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Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in Havering in each year since 2000. [184249]
Mr. Pond: The information is in the table.
Number of people claiming | |
---|---|
May 2000 | 2,934 |
May 2001 | 2,241 |
May 2002 | 2,346 |
May 2003 | 2,593 |
May 2004 | 2,444 |
Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases against his Department, the agencies for which it is responsible and its predecessor organisations have been brought to employment tribunals in each year since 1997 in relation to (a) equal pay, (b) sex discrimination, (c) race discrimination, (d) disability discrimination and (e) unfair dismissal; how many cost awards were made against (i) respondents and (ii) applicants; and how much has been spent (A) settling and (B) contesting claims. [181469]
Maria Eagle: The available information is in the tables.
1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of cases | ||||||||
Equal pay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Sex discrimination | 6 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
Race discrimination | 5 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Disability discrimination | 9 | 14 | 14 | 27 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 7 |
Unfair dismissal | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 8 |
Number of cost awards | ||||||||
Against respondent | | | | | 2 | 4 | 11 | 14 |
Against applicant | | | | | | | | |
Costs | ||||||||
Settling | | | | | 121,500.00 | 43,580.00 | 94,291.00 | 96,277.95 |
Contesting | 114,728.26 | 219,312.39 | 190,883.69 | 284,339.38 | 460,693.75 | 290,394.51 | 334,085.94 | 131,064.09 |
200001 | 200102 | 200203 | 200304 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Number of cases | ||||
Disability discrimination | | | | 42 |
Race discrimination | | | | 26 |
Sex discrimination | | | | 32 |
Unfair dismissal | | | | 63 |
Other | | | | 33 |
Total number of cases | 109 | 81 | 104 | 196 |
Counsel fees | 162,315 | 104,493 | 267,303 | 247,603 |
Two sets of figures are provided above due to the merger in 2002 of the Employment Service with the Benefits Agency to form Jobcentre Plus, a business unit of the Department for Work and Pensions. Prior to the merger, legal services on employment law matters were provided to the Employment Service by a private firm of solicitorswho remain the legal service provider for Jobcentre Plus. These figures are provided in Table A.
Table B represents the employment law statistics for cases conducted by departmental solicitors, who dealt with all employment litigation cases on behalf of the former BA, CSA, Pensions Service and DCS and other DWP agencies. Where the table is incomplete, information is not readily available and it would involve disproportionate cost to the Department to collate these figures. In particular, information on the costs of settling cases was not collected by the Department, nor was information collated, prior to 2003, on the specific types of case against the Department.
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the value in cash terms was of reducing each benefit affected by the hospital downrating rules in each of the last seven years. [184672]
Mr. Pond: The information requested is not available.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the running costs, including staffing costs, of Jobcentre Plus centres were in each year since 1997; and how many people were employed in centres in each year. [182164]
Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Simmonds, dated 20 July 2004:
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply direct to your question concerning the running costs and staff costs of Jobcentre Plus centres each year since 1997, and how many people were employed in centres in each year. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The information you have asked for can be found in the table below.
It may be helpful if I explain that Jobcentre Plus came into existence in April 2002, bringing together staff from the Employment Service and part of the Benefits Agency. It deals with both claims to, and payments of, all working age benefits as well as job-finding activities. Data on staff is collected by grade rather than job role and it is not possible to identify accurately the number of staff working in front facing customer service centres from this information. The financial figures shown are only available since the introduction of Jobcentre Plus.
As these figures show, there has been a reduction in staff numbers from 2003 to 2004 and, as would be expected, the staff costs for 2004 have also decreased. However, the gross administration costs for the agency have increased. This is due to higher costs falling under the heading "Other Administration Costs". There are a number of different categories of expenditure that come under this section of the accounts, although the majority are not directly related to the number of staff employed. The main variances relate to the following:
£ million | |
---|---|
Areas of expenditure impacted by Jobcentre Plus Implementation Project | +71 |
Increased accommodation costs | +22 |
Increased use of corporate IT services | +22 |
Reduced income from other agencies as less project/ non-project work carried out on their behalf | +59 |
Expenditure relating to a contract for provision of IT services has been absorbed by DWP | -40 |
Total | +134 |
I hope this is helpful.
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 16 June 2004, Official Report, column 1018W, on attendance allowance, how many attendance allowance claims in Scotland have been subject to appeal since February 2002, broken down by (a) disability benefit centre and (b) month. [183264]
Maria Eagle:
The information required is set out in the following tables. Total numbers of attendance allowance cases in payment in Scotland, at February 2004 and February 2004 are included in a subsequent table.
20 Jul 2004 : Column 153W
Month | Lodged 1 | Received 2 | Cleared at hearing | Cleared in favour | Cleared against | Cleared upheld | Cleared others | Adjourned | Postponed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | |||||||||
February | 130 | 135 | 105 | 50 | | 45 | 5 | 35 | 20 |
March | 100 | 100 | 130 | 60 | | 65 | 5 | 35 | 20 |
April | 120 | 85 | 125 | 75 | | 50 | | 20 | 15 |
May | 120 | 90 | 120 | 70 | | 45 | 5 | 30 | 25 |
June | 110 | 95 | 80 | 45 | | 35 | 5 | 25 | 15 |
July | 115 | 100 | 85 | 45 | | 35 | | 20 | 20 |
August | 110 | 110 | 90 | 55 | | 30 | 5 | 25 | 25 |
September | 85 | 125 | 85 | 50 | | 30 | 5 | 20 | 30 |
October | 110 | 140 | 75 | 45 | | 30 | | 30 | 20 |
November | 130 | 85 | 85 | 50 | | 35 | | 25 | 15 |
December | 80 | 115 | 70 | 40 | | 30 | | 20 | 10 |
2003 | |||||||||
January | 120 | 95 | 140 | 75 | | 60 | 5 | 35 | 25 |
February | 95 | 95 | 95 | 50 | | 45 | 5 | 20 | 15 |
March | 95 | 90 | 75 | 40 | | 35 | | 20 | 10 |
April | 80 | 65 | 90 | 45 | | 40 | 5 | 30 | 10 |
May | 100 | 120 | 80 | 35 | | 40 | 5 | 20 | 10 |
June | 100 | 100 | 100 | 40 | | 55 | 5 | 30 | 10 |
July | 100 | 95 | 95 | 45 | | 50 | | 20 | 15 |
August | 115 | 80 | 70 | 35 | | 30 | | 25 | 10 |
September | 80 | 115 | 85 | 45 | | 40 | 5 | 25 | 15 |
October | 125 | 120 | 90 | 50 | | 35 | 5 | 25 | 10 |
November | 115 | 85 | 80 | 35 | | 40 | 5 | 15 | 10 |
December | 80 | 75 | 55 | 20 | | 30 | 5 | 20 | 5 |
2004 | |||||||||
January | 85 | 115 | 80 | 40 | | 35 | 5 | 25 | 5 |
February | 80 | 115 | 75 | 35 | | 40 | | 25 | 5 |
March | 115 | 125 | 95 | 50 | | 45 | 5 | 25 | 10 |
April | 45 | 110 | 65 | 25 | | 40 | | 25 | 5 |
May | | 55 | 65 | 20 | 5 | 40 | | 35 | 5 |
Total | 2,740 | 2,830 | 2,490 | 1,265 | 5 | 1,135 | 90 | 710 | 390 |
Attendance allowance in payment | |
---|---|
February 2002 | 129,200 |
February 2004 | 134,600 |
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