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Jobcentre Plus

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps he is taking to increase awareness of the Jobcentre Plus Customers Charter among (a) customers and (b) staff; and if he will make a statement; [193260]

(2) what steps he will take to (a) improve the quality and volume of information on benefit entitlements available to customers in relation to Jobcentre Plus, (b) provide an improved telephone service and (c) improve staff attitudes; and if he will make a statement; [193263]
 
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(3) if he will make a statement on the Jobcentre Plus National Customer Satisfaction Survey 2004. [193281]

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 Mr. David Anderson to Mr Paul Holmes, dated 1 November 2004:

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Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on training provisions for Jobcentre Plus staff. [193279]

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 Mr. David Anderson to Mr. Paul Holmes, 1 November 2004:

Jobseeker's Allowance

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incorrect payments of jobseeker's allowance were made in each month of the last three years, broken down by (a) age, (b) ethnicity and (c) gender; and if he will make a statement. [193261]

Mr. Pond: Incorrect payments include both overpayments and underpayments which occur as a result of fraud, customer error and official error. Jobseeker's allowance is paid fortnightly and the following figures therefore refer to fortnightly payments.
 
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In 2001–02, we estimate that 3.4 million incorrect JSA payments were made to claimants. The equivalent figure for 2002–03 was 3.2 million. Figures for 2003–04 are not yet available.

No breakdown is available by month, age, ethnicity or gender.

Pension Credit

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will disregard war disablement pension payments when calculating pension credit; and if he will make a statement. [194668]

Malcolm Wicks: War pensions act as an income replacement. Totally ignoring them would mean that income from a war pension would be paid in addition to the guarantee and any savings credit. Consequently, people with a war pension would be treated much more generously under pension credit than other pensioners.

We already recognise the special nature of war pensions and disregard the first £10 of a war pension. Also war pensions are treated as qualifying income for the savings credit so are rewardable under pension
 
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credit. We believe that war pensioners should receive this generous treatment in view of service they have given.


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