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6 May 2004 : Column 1786W—continued
StepUP Programme
Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to extend the StepUP programme. [170042]
Jane Kennedy: StepUP builds on the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus by providing transitional jobs for people who have not secured sustained employment through New Deal. There are currently 20 StepUP pilots operating in selected wards across Great Britain.
An interim report (Evaluation of StepUP:Interim Report 186/2004) was published on 16 March and is available in the Library. It is too soon to say whether StepUP will be rolled out nationally. However, a final report on the programme, which will establish its effectiveness in helping people into sustained work, work, will include recommendations on roll out.
The report is due to be published in July 2005 and a copy of this will be placed in the Library.
Sure Start Maternity Grant
Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many mothers in Burnley have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant; [167888]
(2) how many mothers in Burnley have received the Sure Start Maternity Grant. [168323]
Mr. Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the table.
| Applications | Awards | |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 2,936 | 2,405 |
| 2001–02 | 3,746 | 2,998 |
| 2002–03 | 4,637 | 3,452 |
| 2003–04 | 5,297 | 3,539 |
Notes:
1. Data are not available by parliamentary constituency. Burnley parliamentary constituency is part of East Lancashire Jobcentre Plus District, which was previously called Greater Manchester Lancashire Social Fund District.
2. Sure Start Maternity Grants were introduced on 27 March 2000. The very small number of cases for 1999–2000 has been excluded for data protection reasons.
3. Data are given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.
Source:
DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.
6 May 2004 : Column 1787W
Toilet Soaps
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to amend the current Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations and Biocidal Products Regulations for toilet soaps. [167222]
Jane Kennedy: There are no such plans. The legislation applying to toilet soaps is clear: where they are already regulated under the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations they are excluded from the scope of the Biocidal Products Regulations.
Winter Fuel Allowance
Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Wigan have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997. [169313]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of senior citizens in the Wigan constituency who benefited from a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
| Payments made | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 14,650 |
| 2000–2001 | 16,665 |
| 2001–2002 | 16,780 |
| 2002–2003 | 16,820 |
| 2003–2004 | 16,990 |
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by Qualifying Week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.
Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Preston have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997. [169726]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of senior citizens in the Preston constituency who have benefited from the winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
| Payments made | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 15,375 |
| 2000–01 | 16,830 |
| 2001–02 | 16,735 |
| 2002–03 | 16,570 |
| 2003–04 | 16,425 |
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by Qualifying Week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.
6 May 2004 : Column 1788W
HEALTH
Drug Addicts
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of addicts in the UK using (a) class A drugs and (b) heroin in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [168723]
Miss Melanie Johnson: It is estimated that there are 250,000 Class A problem drug users in England and Wales (Home Office Research Study 2002). Problem drug users are defined as people who use illegal drugs and experience social, psychological, physical or legal problems.
The Government is committed to tackling substance misuse and launched the updated drugs strategy in 2002. The Government is on track to meet the target in this strategy to double the number of people in treatment from 100,000 in 1998 to 200,000 by 2008 and to increase year on year the numbers retained in, or successfully completing treatment.
Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people from Liverpool, Walton are receiving drug treatment. [166985]
Miss Melanie Johnson: There were 2,191 people receiving drug treatment in Liverpool in 2000–01. This is the latest available data. Data broken down by drug action team for 2001–02 and 2002–03 have not yet been finalised and published.
Accident and Emergency Departments
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were seen at Warrington hospital accident and emergency in each of the last five years. [168689]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Number | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust | 84,465 |
| 2001–02 | North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust | 84,171 |
| 2000–01 | Warrington Hospital NHS Trust | 55,978 |
| 1999–2000 | Warrington Hospital NHS Trust | 57,786 |
| 1998–99 | Warrington Hospital NHS Trust | 56,796 |
Source:
Department of Health.
6 May 2004 : Column 1789W
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is of the new accident and emergency unit at Warrington hospital; and what facilities it will provide. [168690]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The new accident and emergency unit at Warrington hospital will cost a total of £6 million. It will include major and minor injury areas, four bed resuscitation area, a chest pain area, a seven bed coronary care unit, a paediatric area and x-ray facilities. The unit will provide a dedicated paediatric unit for the first time for residents of North Cheshire and comprehensive coronary care.
Source:
North Cheshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust
Alcohol
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to place health warning labels on alcoholic products; and if he will make a statement. [169938]
Miss Melanie Johnson: The Government's alcohol harm reduction strategy for England, published in March 2004, recommends that the Department of Health and the Home Office consult the alcohol industry on the introduction of a voluntary social responsibility scheme. As part of this scheme, the strategy urges that the drinks industry should be encouraged to display information on sensible drinking and on the unit content of drinks.
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