| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
8 Feb 2005 : Column 1483W—continued
Lyons Report
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) which of the recommendations from Sir Michael Lyons' report relating to his Department have been implemented; [214598]
8 Feb 2005 : Column 1484W
(2) how much money his Department plans to invest in the costs of moving jobs in his Department from London and the south-east into other regions; [214599]
(3) if he will make a statement on the effect on Merseyside of planned relocation of jobs in his Department from London and the south-east; and how many such jobs will be relocated to Merseyside as a result of Sir Michael Lyons' report. [214600]
Maria Eagle: As at the end of December 2004 the Department had relocated 2,318 posts from London and the south-east to other regions.
Since June 2003 around 300 posts have been relocated from London and the south-east to Merseyside as part of business restructuring. No specific new plans relating to Merseyside were included in the Department's submission to Sir Michael Lyons.
The movement of posts from London and south-east forms part of the Department's wider work force planning and efficiency programme. No separate costs are currently attributable to relocation activity from London and the south-east.
New Deal for Lone Parents
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the total expenditure on the New Deal for Lone Parents was in each year that the scheme has been in operation; [210056]
(2) what proportion of the budget for New Deal for Lone Parents has been spent on administration in each year that the scheme has been in operation. [210057]
Jane Kennedy: The information is in the table.
Notes:
1.Figures for 1998–99 to 2002–03 are outturn figures. Figures for 2003–04 are estimated outturn figures.
2.Following agreement with HM Treasury to remove the 'ring fences' from individual New Deals, New Deal administrative expenditure is no longer accounted for separately. Figures for 2002–03 and later years are estimates
3.Administration costs cover pay, travel and subsistence and accommodation, and include IT, estates and other non-staff costs. Programme costs on New Deal for Lone Parents will include cases where the Department buys in provision, for example to send a lone parent on a college course, or where a refund is made to a lone parent for expenditure such as cost of child care.
Source:
Department for Work and Pensions Departmental Report 2004
Staff Training
Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the costs of departmental (a) staff training days and (b) staff development days held away from the Department were in each year since 1997. [213794]
8 Feb 2005 : Column 1485W
Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security (DSS) and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment, including the Employment Service (ES). Information for the period prior to June 2001 refers to the former DSS and ES.
The Department is committed to investing in its people and actively supports learning and development for all staff. The Department is accredited as an Investor in People. Full information on the costs of staff training and staff development days organised by the Department is not available. This is because records do not differentiate between procedural training and personal development activities or between training delivered on DWP premises or elsewhere.
However, overall expenditure on staff learning and development by the Department and its predecessors is in the table. Information for periods prior to 1999–2000 is not available.
| Expenditure (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 81.145 |
| 2000–01 | 90.034 |
| 2001–02 | 97.319 |
The figures include trainee and trainer costs, management and administration overheads. Costs for accommodation, where the Departmental estate has been used, are not included.
In addition to formal training, staff are developed by a variety of other means including e-learning, coaching and mentoring in the work place. Since 2002–03, the cost of this other development has been included in the Department's overall expenditure on staff learning and development. Information for 2002–03 and 2003–04 is in the table.
| Investment (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 132.23 |
| 2003–04 | 175.43 |
Telephone Answering Services
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which telephone answering services in the agencies for which the Department is responsible are (a) staffed by employees of the Department, (b) serviced by call centres in the UK and (c) serviced by overseas call centres. [208515]
Maria Eagle: Currently, DWP has 122 call centres, all of which are staffed by employees of the Department except: one centre in Rotherham which deals with applications for pension credit, centres in Bolton and Liverpool which deliver the conversion of benefit and pensions customers to direct payment, a centre in Bristol which handles winter fuel payment queries together with an out of hours service for the National Benefit Fraud Hotline.
In addition, the Department runs a number of marketing and information campaigns and the additional call centre capacity needed to support this
8 Feb 2005 : Column 1486W
work is usually outsourced. This is the case for the New Deal Information Line also based in Bristol, the Pensions Information Line based in Ashby de la Zouche and the Direct Payment Information Line based in Crewe. It is normal business practice for the Department to manage large scale and sometimes temporary operations in this way.
The premises and operating activities of all these centres are wholly based in Great Britain. The Department does not use any overseas based call centres.
Training Courses
Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997–98. [200386]
Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pension Pensions was formed in June 2001 from the former Department of Social Security (DSS) and parts of the former Department for Education and Employment, including the Employment Service (ES). Information for the period prior to June 2001 refers to the former DSS and ES.
Full information on the cost, title and location of each training course organised by the Department could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, overall expenditure on staff learning and development by the Department and its predecessors is in the table. Information for periods prior to 1999–2000 is not available.
| Expenditure (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 81.145 |
| 2000–01 | 90.034 |
| 2001–02 | 97.319 |
The figures include trainee and trainer costs, management and administration overheads. Costs for accommodation, where the departmental estate has been used, are not included.
In addition to formal training, staff are developed by a variety of other means including e-learning, coaching and mentoring in the work place. Since 2002–03, the cost of this other development has been included in the Department's overall expenditure on staff learning and development. Information for 2002–03 and 2003–04 is in the table.
| Investment (£ million) | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 132.23 |
| 2003–04 | 175.43 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |