| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
24 Mar 2005 : Column 1030W—continued
Benefits
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total value of (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance payments to people over retirement age living in the City of York local authority area was in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 2004–05. [222225]
Maria Eagle: The total value of attendance allowance and disability living allowance payments to people over retirement age living in the City of York local authority area was £8.4 million in 1996–97 and is estimated to be £13.9 million in 2004–05.
Benefit expenditure forecast information is published on the Internet at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp
Expenditure has been taken from departmental accounting systems and has been apportioned using Quarterly Statistical Enquiry data for the relevant benefits, and which is based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department paid in Wales in (a) incapacity benefit, (b) state pensions, (c) pension credit and (d) winter fuel payments in the last year for which figures are available. [222712]
Mr. Pond: The information is in the following table.
| (£) | |
|---|---|
| Incapacity benefit | 1,000 |
| State pensions | 2,520 |
| Pension credit | 277 |
| Winter fuel payments | 107 |
Notes:
1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest million pounds.
2. Incapacity benefit includes expenditure on working age claimants of incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and income support (long-term sick/disabled and short-term sick). The figure includes a small number of people who are not claiming incapacity benefit (payment or credits) or severe disablement allowance.
3. State pensions expenditure includes basic state pension, additional state pension, non-contributory state pension and graduated retirement benefit.
4. Pension credit expenditure includes both the guarantee credit and the savings credit.
5. Winter fuel expenditure includes the basic winter fuel payment and the over 80s payment, which was introduced in 2003–04.
6. Figures are consistent with the pre-budget report 2004 and with expenditure information published on the internet at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp (tables 1, 3 and 7). These tables will shortly be updated with budget 2005 figures.
Source:
Expenditure has been taken from departmental accounting systems and has been apportioned using Quarterly Statistical Inquiry data, from 2003–04, for the relevant benefits. All of this data is based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation, with the exception of winter fuel expenditure which has been calculated from 100 per cent. samples.
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of each state benefit in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Wales in each of the last three years; and how much was paid out for each benefit in each case in each year. [222902]
24 Mar 2005 : Column 1031W
Mr. Pond: The information will be published at the same time as Benefit Expenditure tables, consistent with Budget 2005, and uploaded onto the Department for Work and Pensions website. A publication date will be made available, and posted on the website address as soon as possible.
Benefit Expenditure tables are published on the Department for Work and Pensions website at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp.
Bognor Regis Office Closure
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of his Department's office in Bognor Regis. [223411]
Jane Kennedy: There are no plans to close the Jobcentre Plus office at Bognor Regis.
Carbon Monoxide
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to undertake national advertising television campaigns to alert people to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. [223519]
Jane Kennedy: The Government are actively involved in raising awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by means other than national television campaigns. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) arranged for the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) to run a publicity campaign in February 2005 to raise awareness about CO poisoning targeted at vulnerable groups of the young and the elderly. That campaign reached an estimated 11,000 GP surgeries and 4 million people through radio.
The Department of Health has additionally produced a new leaflet about domestic carbon monoxide poisoning that is endorsed by HSE, industry and the registered charity CO-Gas Safety.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning in the home. [223565]
Jane Kennedy: The domestic gas safety regime, overseen by the Health and Safety Executive has been progressively tightened. This has included new gas safety legislation, new competence requirements for gas installers and substantial public investment in publicising carbon monoxide (CO) dangers.
The number of reported gas-related CO poisoning fatalities shows a welcome downward trend. In 2003–04 the number of such fatalities was the lowest on record. We have agreed an innovative programme with HSC/E aimed at sustaining this position by developing new ways for partnering with relevant stakeholders to secure continuing consumer gas safety through sensible approach to risk.
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on the action it plans to take to reduce the number of deaths caused by carbon monoxide in the home. [223566]
24 Mar 2005 : Column 1032W
Jane Kennedy: I have regular meetings with senior representatives of HSC/E to consider progress across the broad range of their business. I have not recently met them on the specific issue of gas-related carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. However, I am regularly briefed in writing on gas safety matters and take a close interest in how the downward trend in CO poisoning fatalities can be sustained.
CSA
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when Clare Jackson, the constituent of the hon. Member for Bassetlaw referred to in a letter sent on 11 January will receive (a) a maintenance calculation and (b) a maintenance payment. [222714]
Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. John Mann, dated 24 March 2005:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when Clare Jackson the constituent of the honourable Member for Bassetlaw referred to in a letter sent on 11th January will receive (a) a maintenance calculation and (b) a maintenance payment.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of Child Support Agency cases are within each of the three new colour code bands. [222715]
Mr. Pond: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency, Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. John Mann, dated 24 March 2005:
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of Child Support Agency cases are within each of the three new colour code bands.
The clerical cases team at our office at Nottingham Chalfont Drive use a colour code system in order to prioritise their workloads. This is a local initiative, which is intended to streamline the progression of cases. The current figures are as follows:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 216 red cases | 22 |
| 297 amber cases | 31 |
| 457 green cases | 47 |
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |