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Sellafield

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the safety implications of the recent leak at the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant at Sellafield; and when the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is expected to make its report on the leak. [2688]

Malcolm Wicks: British Nuclear Group informed the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on 20 April of a leak of dissolved spent fuel, resulting from a failure in the pipe-work within the Feed Clarification Cell in the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP). Material leaked within THORP into a fully enclosed stainless steel clad cell designed to safely contain such leakages. The plant is in a safe and stable state. There has been no release of radioactivity from THORP and there is no risk to employees, the local community or the environment.
 
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Safety is the key priority and British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd. is working to recover the liquid in a safe and controlled manner. HSE has been kept informed throughout.

BNGSL issued a press statement outlining the findings of the internal inquiry which may be found at http://www.britishnucleargroup.com/index.aspx?page=30.

HSE is carrying out its own independent investigation, the findings of which it will make public. Because of the wide range and complexity of the investigation it is not yet known when the findings will be reported.

Strategic Petroleum and Oil Reserves

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the petroleum supply industry concerning the security of supply and strategic reserves. [2662]

Malcolm Wicks: The UK is obliged as a member state of the European Union to hold emergency stocks of oil and as a member of the International Energy Agency to take part in any collective response to a major international supply disruption. These stocks are held by companies. My Department held a public consultation in 2003 and 2004 seeking views on the future of the UK's system for meeting these obligations so as to ensure long-term security of supply, and has been working with the industry since then to agree a basis for the new system.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total overtime (a) worked and (b) paid has been at the Child Support Agency for each reporting period since 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [975]

Mr. Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty to Mr. David Laws, dated 9 June 2005:


 
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Number of overtime hours workedTotal overtime expenditure (£ million)
2003–04400,0005.665
2004–05385,0005.871

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the (a) costs in staff time and (b) other costs of the delayed introduction of CS2 at the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement. [977]

Mr. Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty to Mr. David Laws, dated 9 June 2005:

Economic Inactivity

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research he has collated on international variations in the proportion of economic inactivity in the labour force due to claims for illness and disability; and if he will make a statement. [957]

Margaret Hodge: Internationally comparable data on the proportion of economic inactivity due to sickness and disability are not available. However, cross-country comparisons of economic inactivity and sickness and disability benefit receipt are available separately and are set out in the tables.

The UK has one of the lowest economic inactivity rates in the OECD. Among the G7 countries, the UK has the second lowest economic inactivity rate after Canada.
Table 1: Economic inactivity rates in the G7

Economic inactivity rate (percentage) persons 15–64
Canada21.9
France31.8
Germany28.7
Italy38.4
Japan27.7
UK23.4
US24.2
OECD average30.2




Source:
OECD Employment Outlook 2004
Figures for 2003





 
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International comparisons of benefit receipt are difficult to make because of differences in benefit design, definitions of disability and demographics. However, the available evidence shows that the proportion of working age people in the UK in receipt of sickness and disability benefits is around the OECD average of 7 per cent.
Table 2: Recipients of sickness and disability benefits in 16OECD countries

Proportion of the working age population in receipt of sickness and disability benefits (percentage)
Japan3
New Zealand4
Spain4
Belgium5
Canada5
Austria5
Ireland6
Australia6
Germany7
France7
UK7
US8
Slovak Republic9
Netherlands11
Denmark11
Sweden12




Source:
OECD Employment Outlook 2003
Figures for 1999




Progress has been made on inactivity in the UK, including among the sick and disabled, though we acknowledge the need to do more. The Department for Work and Pensions Five Year Strategy sets out our intentions to help those people on incapacity benefits to get the support they need to return to work. We are extending employment opportunities more widely, not just to the unemployed, but to those jobless people previously outside the labour market altogether.

Incapacity Benefit

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of time for an appeal by a claimant against a decision on non-entitlement to incapacity benefit to be heard was in each of the last 10 years. [1266]

Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 6 June 2005]: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Christina Townsend to Mr. Frank Field, dated 9 June 2005:


Average time (in weeks) for an incapacity benefit appeal from receipt at the Appeals Service to first hearing

weeks
Average time
January 2000 to December 200012.15
January 2001 to December 200110.88
January 2002 to December 20029.60
January 2003 to December 20038.86
January 2004 to December 20048.20




Notes:
1. No incapacity benefit figures are available prior to 2000.
2. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available.
3. Figures for the latest months may change as further information feeds through to the Appeals Service.
4. Figures are rounded to two decimal places.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. Sample.





 
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