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15 Nov 2004 : Column 1206W—continued
Offender Rehabilitation
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what strategy his Department uses to re-introduce offenders into the work force. [197467]
Jane Kennedy: We are committed to providing help and advice to those likely to encounter barriers to getting back into work, including ex-offenders.
We work closely with the Criminal Justice Agencies to ensure, where possible, rehabilitation within the sentence connects to our employment support.
Through Jobcentre Plus, we provide 'Employment and Benefit Surgeries' in prison for pre-release prisoners and, where possible, we also work closely with the National Probation Service in assisting those supervised in the community.
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Offenders released from prison without work who wish to claim Jobseeker's Allowance are offered appointments with their local Jobcentre as soon as possible after release. Ex-offenders can have early access to Jobcentre Plus help, including the New Deals. The help available covers a range of employability needs including: jobsearch and jobsearch techniques; basic skills and soft skills; through to some types of occupational and vocational skills. In addition, specialist progress2work provision helps those recovering from drugs mis-use, many of whom have an offending background, to get back to work.
We are also continually strengthening our existing employer links to encourage the employment of customers who have disclosed their criminal record. In doing so, we promote the wider gains to society in reducing re-offending.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to the questions from the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (a) references 194278 and 194277 tabled on 25 October and (b) reference 193907 tabled on 22 October. [196889]
Mr. Pond: Replies were given to my right hon. Friend on 4 November.
Pension Service
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Pension Service can refuse direct payment at certain post office branches when a pensioner has designated that branch as their preferred account; and if he will make a statement. [197443]
Mr. Pond: The Pensions Service cannot refuse pensioners direct payment at certain post office branches.
If a customer chooses to have their benefit or pension paid direct into a post office card account they do not need to designate a branch, as payments through card accounts can be accessed at any post office branch during opening hours.
The Post Office also has arrangements with a wide variety of banks and building societies and depending on the account held, customers are able to withdraw money across the counter without being charged at any post office branch.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether primary biliary cirrhosis is a condition for which disability living allowance can be awarded. [197971]
Maria Eagle:
Entitlement to disability living allowance is not linked to particular disabling conditions, but on the extent to which a severely disabled person has personal care needs and/or walking difficulties as a result of their disability. People with primary biliary cirrhosis can qualify for the allowance if they satisfy the rules which govern entitlement.
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Regulatory Impact Assessments
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the aggregate annual cost to (a) business and (b) others obtained by adding up costs recorded in regulatory impact assessments is of the regulations introduced by his Department since 1997; [196564]
(2) what his latest estimate is of the cost in a year of compliance with regulations imposed by his Department. [196565]
Malcolm Wicks: All proposals which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector require a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposals. RIAs are subject to public consultation. Copies of final RIAs are available in the Library and on the Department's website.
Somalian Nationals
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what publicly-funded English language courses aimed at providing the language skills needed to gain employment in the UK are available to Somalian nationals. [195304]
Jane Kennedy: As part of our commitment to improving the employment rate of ethnic minority people, we offer up to 26 weeks of full time work-focused support through ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). This support is available to eligible customers including Somali nationals, through the New Deal and Work Based Learning for Adults programmes. It aims to help participants move as far as possible towards Level 1 of the new national Skills for Life standards.
In addition, those who have difficulty with the English language, including Somali nationals, can access ESOL college provision funded through the Learning and Skills Council—as long as it does not conflict with the terms of their Jobseeker's Agreement.
People with basic skills needs—English for Speakers of Other Languages—have early entry to training and employment programmes.
Responsibility for government funded training in Wales and Scotland is devolved to the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament respectively and in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Office.
Winter Fuel Allowance
Mr. Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Manchester, Withington have benefited from the winter fuel allowance in each year since its introduction. [197876]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of pensioners in the Manchester Withington constituency who have benefited from a Winter Fuel Payment in each year since 1999–2000 is in the table.
Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
15 Nov 2004 : Column 1209W
| payments made | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 12,220 |
| 2000–01 | 12,860 |
| 2001–02 | 12,705 |
| 2002–03 | 12,465 |
| 2003–04 | 12,340 |
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.
Mr. Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people of pensionable age have received the winter fuel allowance in the Easington constituency since its introduction. [198129]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of people in the Easington constituency who have received a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
| Payments made | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 14,785 |
| 2000–01 | 16,625 |
| 2001–02 | 16,710 |
| 2002–03 | 16,805 |
| 2003–04 | 16,785 |
Note:
Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.
Mr. Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received the winter fuel allowance in the Wansbeck constituency in the last year for which figures are available. [198693]
Malcolm Wicks: The number of people in the Wansbeck constituency who received a winter fuel payment in winter 2003–04 was 18,210.
Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people in Scotland who need to make a claim to receive the 2004–05 winter fuel payment; and how many claims were received on or before 24 September. [197343]
Malcolm Wicks: We estimate around 60,000 people in Scotland will turn 60 and become newly entitled to receive a winter fuel payment for 2004–05. In 2003–04 around 35,000 people in Scotland aged 60 received an automatic payment. We would expect the number to be similar in 2004–05. Those people who are not in receipt of certain benefits and therefore do not receive an automatic payment, will need to claim.
On 24 September, 37,705 completed claim forms for a winter fuel payment had been received from people in Scotland. Some of these were probably from people who would have been paid a winter fuel payment automatically.
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The Government have publicised the availability of winter fuel payments and how to obtain a claim form. It is up to an individual, where a claim is necessary, to decide whether or not to make that claim. They have until 30 March 2005 to make a claim for this winter.
Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will extend eligibility for winter fuel payments to non-pensioner households who qualify for social fund cold weather payments; what estimate he has made of the likely cost of this policy; and if he will make a statement. [197538]
Malcolm Wicks: We have no plans to extend winter fuel payments to non-pensioner households which qualify for a cold weather payment. Winter fuel payments are made to pensioners because they are more vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months than other groups.
We estimate that the cost of extending winter fuel payments to non-pensioner households that qualify for the social fund cold weather payments would be £300 million in 2004–05.
Actual receipt of a cold weather payment depends on local temperatures as well as meeting qualification conditions. Here it is assumed that all eligible cases would receive a payment of £200.
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