---

11 Oct 2004 : Column 51W—continued

Winter Fuel Payments

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to change the way in which the winter fuel payments scheme is publicised to men aged between 60 and 64 years; and if he will make a statement. [189992]

Malcolm Wicks: There are currently no plans to change the way in which winter fuel payments are publicised to men aged 60–64.

We regularly carry out research to gauge awareness and knowledge of winter fuel payments, including awareness of the scheme among those aged 60–64, as part of the routine evaluation of the publicity campaign to inform people about winter fuel payment for each winter. Lessons learned from this evaluation are taken forward to refine future publicity activity.

Women's Pension Provision

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of women's pension provision; and if he will make a statement. [189690]

Malcolm Wicks: The Government recognise that the majority of pensioners are women and are committed to ensuring that pension reforms improve the position of women in retirement.

There are around 6.5 million women in Great Britain in receipt of a UK basic state pension—almost two-thirds of all recipients. Around half of these receive the full-rate basic state pension, compared to around 90 per cent. of men. The average amount of state retirement pension for women in Great Britain is £71.81, compared to £100.27 for men. ¹

Including income from private sources, the average gross weekly income for single female pensioners in 2002–03 was £197, compared to £221 for single male pensioners. Benefit income (including the state retirement pension, income-related benefits and disability related-benefits) made up almost two thirds of the gross incomes of single female pensioners in 2002–03, compared to a little over half of the gross incomes of single male pensioners. ²

We have already introduced a range of policies that directly benefit women in four key areas:

helping women into employment through new deal, tax credits and a commitment to additional resources for child care so they can save and plan for their future;

helping lower paid women to save for their pensions through the state second pension and stakeholder pensions;

helping existing pensioners through pension credit, improvements to the basic state pension and pensions sharing on divorce;

we are committed to improving pension information for everyone to ensure that they are aware of their pension position and their choices.

We will help those in short stay jobs build up pension rights by enabling people to take a cash equivalent transfer value of their pension rights to another scheme. This is particularly important for women who have more varied employment patterns.
 
11 Oct 2004 : Column 52W
 

Around 20 million people will gain from the state second pension, including 2.5 million carers—almost all of whom are women—and 5 million low earners—around 70 per cent. of whom are women.

As my hon. Friend may know, we have announced our intention to produce a report on the subject of women and pensions by the end of the 2005 calendar year. This will provide detailed analysis of pension provision for women. The DWP has commissioned a large-scale qualitative survey that will investigate the factors that affect women's individual savings decisions within the household, and the results will be published and made publicly available.

¹ Source:

September 2003 administrative data.

Notes:

State Retirement Pension includes the basic state pension as well as the earnings-related component from SERPS or its predecessor (Graduated Retirement Benefit). There are also other components, for example increases for dependent spouses and children.

² Source:

Pensioners' Incomes Series 2002–03.

PRIME MINISTER

Butler Report

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Prime Minister when he will fulfil the undertaking he gave in the House on 20 July 2004, Official Report, column 204, to write to the hon. Member for New Forest, East stating (a) the reason for the lack of substantive mention of GCHQ in the Butler Report, (b) whether signals intelligence relevant to the Iraq crisis was received and (c) why such intelligence was not included in the report. [189719]

The Prime Minister: I have written to the hon. Gentleman. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mr. Marshall-Andrews: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for East Carmarthen and Dinefwr (Adam Price) of 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 285W, on Iraq, on what date and at which stage during the Butler Report he was informed of the withdrawal of the Iraq Intelligence Reports to which paragraph 405 of Lord Butler's Report refers. [190426]

The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add to my answer to the hon. Member for East Carmarthen and Dinefwr (Adam Price) on 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 285W.

Civil Service (Job Losses)

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister which services within his Office will be (a) affected by and (b) subject to job losses consequent on the cuts in the civil service announced in the Spending Review. [189648]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Boateng) on 16 September 2004, Official Report, column 1659W.
 
11 Oct 2004 : Column 53W
 

Departmental Recycling

Bob Spink: To ask the Prime Minister what the latest available 12 month figures are for the proportion of his Office's redundant documentation, waste paper and card that is recycled; and if he will make a statement on his Office's recycling policy. [188702]

The Prime Minister: My office is serviced as part of the wider Cabinet Office estate. I have therefore asked my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office to reply and a copy of her letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Food Miles

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral answer of 15 September 2004, Official Report, column 1266, to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight, if he will make a further statement on the Government's (a) policy on and (b) progress with reducing food miles. [189691]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to my letter of 23 September 2004. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Government Departments

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason the work of his Department has been divided between the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office and a separate Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. [189673]

The Prime Minister: Similar structures have existed previously in the Cabinet Office. I believe they best meet the needs of this Government.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Prime Minister (1) when he was informed that British officers Colonel Terrington and Colonel Campbell-James had been embedded within the military intelligence division of the US Combined Joint Task Force 7; [189878]

(2) what information he has been given about the work of the British Colonels Terrington and Campbell-James within the intelligence division of US Combined Joint Task Force 7. [189882]

The Prime Minister: There are a number of United Kingdom military officers embedded within the United States military in Iraq. I would not expect to receive information on particular individuals or their deployment.

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will instruct the Attorney-General to evaluate the statement made by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 15 September that the invasion of Iraq was illegal and contrary to the Charter of the United Nations. [190140]

The Prime Minister: The Attorney-General has made his view clear on this matter. I refer my hon. Friend to the Solicitor-General's answer of 17 March 2003, Official Report, columns 515–516W, which set out the Attorney-General's view of the legal basis for the use of force against Iraq. I also refer my hon. Friend to the press notice issued by the Attorney-General's office on 14 July 2004.
 
11 Oct 2004 : Column 54W
 

---