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8 Nov 2005 : Column 370W—continued
Departmental Energy Consumption
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much energy has been consumed by his Department in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on energy in each year. [22466]
Mr. Plaskitt: The figures for energy consumption and costs are in the table. The Department for Work and Pensions was created in June 2001. From July 2002, the figures include the Health and safety Executive, and from April 2004, the Rent Service.
| Consumption (KwH) | Cost (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | 694,310,805 | 16,397,153 |
| 2002–03 | 715,754,197 | 19,051,582 |
| 2003–04 | 730,616,284 | 20,418,022 |
| 2004–05 | 757,031,373 | 24,501,543 |
Departmental Policies
Mrs. Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Gateshead, East and Washington, West constituency, the effects in Gateshead, East and Washington, West of changes to his Department's policies since 1997. [22280]
Mrs. McGuire: We have undertaken a fundamental overhaul of the welfare system, transforming it to an active system that fights poverty, creates opportunity and helps people become self-sufficient and independent.
Since 2001, the Government have significantly extended and improved civil rights for disabled people in areas such as employment, education, access to goods and services and transport. Disabled people in Gateshead, East and Washington, West will have benefited from these improvements in disability rights. Similarly, families with severely disabled 3 and 4-year-old children who are unable, or virtually unable to walk will have benefited from the Government's decision to lower the minimum age entitlement to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance from April 2001, while older and less well off carers have gained extra help through the provisions within the National Carers Strategy.
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In 2002–03 we estimate there were around 10 million adults (22 per cent.) and 0.7 million children (5 per cent.) in Great Britain likely to be covered by the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
The figures can be broken down to regional level which shows that 29 per cent. of adults and 6 per cent. of children in north-east region are likely to be covered by the provisions of the DDA.
Through Jobcentre Plus, we are promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age. The number of people in work is at historically high levels of over 28.8 million; in Gateshead, East and Washington, West, the proportion in employment has risen to 76.4 per cent.
Our new deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over 50s and partners of unemployed people to move from benefit into work. Nationally over 1.4 million people have been helped into work by the new deals, with over 2,780 in Gateshead, East and Washington, West alone.
Significant progress has been made in tackling child poverty and the latest figures (for 2003–04) show that, in the UK, there were over half a million fewer children in relative low income than there were in 1996–97. Since 2001–02 incomes for lone parents in receipt of benefit have risen by more than prices or the cost of living. Child rates in income support and jobseeker's allowance have been increased by 40 per cent. since 2001–02, increasing above inflation in April 2005 in line with child tax credit upratings. All of this has benefited 1,800 families in Gateshead, East and Washington, West.
We want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement and to share fairly in the rising prosperity of the country and our first priority has been to help the least well off pensioners. The Government will be spending nearly £11 billion extra in 2005–06 on pensioners as a result of measures introduced since 1997. Almost half of this spending going to the least well off third.
Our reforms include the state second pension, which helps more future pensioners build up better pensions, especially carers. Pension credit, introduced from October 2003, provides a contribution to a guaranteed minimum income for those aged 60 and over and, for the first time, those over aged 65 and over may be rewarded
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for savings and income. As of May 2005, around 5,300 pensioners in Gateshead, East and Washington, West are receiving pension credit, with an average award of £36.44 per week.
We know that older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. This winter (2005–06) we have again made available a winter fuel payment of £200 for each eligible household with someone aged 60 or over and £300 to those with someone aged 80 or over to help with their fuel bills. Additionally, for 2005–06, eligible households with someone aged 65 or over, not receiving the guarantee element of pension credit will receive a one-off payment of £200 to help with their council tax bills. It is paid with the winter fuel payment, and one-off payment of £50 for pensioner households with someone aged 70 and over in receipt of the pension credit guarantee in recognition of the fact that the oldest and poorest pensioners are likely to be disproportionately affected by the rise in cost of living expenses.
The constituency data on winter fuel payments and the additional 80+ annual payment is available in the Library.
Since 1997 single pensioners and pensioner couples have seen a real terms increase in their basic state pension of 7 per cent. and 7 per cent. respectively. Some 15,200 pensioners in Gateshead, East and Washington, West have benefited from this increase.
Housing Benefit
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the annual cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) local authorities of a 10 per cent. reduction in the housing benefit taper; [18677]
(2) what estimate he has made of the annual cost to (a) the Exchequer and (b) local authorities of a five per cent. reduction in the council tax benefit taper. [18678]
Mr. Plaskitt: There will be no cost to local authorities for paying additional benefit as this will be met by the Department. The only impact to local authorities will be associated with the processing and maintenance of additional new claims, the numbers of which are in the table. The Department does not collect management information relating to the cost to authorities of processing and maintaining claims.
The available information is in the table.
Notes:
1. All figures are for Great Britain.
2. Beneficiaries are rounded to the nearest five thousand and costs are rounded to the nearest £5 million.
3. Each beneficiary represents a benefit unit, which can be a single claimant or a couple.
4. The impact is estimated using the Department's Policy Simulation Model for 2005–06, using data from the 2003–04 Family Resources Survey up-rated to 2005–06 prices, benefit rates and earnings levels, and is calibrated to latest published forecasts and policies.
5. Results are subject to sampling and reporting errors and estimation assumptions, and are therefore indicative only. No behavioural changes are assumed.
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Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment was to tenants in social rented accommodation in each local authority area in England in (a) 1991 and (b) 2004. [24225]
Mr. Plaskitt:
The information is not available for 1991. The available information for 2004 has been placed in the Library.
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Incapacity Benefit
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women (i) over and (ii) under the age of 50 years were claiming incapacity benefit in each (A) region and (B) country of the UK in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by the number of years for which claimants had been on the benefit. [25309]
Mr. Timms: The available information is in the table.
(15) Nil or negligible.
Notes:
1. Figures are shown in thousands and rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
2. 'Claimant' figures include incapacity benefit credits only cases.
3. Totals include a very small number of cases where age/gender is unknown (only 40 cases at May 2005).
Source:
DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.
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Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women (i) over and (ii) under 50 years were claiming incapacity benefit in each (A) (1) region and (2) country of the UK and (B) social services authority area in the last period for which figures are available. [25310]
Mrs. McGuire: The information is not available in the format requested. The information for Great Britain and local authorities in Great Britain has been placed in the Library.
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the expenditure on incapacity benefit was in each (a) region and (b) country of the UK in the last period for which figures are available. [25311]
Mr. Timms:
The available information is in the table.
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Notes:
1. Benefit expenditure in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland office.
2. Great Britain expenditure consistent with Budget 2005.
3. Country and Government Office Region expenditure is derived from data underlying the Analysis of Public Expenditure by Country and Region 2005.
4. Does not include overseas expenditure.
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Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the 17,000 claimants with recorded job entries in Pathways to Work pilots (a) returned to incapacity benefits and (b) claimed jobseeker's allowance within (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) six months and (iv) 12 months in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on the assessment that has been carried out of those claimants of incapacity benefit with recorded job entries in the pilot areas who subsequently returned to benefits. [26262]
Margaret Hodge: Moving into employment from incapacity benefits is a major transition for many people. Over half of those claiming incapacity benefits have been claiming for more than eight years and have a range of barriers to overcome in addition to their health condition. We recognise the challenge that the transition to work represents but we want to support and encourage people to make this transition to transform their life-chances. For example, we have already extended the linking rules so that people who take the risk of leaving incapacity benefits can return to previous benefit levels.
The statistical information requested is in the table.
Note:
Data are to the end of August 2005.
Sources:
1. The statistics quoted in this response are taken from the Pathways to Work Evaluation Database.
2. The benefits data are taken from the Department's 100 per cent. Benefits Database.
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