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23 Jun 2004 : Column 1440W—continued
Income Thresholds
Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the income thresholds used in paragraph 7 of the reply by the Government to the Second Report of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Session 2003–04, Cm 6200 are (a) before housing costs (i) for the relative low income and (ii) for the absolute low income and (b) after housing costs (i) for the relative low income and (ii) for the absolute low income. [179516]
Mr. Pond: The figures in paragraph 7 of the reply by the Government to the Second Report of the Work and Pensions Select Committee refer to two different income thresholds. The absolute low income threshold used is 60 per cent. of the 1996–97 median equivalised household income. The relative low income threshold is 60 per cent. of contemporary median equivalised household income. The figures refer to changes between 1996–97 and 2002–03; the latest year for which figures are available.
Information relating to absolute and relative low income was derived from "Households Below Average Income—An analysis of the income distribution for 1994–95 to 2002–03". It is available in the Library.
New Deal (Benefit Sanctions)
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on the (a) new Deal for Young People and (b) the New Deal for 25 Plus have had their jobseeker's allowance reduced in each year for (a) two weeks, (b) four weeks and (c) 26 weeks. [177550]
Jane Kennedy: Information on the duration of benefit sanctions imposed on people participating in New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus is not available.
The Social Security Advisory Committee identified in late 2003 that work needed to be undertaken to review and evaluate the Sanctions Regime and DWP is nearing completion on a new Sanctions Database which will be
23 Jun 2004 : Column 1441W
operational following testing and evaluation. This will provide detailed sanction MI on a regular basis and information will be published in the Library.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people on the (a) new Deal for Young People and (b) the New Deal for 25 Plus have had sanctions on their jobseeker's allowance in each year since 1998–99. [177551]
Jane Kennedy: Information about the number of sanctions applied to participants in New Deal 25 plus is not available. The Social Security Advisory Committee identified in late 2003 that work needed to be undertaken to review and evaluate the Sanctions Regime and DWP is nearing completion on a new Sanctions Database which will be operational following testing and evaluation. This will provide detailed sanction MI on a regular basis and information will be published in the Library.
Information on the number of sanctions applied to participants in New Deal for Young People is in the following table.
| Number of sanctions imposed 1 | |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 8,030 |
| 1999–2000 | 18,764 |
| 2000–01 | 17,507 |
| 2001–02 | 12,972 |
| 2002–03 | 13,416 |
| 2003–04 | 12,816 |
(15) Some people may have been sanctioned more than once during a year.
Source:
Labour Market Statistics-Analysis of Sector Decisions.
Full information on sanction decisions relating to jobseeker's allowance and New Deal for Young People can be found in the report "Labour Market Statistics—Analysis of Sector Decisions". Copies of quarterly and annual reports are available in the Library.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people participated in each New Deal scheme; and how many of these received a benefit sanction each year, broken down by (a) New Deal programme and (b) type of sanction. [177555]
Jane Kennedy: Information on the number of people who have participated in each New Deal scheme is in the following table.
| Number of New Deal Participants(16) | |
|---|---|
| New Deal for Young People(17) | 831,350 |
| New Deal 25 plus(18) | 496,790 |
| New Deal for Lone Parents(19) | 459,070 |
| New Deal for Disabled People(20) | 69,460 |
| New Deal for Partners(21) | 7,480 |
| New Deal 50 plus(22) | 98,040 |
(16) All figures relate to individuals who have started each programme.
(17) January 1998 to December 2003.
(18) April 1998 to December 2003.
(19) October 1998 to December 2003.
(20) Pilots launched in September 1998. National network of NDDP job brokers launched from July 2001. Up to December 2003.
(21) Launched as New Deal for Partners of Unemployed People in April 1999. Extended to partners of other benefit recipients in April 2001. Up to December 2003.
(22) New Deal 50 plus was introduced in nine pathfinder areas on 25 October 1999 and rolled out nationally on 3 April 2000. Up to March 2003.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database, Information and Analysis Directorate, DWP.
23 Jun 2004 : Column 1442W
Within the New Deal programme, benefit sanctions are only applied within the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus. Information is not available for sanctions applied to participants in New Deal 25 plus.
The Social Security Advisory Committee identified in late 2003 that work needed to be undertaken to review and evaluate the Sanctions Regime and DWP is nearing completion on a new Sanctions Database which will be operational following testing and evaluation. This will provide detailed sanction Ml on a regular basis and information will be published in the Library.
Information on the numbers of sanctions applied to New Deal for Young People participants broken down by reason for sanction, up to March 1999, is published in the "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions". Information from April 1999 onwards is published in "Analysis of Sector Decision Making". Copies of quarterly and annual reports are available in the Library.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress officials in his Department have made in providing more detailed and robust information on the sanction regime of the New Deal for Young People in the last year; if he will place the results of that progress in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [177556]
Jane Kennedy: More detailed and robust information on the sanction regime of the New Deal for Young People will be available as part of a new Sanctions Evaluation Database.
The Social Security Advisory Committee identified in late 2003 that work needed to be undertaken to review and evaluate the Sanctions Regime and DWP is nearing completion on the new Sanctions Database which will be operational following testing and evaluation. This will provide detailed sanction MI on a regular basis and information will be published in the Library.
It is anticipated that the new Sanctions Database will be operational in summer 2004.
Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints have been made by civil servants to his Department's Permanent Secretary regarding the conduct of (a) special advisers and (b) unpaid advisers in each year since 1996–97. [174652]
Mr. Pond: The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001. Information prior to June 2001 refers to predecessor Departments. So far as can be established without incurring disproportionate cost, there has been one complaint by a civil servant about a special adviser since 1996–97.
The Department has no unpaid advisers.
23 Jun 2004 : Column 1443W
Sure Start
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications have been (a) received and (b) approved for Sure Start maternity grant (i) in total and (ii) at the Twickenham Job Centre Plus office; and what estimate he has made of the numbers who are entitled to this benefit. [176772]
Mr. Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the tables.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Applications | 2,351 |
| Awards | 1,934 |
| Applications | Awards | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 1,170 | 934 |
| 2002–03 | 1,412 | 1,092 |
| 2003–04 (To November) | 893 | 664 |
| Applications | Awards | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 (From December) | 1,557 | 1,205 |
| 2004–05 (April only) | 354 | 264 |
| Applications | Awards | |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 223 | 33 |
| 2000–01 | 200,941 | 170,293 |
| 2001–02 | 242,406 | 201,376 |
| 2002–03 | 289,132 | 232,414 |
| 2003–04 | 316,814 | 237,776 |
| 2004–05 (April only) | 24,633 | 17,834 |
Notes:
1. In March 2000 Twickenham office was part of Thames Valley social fund district. In April 2001 it was moved to the newly created Hounslow and Twickenham social fund district. In December 2003 it was moved again, to become part of South London Jobcentre Plus district.
2. Sure Start maternity grants were introduced on 27 March 2000. The very small number of Thames Valley cases for 1999–2000 have been excluded for data protection reasons.
3. We have made no estimate of the number of people eligible for the Sure Start maternity grant.
4. Information regarding the number of people eligible for the Sure Start maternity grant is not available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Source:
DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.
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