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14 Mar 2005 : Column 96W—continued
Benefits
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions what financial help is available to applicants for (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) jobseeker's allowance between the date of application and the conclusion of a work-focused benefit interview. [212302]
Mr. Pond: A customer for any of these benefits may express a need for immediate financial help any time during the new-claim process. The action to take will depend upon what stage the request is made.
Where a benefit claim has been assessed and payment of benefit is due, the payment is issued immediately.
If the request is made at First Contact Stage, wherever possible, an urgent appointment (preferably the same day) is made with the Financial Assessor and Personal Adviser to complete the claim process and allow any payment due to be released.
If an immediate appointment cannot be booked or the benefit claim cannot be assessed, because for example information is outstanding, an interim
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payment is considered. An interim payment is a payment on account of benefit and is considered when, from the information provided already, it appears the customer may be entitled to benefit but it is not possible to fully assess the claim immediately.
Where a benefit claim has been assessed, but it is established the first payment is not due immediately, then consideration can be given to a Social Fund Crisis Loan.
Dunley Jobcentre
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) when the decision was made to bring forward the announcement of the planned closure of Dunley Jobcentre; what interim arrangements are being put in place; and what contracts are being negotiated with Gloucestershire city council on access to IT facilities in the new library; [220652]
(2) what redeployment of staff is being undertaken regarding the planned closure of the Dunley Jobcentre; and whether the provision of a continuing staff presence in Dunley was considered. [220653]
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 David Anderson to Mr. David Drew, dated 14 March 2005:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the planned closure of Dursley Jobcentre. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
It may be helpful if I explain that on 22 October 2004 we wrote to our stakeholders to inform them that Dursley Jobcentre had been earmarked for closure, providing the reasons why and inviting views from stakeholders. As a result of the consultation exercise, the final decision concerning the closure of Dursley Jobcentre was made in February 2005 and the office will close on 31 March. The communication of this decision began on 4 March via a press release, then in writing to Jobcentre Plus customers and other stakeholders. At no time between October 2004 and February 2005 did we confirm the closure of Dursley Jobcentre and therefore our announcement was not brought forward.
Jobcentre Plus is currently in local negotiations with Gloucestershire County Council for provision of a Flexible Service Delivery (FSD) option in Dursley Library. This negotiation has not yet been concluded as the Local Authority are considering the terms of the formal written agreement proposed by Jobcentre Plus. The FSD option includes the provision of a free telephone link and the use of the Library Internet services. Interim arrangements have been made to provide a limited service to customers from the existing Jobcentre site on one day per week until the FSD option is in place and fully operational.
Jobcentre Plus has taken every appropriate step in redeploying staff affected by the closure of Dursley Jobcentre. There are currently two staff members who have yet to agree a permanent alternative. The provision of a continuing staff presence in Dursley was fully considered in light of stakeholder feedback.
It is important to remember that the shape of the network in future is in response to the changing business need. Increasingly we will be delivering our services through the premises of our partners and siting facilities such as touch-screen Jobpoints or free telephone access in local public buildings. The need for face-to-
- face facilities for jobsearch and other aspects of our business has been superseded in many instances by different business processes and the use of information technology. For example, over the last 12 months we have seen an increase of over 40 per cent. in the number of hits on our jobsearch web-site.
EU Councils
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the outcome was of the Employment and Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 3 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement. [220826]
Mr. Pond: I represented the UK at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels on 3 March 2005.
The main focus of business was preparation towards the Spring European Council. This took the form of a policy debate, based on a Presidency questionnaire and a Key Issues paper from the Employment and Social Protection Committees (EMCO and SPC), to finalise the ESPHCA Council's contribution to the Spring Council.
Commissioner Spidla summarised the Commission's position, to set growth and employment at the heart of the revision of the Lisbon strategy.
For the UK, I stressed that there was no conflict between the economic and social agendas. On the contrary, a focus on employment should be seen as an affirmation of Europe's commitment to its social goals, as without growth social policies might not be sustainable.
The Key Messages paper was adopted for transmission to the Spring European Council.
The Presidency presented an information note on Working Time outlining the current positions of the member states. There was no debate on this point.
The Council agreed a partial general approach on a decision establishing the PROGRESS social spending programme, which would replace five existing social programmes from 2007. For the UK I maintained a parliamentary scrutiny reserve. A Council declaration explained that the partial agreement covered all articles except Article 17, on the budget and internal allocations between different strands of activity. The agreement could be re-opened in the light of the EP's opinion or agreement of the Financial Perspectives.
The Presidency informed the Council that it intends to hold a Tripartite Social Summit on the eve of the European Council to discuss the mid term review of the Lisbon agenda.
The Council also agreed a general approach on a regulation making routine miscellaneous amendments to social security co-ordination regulation 1408/71.
The Council also heard presentations on the work programmes of the Employment Committee and the Social Protection Committee (SPC) and a study by the SPC on private pensions.
The Council adopted without debate conclusions on the Social Aspects of Globalisation.
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Fuel Direct
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of customers included in the Fuel Direct payment scheme in the last 10 years; and what the cost of operating the Fuel Direct payment system has been in each of the last 10 years. [221331]
Mr. Pond: Information regarding the cost of running the Fuel Direct scheme is not available. Information regarding the number of customers included in the scheme is in the following table.
Note:
The figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and as such subject to a degree of sampling error.
Source:
Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in West Suffolk constituency were in receipt of incapacity benefit in each year since 1997. [221321]
Maria Eagle: The information is in the following table.
Notes:
1.Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
2.Figures include all incapacity benefit, severe disability allowance and credits-only cases.
Source:
Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample.
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