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19 Dec 2005 : Column 2459W—continued
Pensions Service
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the national targets are for The Pension Service; and what the performance of offices in South Devon is in relation to those targets. [36576]
Mr. Timms: The annual targets for The Pension Service are published each year in the agency's Business Plan. Copies of The Pension Service's Business Plan 2005–06 are available in the House of Commons Library.
Customers based in the Plymouth and Torbay areas are dealt with by Bath Pension Centre.
The following table shows Bath Pension Centre performance information available at October 2005, against the published targets in The Pension Service Business Plan 2005–06.
(34)Year to date.
(35)Not available. This information is only collated on a national basis.
(36)Interim October summary figure.
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Performance Development System
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual administrative costs of the Performance Development System in the Department were in each of the last three years. [38742]
Mrs. McGuire: The information requested is not available.
Personal Capability Assessment
Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Government are conducting a review of the Personal Capability Assessment; and if he will make a statement. [36798]
Margaret Hodge: The Personal Capability Assessment is acknowledged as being one of the most comprehensive benefit assessment processes in use anywhere in the world. Of course, in common with all our services, its effectiveness is under constant review as we seek to continuously improve.
In developing our proposals for welfare reform we are reviewing whether the process can be further developed to contribute more to supporting an individual's recovery and return to work. Any proposals emerging from this review will be detailed in our Welfare Reform Green Paper, which will be published in due course.
Poverty
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) of 21 November 2005, Official Report, columns 1682–86W, on poverty, if he will break down the information by (a) region and (b) county. [34398]
Margaret Hodge: Specific information regarding low income for Great Britain is available in Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1994/95–2003/04", available in the Library. The threshold of below 60 per cent. of median household income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income.
The data source does not allow us to provide robust estimates below regional level. Estimates at a regional level can be provided using data from 1994/95.
Information on the number of children living in relative low income for Scotland, Wales and by Government Office Region from 1994–95 onwards has been placed in the Library.
The figures are for absolute and relative incomes. Absolute low income is defined here for individuals as living in a household with income below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 median income which has been adjusted for inflation. Relative low income is defined here for individuals as living in a household with income below 60 per cent. of contemporary median.
Secondments
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advisers to the Prime Minister have been seconded to work for the Department during the past year; and if he will make a statement. [31856]
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Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 28 November 2005]: No advisers to the Prime Minister have been seconded to work for my Department during the past year.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training is given to (a) policy officials and (b) lawyers in his Department responsible for drafting statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement. [33657]
Mrs. McGuire: Statutory Instruments are drafted by departmental lawyers based on instructions from policy divisions. Where SIs amend primary legislation, parliamentary counsel are consulted.
As members of the Government Legal Service (GLS), departmental lawyers receive extensive training on the preparation and drafting of statutory instruments. This consists of a combination of lectures and practical exercises run by experienced practitioners in the GLS, coupled with training given by legal advisers who advise the parliamentary scrutiny committees. In addition, senior managers in the GLS take a close interest in the quality of SIs and provide frequent feedback and on the job training to those with lead responsibility for drafting. This is an ongoing process and part of the continuing education of government legal advisers.
Winter Fuel Payment
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of administering the winter fuel payment in 2004–05. [32726]
Mr. Timms: We estimate that the cost of paying winter fuel payment, worth £1.9 billion to £11.4 million customers in 2004–05, was £23.2 million.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioner households are eligible for the winter fuel allowance in Lancashire. [37732]
Mr. Timms: Last winter there were 175,150 pensioner households in Lancashire that received a winter fuel payment. We expect the number to be similar for this winter.
1.Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. 2.Any residence found to have four or more occupants is not included in these figures as it is assumed to be a Residential Care or Nursing Home. 3.Local authorities and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
Information Directorate, 100 per cent. sample.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of pensioner householders in Wakefield district who are eligible for assistance with winter fuel payments. [38329]
Mr. Timms:
It is not possible to provide an estimate of the number of pensioner householders who are eligible for a winter fuel payment. Last winter 62,010 householders in the Wakefield local authority received a winter fuel payment. We would expect the number to be similar for this winter. The figures for winter 2004–05 are also available in the Library.
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1.Figures are rounded to the nearest five. 2.Local authorities and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
Information Directorate, 100 per cent. sample
Working Neighbourhood Pilot
Mr. Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the payments agreed by his Department to each private contractor for the Working Neighbourhood Pilot. [36370]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is in the tables.
Notes:
1.Stage 1 Engagement is initial contact and preparation of a work plan.
2.Stage 2 applies to those on JSA and anybody not working excluding lone parents, incapacity benefit, income support and severe disability allowance clients. It occurs after 4 weeks, the completion of the work plan and the commencement of job search.
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