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Eritrea

Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Eritrea on promoting a dialogue with Ethiopia on the distribution of land following the Boundary Commission's recommendations. [182377]

Mr. Mullin: I met Eritrean President Isaias in Asmara on 15 January and urged him to engage in a dialogue with Ethiopia on all of the issues separating the two countries. The EU presidency has reiterated this message, both directly and in writing, over the last six months.

Jonathan Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the account the Boundary Commission of Ethiopia and Eritrea took of the human geography of the region in drawing the final border. [182378]

Mr. Mullin: The Government are satisfied that the Boundary Commission fulfilled the mandate that it was given and that its decision is final and binding on both Ethiopia and Eritrea. There is, however, nothing to stop the parties from agreeing to amend the boundary to take account of realities on the ground, providing they both agree.

Hague Convention

Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the depositing by all EU states at the same time of their instruments of ratification of the 1996 Hague Convention on Jurisdiction Applicable Law Recognition Enforcement and Co-operation in respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children is not prevented by differences between the UK and Spain over Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement. [183668]

Mr. MacShane: The Government fully supports the ratification of the 1996 Hague Convention by all EU member states. That process is currently on hold because Spain has questioned the arrangements for communications under this convention with competent authorities in Gibraltar. The Government are eager to overcome this obstacle, but any way forward must respect the arrangements relating to Gibraltar authorities in the context of EU and EC instruments and related treaties which were agreed between the UK and Spain in April 2000.

PRIME MINISTER

Baronetcy

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy not to recommend to Her Majesty the Queen the creation of hereditary baronetcies. [183815]

The Prime Minister: No. However, no hereditary baronetcies have been recommended since 1991.
 
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Youth Parliament

Charles Hendry: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet representatives of the United Kingdom Youth Parliament. [183949]

The Prime Minister: I have no current plans to do so.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Attitude Surveys

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb), of 23 June 2004, Official Report, columns 1438–40W, on attitude surveys, if he will place in the Library a list of the questions on the Public Perception of Child Support and the Child Support Agency that were included in the Office for National Statistics Omnibus Survey in March. [182056]

Mr. Pond: A full list of the questions on Public Perceptions of Child Support and the Child Support Agency as included in the March 2004 Office for National Statistics Omnibus Survey will be published in the DWP report on the survey's findings. The report will be published in early Autumn 2004.

Child Support (Driving Licence Removal)

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the cost of enforcing the removal of driving licences from non-compliant non-resident parents under the provisions introduced by the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000. [182125]

Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. David Willetts, dated 13 July 2004:

In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.

You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his department has made of the cost of enforcing the removal of driving licences from non-compliant non-resident parents under the provisions introduced by the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000.

I am unable to disaggregate the costs for removing driving licences from people who fail to pay child support from the Agency's overall administration costs, as this information is not available. I can however say that in the year to 31 March 2004 the Agency deployed around 200 staff on its more complex enforcement work at a direct cost of approximately £3.6 million.

Filestore (Nelson)

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people working at the Department's filestore in Nelson have indicated a
 
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preference for redeployment within the civil service rather than transfer to Capita on 1 August; and if he will make a statement. [183519]

Jane Kennedy: Of the 97 staff currently employed at the site, there are 10 remaining who have indicated a preference for redeployment within the civil service rather than transfer to Capita on 1 August. Efforts are continuing to find suitable positions for those who wish to remain within the civil service, however Capita have indicated that they would expect to have long-term employment opportunities for all of those who transfer to them in August.

Income Support

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Government plans to remove the limit on hours for education and unwaged training in income support. [182097]

Mr. Pond: Full-time students (those studying for 16 hours or more) will normally access financial support through the education system and we have no plans to change this. In certain limited circumstances a student may be eligible for income support; for example if they are a lone parent or they are disabled.

Any customer who satisfies the qualifying conditions for income support and is classed as undertaking education or unwaged training would not be subject to a limit on the number of hours that they participate in such activities.

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Government plans to remove the distinction between education and unwaged training in the eligibility for income support. [182101]

Mr. Pond: People undertaking full time education will normally access financial support through the education system, which provides, for example, Student Loans and Access Funds in order to meet everyday living expenses.

Unwaged training is usually work focused and is available through a variety of service providers. The funding for these providers only covers provision for training and does not include financial support for the trainee, in which case income support is available for eligible people.

The distinction between this form of training and full time education for the purposes of income support reflects the access to alternative financial support that people in education have and we have no plans to change this.

Jobcentre Plus

Dr. Jack Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the progress of developing Jobcentre Plus in Cumbria. [182809]

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
 
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Letter from David Anderson to Dr. Jack Cunningham, dated 13 July 2004:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the progress of developing Jobcentre Plus in Cumbria. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

I am pleased to tell you that Cumbria District is part of the 2003/2004 Roll-Out Programme and by October 2004, Cumbria District will be operating a full range of Jobcentre Plus services.

Cumbria currently has a full range of face to face services established in Carlisle, Maryport, Workington, Penrith, Keswick, Cockermouth, Cleator Moor, Millom, Ulverston, Kendal and Barrow. The joint Private Finance Initiative with Copeland Borough Council is on target to provide Whitehaven with a new Jobcentre Plus office in October 2004.

The plan for Jobcentre Plus in Cumbria has included the closure of the former Jobcentre sites in Kendal and Windermere. However, a new Jobcentre Plus site was opened in Kendal on 19 April 2004. Customers from Windermere still have access to Jobcentre Plus services by the provision of a Jobpoint and Customer Access Phones based within Ambleside Library.

I have asked the acting District Manager for Cumbria Jobcentre Plus to keep you informed of progress.

I hope this is helpful.

Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of (a) the initial start-up costs and (b) ongoing administration costs, broken down by (i) paybill and (ii) other at the Jobcentre Plus Dundee call centre. [183172]

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Boris Johnson, dated 13 July 2004:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the initial start up costs and ongoing administration costs at the Jobcentre Plus Dundee Contact Centre. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

In answer to your specific question, building work is still ongoing within the site and the current estimate of start-up costs are £2.327m. The ongoing full-year administration costs are estimated to be in the region of £2.818m for the pay bill and £0.745m for other costs.

I hope this is helpful.

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