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20 Jul 2004 : Column 159W—continued

Civil Servants (Staffing Plans)

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide a breakdown of the estimated civil service staff (a) reductions and (b) relocations within his Department and its business units in each of the next four years, as set out in the Spending Review. [185060]

Maria Eagle: Following the Spending Review announcement, detailed business and staffing plans continue to be developed across all parts of the Department in order to manage the reduction of 30,000 posts by March 2008, and the planned relocation of work from London and the south east. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a written statement to the House on 29 June outlining the first phase of this transformation. We will inform the House as further planning decisions are made.

Unemployment Statistics (Over-50s)

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of people between the age of 50 and state pension age who are not working are claiming benefit, broken down by gender;
 
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how many of these rely on benefits to make up more than half of their income, broken down by gender; how much is being spent on benefits for this group; and if he will make a statement. [172532]

Mr. Pond: The estimated expenditure on incapacity related benefits, Jobseekers Allowance, other income-related benefits and disability or carer benefits for claimants aged 50 to state pension age is estimated to be £11.6 billion in 2003–04. Total expenditure on all claimants aged 50 to state pension age in 2003–04 is estimated to be £12.5 billion.

In 2001–02, the latest year for which information is available, benefits made up over half of individual income for 82 per cent. of men and 89 per cent. of women, overall 84 per cent. of people, aged 50 to state pension age receiving any benefit other than those with just Child Benefit or Winter Fuel Payment 1 and not working.

The available information on the number of people aged 50 to state pension age claiming benefits, and the number in this age group who are not in work is in the table.


People aged 50 to State pension age claiming key benefits and estimated numbers not in work

MenWomenAll
People claiming key benefits other than Disability Living Allowance November 2003(6)1,015,600545,5001,561,100
As above but excluding cases identified as in work or Income Support cases in residential care1,002,100533,8001,535,900
Estimated number of individuals in private households not in work autumn/winter 20031,410,0001,231,0002,641,000


(6) Figures include people claiming Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance.
Source:
Number of people claiming benefits—5 per cent. sample of administrative data. Estimated numbers not in work—Labour Force Survey.




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 Committee of Session 2003–04, Cm 6200 are in weekly cash amounts of income (a) before housing costs, (i) for the relative low income and (ii) for the absolute low income and (b) after housing costs (A) for the relative low income and (B) for the absolute low income. [183821]

Mr. Pond: The information is in the tables.
Weekly cash values for the relative low income threshold by illustrative household type at 2002–03 prices

Household typeBefore housing costsAfter housing costs
Couple with no children (equivalised income
benchmark)
194172
Couple with two children aged 5 and 11283253
Single with two children aged 5 and 11207175
Couple with one child aged 5235208
Single with one child aged 5159131

Weekly cash values for the absolute low income threshold by illustrative household type at 2002–03 prices

Household typeBefore housing costsAfter housing costs
Couple with no children (equivalised income
benchmark)
166140
Couple with two children aged 5 and 11242206
Single with two children aged 5 and 11178143
Couple with one child aged 5201170
Single with one child aged 5136107




Notes:
1. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS.
2. The threshold '60 per cent. of median' (equivalised weekly household income) is the most commonly used in reporting absolute and relative trends in low income.
3. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
4. Equivalised incomes use the McClements equalisation scale.
5. When reporting numbers of individuals in 'relative low income', we apply 60 per cent. of the median income for the year in question; therefore, this threshold changes from one year to the next.
6. When reporting numbers of individuals in 'absolute low income', we take a single level of real equivalised income, which is set at 60 per cent. of the 1996–97 median income, which is £166 before housing costs and £140 after housing costs, at 2002–03 prices. Equivalised income adjusts household income for household size and composition. The corresponding cash values for this absolute threshold, for different family types are shown in the table.
7. All figures are in pounds per week, in 2002–03 prices, rounded to the nearest pound, and are consistent with current National Statistics conventions.
8. The figures relating to absolute and relative low income were derived from "Households Below Average Income—An analysis of the income distribution for 1994–95—2002–03" (HBAI). Copies are available in the Library.
Source:
Family Resources Survey (FRS).




 
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New Deal

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people have joined the Young New Deal scheme in each year since its inception. [184308]

Jane Kennedy: The information is in the table.
New Deal for Young People

Number
1998212,930
1999192,290
2000174,770
2001162,700
2002164,230
2003171,900
200445,120
Total1,123,930




Notes:
1. All figures are for January to December except 2004 which is January to March.
2. All figures are starts rather than individuals and include people who may have started New Deal more than once.
3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
4. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate





 
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HEALTH

Agenda for Change

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2004, Official Report, column 606W, on Agenda for Change, which of the early implementer-sites are testing the new system for (a) community nurses and (b) allied health professionals; and if he will make a statement. [184205]

Mr. Hutton: Community nurses are employed in eight of the 12 early implementer sites. Allied health professions are employed in 10 sites.

A list of the sites who are currently testing the system for these staff groups is shown in the table.
Community nursesAllied health professions
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health PartnershipAintree Hospitals NHS Trust
Central Cheshire Primary Care TrustAvon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership
City Hospitals SunderlandCentral Cheshire Primary Care Trust
Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital National Health Service TrustCity Hospitals Sunderland
Herefordshire NHS Primary Care TrustGuy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust
James Paget Healthcare NHS TrustHerefordshire NHS Primary Care Trust
South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS TrustJames Paget Healthcare NHS Trust
West Kent and Social Care TrustPapworth Hospital NHS Trust
South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust
West Kent and Social Care Trust


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