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18 Oct 2004 : Column 475W—continued

Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 March 2004, Official Report, column 741W, on employers' liability compulsory insurance, what progress the Health and Safety Executive has made with the final validation of a Health and Safety Management Index for (a) large and (b) small businesses. [191776]

Jane Kennedy: Validation of the health and safety performance index for large organisations is due to be completed in November 2004. The Health and Safety Commission and Executive (HSC/E) will consider the findings and, subject to their approval, arrangements will be put in place for publication of the index early in 2005.

Validation of the index for small businesses has been completed. It is currently being converted to an electronic format. The index, which has been developed in association with DWP, the DTI and insurance and small business stakeholders, once approved by HSC/E will be made available through DTI's Business Link website, in November of this year.

Information and Communication Specialists

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many information and communication technology specialists are in full-time employment in the Department. [189598]

Jane Kennedy: The Department employed 412 full-time permanent information and communications technology specialists as at 30 September 2004. In addition, as at 30 September 2004, the Department employed 1,390 full-time permanent staff who support and enable the work of the IS/IT specialists utilising a wide range of related skills that are necessary to deliver effective information systems.

New Deal

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Taunton have found long-term employment of more than six months through the New Deal. [191153]


 
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Jane Kennedy: Information is not available on employment lasting longer than six months through the New Deal.

A New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25-plus job is defined as sustained if no new claim for jobseeker's allowance is made within 13 weeks of starting work. A measure of sustainability is not available for New Deal for Lone Parents and New Deal 50-plus. The available information is in the table.
New Deal in Taunton

ProgrammeIndividuals
into jobs
Of which sustained jobs
New Deal for Young People(6)590490
New Deal 25-plus(7)270200
New Deal for Lone Parents(8)390
New Deal 50-plus(9)180


(6) Data is from the national launch in January 1998 to the end of June 2004.
(7) Data is from the national launch in April 1998 to the end of June 2004.
(8) Data is from the national launch in October 1998 to the end of June 2004.
(9) Data is from the national launch in April 2000 to the end of March 2003 and represents the number of people taking up the New Deal 50-plus Employment Credit.
Note:
1. Information is not available at constituency level for New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners.
2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate


Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many 18 to 24-year-olds have (a) enrolled on and (b) found work through the New Deal in (i) Yorkshire and the Humber and (ii) City of York since 1997. [191341]

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

Yorkshire and the HumberCity of York
Number of individuals starting
the programme
96,4701,730
Number of individuals into jobs58,800800



Notes:
1. Data is from the national launch of New Deal for Young People in January 1998 to the end of June 2004.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate


Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Yorkshire and the Humber and (b) City of York have found work through the New Deal for (i) lone parents, (ii) disabled people and (iii) people aged over 24 years. [191342]

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the tables.
New Deal in Yorkshire and Humber

Number of individuals into jobs
New Deal for Lone Parents(10)29,870
New Deal for Disabled People(11)2,110
New Deal 25-plus(12)21,200







 
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New Deal in the City of York

Number of individuals into jobs
New Deal for Lone Parents(10)540
New Deal for Disabled People(13)
New Deal 25-plus(12)360


(10) Data is from national launch in October 1998 to the end of June 2004.
(11) Data is from national launch in July 2001 to the end of June 2004.
(12) Data is from national launch in April 1998 to the end of June 2004.
(13) Information is not available for New Deal for Disabled People at constituency level.
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate


Nuclear Installations Inspectorate

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the impact of the work to rule of health and safety inspector members of the Prospect trade union on the efficiency of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. [190978]

Jane Kennedy: The work to rule by health and safety inspectors has had no effect on the efficiency of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII). Although the work to rule continues to cause some internal management difficulties and has reduced the level of some activities, I am assured by the Health and Safety Executive that there has been no impact on health and safety standards. Senior managers in the NII are re-prioritising work to ensure inspectors focus on significant safety issues with less urgent work being postponed. I understand that this prioritisation is working very effectively, but I have asked the Chief Inspector to keep me informed if he believes NII's ability to provide the nuclear safety assurance we all require is being put at risk.

Over 75s

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals over state pension age are aged over 75. [190643]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 14 October 2004]: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 18 October 2004:

Pension Credit

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of automatic eligibility for pension credit to those
 
18 Oct 2004 : Column 478W
 
pensioners aged (a) over 85, (b) 80 to 85, (c) 75 to 79 and (d) 70 to 75; and how many (i) male and (ii) female headed households in each age group would benefit from such a policy. [192147]

Mr. Pond: Assuming that a way could be found to assess entitlement to pension credit automatically on the basis of current rules, the cost for all eligible pensioners over 70 would be around £650 million a year. Such information as is available on age and gender breakdown is in the table.
Age bandCost
(£ million)
Male headed householdsFemale headed households
70–75100150,00050,000
75–79200150,000100,000
80+350200,000250,000



Notes:
1. Figures are based on the estimated number of eligible pensioners in 2004–05.
2. Expenditure rounded to nearest £50 million and numbers of households rounded to nearest 50,000.
3. Estimates of the entitled population are subject to large margins of error, particularly when broken down by age, so estimates should be seen only as broad indications of the likely costs.



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