 11.6 10.3 11.2 12.1 12.2 12.0 12.4

Previously receiving JSA (contributory) 2.7 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.9 2.9

Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾ 0.5 ⁽³⁹⁾0.3 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.3 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.3

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of stress/anxiety 33.8 30.8 30.8 32.7 32.2 31.6 30.2

of which the following were:

Previously receiving JSA (income based) 7.4 5.8 6.7 6.2 6.3 6.0 5.8

Previously receiving JSA (contributory) 2.0 1.8 1.5 1.8 1.4 1.6 1.7

Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾ ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of behavioural issues 2.9 3.0 2.7 2.4 2.4 2.6 2.2

of which the following were:

Previously receiving JSA (income based) ⁽³⁹⁾0.3 ⁽³⁹⁾0.3 ⁽³⁹⁾0.3 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 ⁽³⁹⁾0.3

Previously receiving JSA(contributory) ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.2 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1 ⁽³⁹⁾0.1

Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾ — — — — — — —

⁽³⁸⁾ Analysis considers whether or not an individual has received JSA in the year prior to commencement of their receipt of IB/SDA. Some individuals have received both JSA(IB) and JSA(C) in the year previous to their receipt of IB/SDA.
⁽³⁹⁾ Figures are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should only be used as a guide.
Notes:
1. Figures are shown in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred.
2. These figures have been updated to include late notified commencements. All figures back to 1995 have been revised, and may be subject to further change; figures prior to 2002 are subject to minor changes; figures for 2002 include fewer late notifications than previous quarters and will be subject to greater change in future; figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. For illustration purposes, total commencements for November 2002 increased by 15 per cent. in the year following their initial release.
3. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
4. It is not possible to separate out the stress and anxiety categories.
5. All diagnoses are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition, published by the World Health Organisation.
Source:
DWP—IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. samples.

22 Apr 2004 : Column 669W

	Year to November
	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Men
All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of depression	56.2	51.7	55.3	58.6	59.7	59.7	61.9
of which the following were:
Previously receiving JSA (income based)	23.1	18.7	20.5	20.9	21.8	22.3	22.6
Previously receiving JSA (contributory)	3.5	3.5	4.1	3.8	3.8	4.2	4.6
Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾	1.0	0.8	1.2	1.0	0.9	1.4	1.3

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of stress/anxiety	39.1	35.0	35.4	36.3	36.5	35.5	33.9
of which the following were:
Previously receiving JSA (income based)	15.2	12.1	12.8	13.7	13.2	11.6	11.8
Previously receiving JSA (contributory)	2.3	2.1	2.2	1.7	1.9	2.1	2.3
Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾	0.6	0.6	0.6	⁽³⁹⁾0.4	0.6	0.6	0.6

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of behavioural issues	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	—	—	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	—	—	—
of which the following were:
Previously receiving JSA (income based)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Previously receiving JSA (contributory)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Women
All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of depression	51.7	51.4	51.1	54.3	57.2	59.3	56.5
of which the following were:
Previously receiving JSA (income based)	11.6	10.3	11.2	12.1	12.2	12.0	12.4
Previously receiving JSA (contributory)	2.7	2.3	2.2	2.4	2.4	2.9	2.9
Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾	0.5	⁽³⁹⁾0.3	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.3	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.3

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of stress/anxiety	33.8	30.8	30.8	32.7	32.2	31.6	30.2
of which the following were:
Previously receiving JSA (income based)	7.4	5.8	6.7	6.2	6.3	6.0	5.8
Previously receiving JSA (contributory)	2.0	1.8	1.5	1.8	1.4	1.6	1.7
Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	⁽³⁹⁾0.1

All IB/SDA commencements with a diagnosis of behavioural issues	2.9	3.0	2.7	2.4	2.4	2.6	2.2
of which the following were:
Previously receiving JSA (income based)	⁽³⁹⁾0.3	⁽³⁹⁾0.3	⁽³⁹⁾0.3	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	⁽³⁹⁾0.3
Previously receiving JSA(contributory)	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.2	⁽³⁹⁾0.1	⁽³⁹⁾0.1
Previously receiving JSA (IB and C)⁽³⁸⁾	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the expansion of the specialist personal adviser service to support longer-term incapacity benefit recipients announced in the Budget will be available (a) for the Jobcentre Plus pathways to work pilots and (b) to all New Deal for Disabled People programmes. [167241]

Maria Eagle: In his recent Budget statement, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced new measures to be piloted in the seven Jobcentre Plus Pathways to Work areas.

We will provide three additional mandatory work-focused interviews (WFIs) for those incapacity benefits claimants who started a claim in the two years before the pilots started, excluding the most severely incapacitated cases. These interviews will be designed to identify those who retain an interest in getting back to work and to provide effective support to enable them to do that. In addition, we will offer a new job preparation premium of £20 per week, payable for a maximum of 26 weeks to encourage participation in relevant activity that supports a return to work. These measures will be brought in from early next year and will be fully evaluated.

Existing IB recipients attending WFIs will be offered access to New Deal for Disabled People as part of the range of provision currently available in Pathways to Work areas.

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