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7 Feb 2005 : Column 1348W—continued

Departmental Expenditure

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of unallocated departmental spending in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07, and (c) 2007–08; and if he will make a statement. [213262]

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 2 February 2005, Official Report, column 910W.

Freedom of Information

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what categories of information are available under Freedom of Information legislation that have not been provided in written parliamentary answers by his Department in the last three years. [207820]


 
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1349W
 

Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Constitutional Affairs on 24 January 2005, Official Report, column 140W.

Health and Safety

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Health and Safety Commission and Executive spent on inspecting local authorities in the most recent year for which figures are available. [211942]

Jane Kennedy: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is the body through which the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) delivers its enforcement responsibilities. For 2003–04, which is the most recent year for which figures are available, HSE spent 1 £0.9 million on inspecting local authorities; and £1.1 million on other regulatory activities targeted at enforcing and improving health and safety standards in local authorities.

Incapacity Benefit/Disability Living Allowance

Mr. Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Blyth Valley are claiming (a) disability living allowance and (b) incapacity benefit. [214205]

Maria Eagle: As at 31 August 2004 there were 6,100 people claiming incapacity benefits and 5,000 people in receipt of disability living allowance in the Blyth Valley parliamentary constituency.

1.Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2.Incapacity benefits includes incapacity benefit, severe disability allowance, and incapacity benefit credits-only cases.

IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent. data.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the reasons for the growth in the number of credits-only incapacity benefit recipients; and if he will commission research into this area. [214512]

Maria Eagle: The main reason for the growth in the number of incapacity benefit credits-only claimants is that new claims continue to exceed off flows.

The Department is commissioning research into the routes onto incapacity benefit which will include credits-only customers.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the overall level of expenditure was on (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disablement allowance in each year from 1997–98 to 2005–06, at current prices. [214517]

Maria Eagle: The information is in the tables.
 
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1350W
 

£ million (nominal terms)

Incapacity benefitSevere disablement allowance
1997–987,412999
1998–997,251984
1999–20006,7901,006
2000–016,7661,014
2001–026,7491,040
2002–036,758958
2003–046,718932
2004–056,746892
2005–066,839857

£ million (Real terms 2004–05 prices)

Incapacity benefitSevere disablement allowance
1997–988,7721,182
1998–998,3401,132
1999–20007,6441,133
2000–017,5301,129
2001–027,3241,128
2002–037,0951,005
2003–046,861952
2004–056,746892
2005–066,670836

Independent Living Fund

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the cost of removing the means test from the Independent Living Fund; and if he will make a statement. [213477]

Maria Eagle: No estimate has been made of the cost of removing the means test from the Independent Living Fund. Insufficient data are held to make such an estimate reliable.

In-house Magazines

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on the production of in-house magazines in the Department in each year since 1997. [213634]

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security, and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment including the Employment Service. Information on costs prior to 2002–03 is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The Department for Work and Pensions produces more than one in-house magazine. The total amounts spent on the production of in-house magazines by all parts of the Department are in the table.
£
2002–031,387,588
2003–041,165,171
2004–05546,413








 
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1351W
 

Medical Services Ltd.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what Welsh language requirements there are on Medical Services Ltd. in respect of services that they provide to the Department. [213247]

Maria Eagle: Medical Services are contractually obliged to ensure that all services provided to customers in Wales are available in both Welsh and English languages.

New Deal

Mr. Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been assisted into work in Easington constituency under the New Deal since 1997. [214455]

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the table.
New Deal in the Easington constituency

ProgrammeIndividuals into work
New Deal for Young People1,250
New Deal 25 plus380
New Deal for Lone Parents750
New Deal 50 plus130
Total2,510




Notes:
1.New Deal for Young People information is from January 1998 to September 2004.
2.New Deal 25 plus information is from July 1998 to September 2004.
3.New Deal for Lone Parents information is from October 1998 to September 2004.
4.New Deal 50 plus information is from April 2000 to March 2003 and relates to the number of people who received the New Deal 50 plus employment credit.
5.New Deal 50 plus data is not available at constituency level after March 2003.
6.New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners data is not available at constituency level.
7.Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
New Deal Evaluation Database, DWP Information Directorate




 
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1352W
 

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have benefited from the New Deal in North Durham since its inception. [214683]

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the table.
New Deal in the North Durham constituency

Number
New Deal for Young People
Individual starts1,860
Individuals into work1,260
New Deal 25 plus
Individual starts1,060
Individuals into work470
New Deal for Lone Parents
Individual starts1,150
Individuals into work710
New Deal 50 plus
Individuals into work220




Notes:
1.New Deal for Young People information is from January 1998 to September 2004.
2.New Deal 25 plus information is from July 1998 to September 2004.
3.New Deal for Lone Parents information is from October 1998 to September 2004.
4.New Deal 50 plus information is from April 2000 to March 2003 and relates to the number of people who received the New Deal 50 plus employment credit.
5.New Deal 50 plus data are not available at constituency level after March 2003.
6.New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners data are not available at constituency level.
7.Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
New Deal Database, DWP Information Directorate.



Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have started each of the New Deal for Employment programmes in (a) Stockton and (b) Stockton, South; and how many have entered work as a result. [214721]

Jane Kennedy: The available information is in the table.
New Deal in Stockton

Stockton
Stockton, South
Individual startsIndividuals gaining a jobIndividual startsIndividuals gaining a job
New Deal for Young People4,9703,0702,1101,330
New Deal 25 plus2,270800920340
New Deal for Lone Parents2,3801,470920570
New Deal 50 plus390390190190
Total10,0105,7304,1302,440




Notes:
1.Information for Stockton consists of data for the Stockton, North and Stockton, South constituencies.
2.New Deal for Young People data are from January 1998 to September 2004.
3.New Deal 25 plus data are from July 1998 to September 2004.
4.New Deal for Lone Parents data are from October 1998 to September 2004.
5.New Deal 50 plus data relate to the number of people who received the New Deal 50 plus Employment Credit up to March 2003.
6.New Deal 50 plus data are not available at constituency level after March 2003.
7.New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Partners information is not available at constituency level.
8.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 and for this reason components may not sum to totals.
Source:
Information Directorate, DWP





 
7 Feb 2005 : Column 1353W
 

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living in the Greater London area have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents. [215165]

Jane Kennedy: The available information is that 28,820 people in the London Jobcentre Plus region have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the start of the programme in October 1998.


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