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State Pension

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of women in Northern Ireland are entitled in their own right to a full basic state pension; what measures are being taken to increase this percentage; and if he will make a statement. [7390]

Mr. Hanson: As of September 2004, 15.6 per cent. of women of pensionable age were in receipt of a full basic state pension in their own right. The position of female pensioners today is largely a legacy of the past. When looking at the position across the UK of people of working age now there is very little difference between the proportions of men and women accruing state pension rights.

Many of the Government's labour market policies such as the national minimum wage, tax credits and new deals have been particularly helpful in supporting women remaining in, or returning to, employment and enabling them to build up pension entitlement.

The Pensions Commission has been looking at specific issues regarding women, and the Government have also commissioned their own report on women and pensions to be published by the end of this year.

In addition to this the Social Security Agency has an active programme, which includes the provision of forecasts and retirement planners to ensure that future pensioners are better informed and educated about their entitlements to state pension. A further process is also in place to ensure that all pensioners with any entitlement to state pension are identified, encouraged and facilitated to take up that entitlement.

Temporary Classrooms

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many schools in the Belfast Education and Library Board area have had more than five temporary classrooms in each year since 2001. [7829]

 
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Angela E. Smith: The Department does not have the information requested prior to 2004. A survey was carried out in 2004 to ascertain the number of temporary classrooms in the schools' estate. The result of the survey showed that at 31 March 2004, 18 schools in the Belfast Education and Library Board had more than five temporary classrooms. By 31 March 2005 the number stood at 17.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Computer-related Offences

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft her Department recorded in each year since 2001–02; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i)within and (ii) outside her Department. [7183]

Bridget Prentice: The number of cases of computer hacking, fraud and theft recorded by the Lord Chancellor's Department and Department for Constitutional Affairs in each year since 2001–02 is as follows:
2001–02

	Number
(a) Hacking	2
(b) Fraud	0
(c) Theft	25

Illegal access by computer hackers in 2001–02 was (i) within the Department 1; (ii) outside the Department 1. Neither of the hacking incidents caused damage to the Departmental computer systems.





2002–03

	Number
(a) Hacking	0
(b) Fraud	0
(c) Theft	25

There was no reported illegal access by internal or external computer hackers in 2002–03.




2003–04

	Number
(a) Hacking	0
(b) Fraud	0
(c) Theft	33

There was no reported illegal access by internal or external computer hackers in 2003–04.




2004–05

	Number
(a) Hacking	0
(b) Fraud	0
(c) Theft	35

There was no reported illegal access by internal or external computer hackers in 2004–05.

Data Protection Act

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will introduce legislation to modify section 7(9) of the Data
 
30 Jun 2005 : Column 1744W
 
Protection Act 1998 to provide for a guarantee of the right of access to personal data as required by Article 12 of Directive 95/46/EC; and if she will make a statement. [8056]

Ms Harman: The Government currently have no plans to introduce legislation to modify the Data Protection Act 1998.

Electoral Registration

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which relevant software suppliers have confirmed that their products will be able to produce EML compliant electoral register data for 1 December 2005 electoral registers; which have said their products will not be able to do so; which have not yet expressed a view; and if she will make a statement. [7700]

Ms Harman: Of the six software companies that supply more than one electoral registration officer with their software, all have indicated that their product will be able to produce EML compliant electoral register data for 1 December 2005 electoral registers. This is on the understanding that the appropriate new version of the EML standard is agreed and published by the end of July 2005. We are currently approaching the small number of electoral registration officers who operate individual 'bespoke' software for their view on the viability of the target date.

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs on what dates marked registers from the 2005 general election were received; what assessment her Department has made of the arrangements for storing the registers securely before being despatched to the Department; and if she will make a statement. [7701]

Ms Harman: Delivery of the marked electoral registers to the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery usually occurs within a three week period after a general election. It is the duty of individual returning officers to arrange the delivery of all general election documentation to the Clerk of the Crown, either personally or through the Royal Mail as the universal service provider. Clear guidance is provided to returning officers covering the way in which documentation is to be packaged to enable secure and safe delivery.

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the constituencies which have (a) all and (b) part of their marked registers from the 2005 general election missing; and if she will make a statement. [7702]

Ms Harman: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (John Hemming) on 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 810W which concerned the marked electoral register for the Woking constituency. Investigations are still continuing.

There have been no other reports of constituencies' marked electoral registers either being mislaid, or missing sections.
 
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Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the EML standard for electoral register data will be in place for the 1 December 2005 electoral registers; and if she will make a statement. [7712]

Ms Harman: 1 December 2005 is the latest date we have specified that electoral registration officers should be able to provide electronic copies of their register in compliance with a common EML standard. Suppliers of the relevant software have indicated that that date will be met if an appropriate update to the EML standard can be agreed and published by the end of July 2005. We are currently meeting that target date for a new version of EML.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent per elector on voter registration for each local authority area in the UK in descending order for the last year in which figures are available. [8556]

Ms Harman: Electoral registration is funded locally, and this information is not available.

General Election (Monitors)

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many international election monitors were present (a) in polling stations and (b) at counts during the 2005 General Election. [7902]

Ms Harman: We are aware that a number of international observers, including a delegation from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, were present during the 2005 General Election campaign. Observers' access to the electoral process is at the discretion of individual returning officers, and information about the numbers of observers attending polling stations and counts is not held centrally.

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