---

11 Jan 2006 : Column 697W—continued

Customer Management System

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost has been to date of the implementation of the Customer Management System computer system. [38387]

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 11 January 2006:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning what the total cost has been to date of the implementation of the Customer Management System (CMS) computer system. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

Firstly, CMS is not yet fully deployed across the Jobcentre Plus network of local offices and contact centres and consequently there will be implementation costs not yet incurred.

CMS and CMS2 were inter-related developments of the system and the costs were not separated. CMS3 was a release designed to improve the operation of the system based on lessons learned from the earliest deployment in a live environment.

The total cost of CMS and CMS2 to 31 October 2005 was £243.6 million. The cost of CMS3 is estimated to be £9.98 million.

I hope this is helpful.

Departmental Expenditure

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of administering the Department's appraisal system was in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05, broken down by (i) staff time costs, (ii) travel and meeting costs, (iii) venue hire and (iv) other associated administration costs. [38744]

Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 19 December 2005]: The information requested is not available.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State forWork and Pensions what criteria were used to
 
11 Jan 2006 : Column 698W
 
determine performance-related bonus payments for senior civil servants in his Department in each of the last four years. [30013]

Mrs. McGuire: For each of the last four years bonus decisions have been made by relatively assessing individuals in relation to others in the same senior civil service pay band. When determining performance-related bonus payments the following criteria were used:

2004–05	Performance against agreed priority business objectives or targets;
	Total delivery record over the year;
	Relative stretch;
	Response to unforeseen events which affected the performance
2003–04 and 2004–05	How successful staff were in meeting their objectives;
	How difficult/challenging the objectives were, given available resources, foreseen and unforeseen factors;
	How the success had been achieved taking account of the departmental aims and values.
2002–03	A particularly high achievement in relation to a particular task or tasks;
	A strong performance in response to unexpected developments or requirements which emerged during the year;
	Contribution to departmental objectives over and above the immediate demands of the job by changed working practices, improved productivity or delivered efficiency savings;
	Whether challenges were taken on which were above and beyond the agreed range of the individual's objectives which delivered benefits for the organisation

Disability Living Allowance

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people under the age of 60 years receiving (a) the middle rate of the care component, (b) the higher rate of the care component and (c) the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance stopped receiving these benefits due to death in each month of the last five years. [41409]

Mrs. McGuire: The available information is in the table.
 
11 Jan 2006 : Column 699W
 

Disability living allowance: number of awards in Great Britain which included a higher rate care component, or a middle rate care component, or a higher rate mobility component in which payment was terminated by the death of recipients under 60 years of age at the time of their death in each quarter in the period from 30 November 2001 to 31 May 2005

Quarter ending on the last day of:	Number of awards in which payment was terminated by death of recipients under 60 years of age (thousands)
May 2005	5.1
February 2005	5.4
November 2004	5.1
August 2004	5.1
May 2004	5.0
February 2004	4.8
November 2003	4.5
August 2003	3.9
May 2003	4.1
February 2003	4.9
November 2002	4.9
August 2002	4.7
May 2002	4.3
February 2002	4.9
November 2001	4.6
August 2001	4.0
May 2001	4.3
February 2001	4.7
November 2000	4.7

Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.
2. Figures include only cases where the reason for termination of payment is recorded as death of claimant". Not all cases where payment has terminated have a reason recorded.
Source:
DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study for totals and 5 per cent. samples for detail/long time series.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Audit Board of the Administrative Commission on social security for migrant workers, (b) Technical Committee on information processing and (c) Committee for implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38799]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information is as follows:

(a) There was one meeting of the Audit Board of the Administrative Commission on social security for migrant workers during the UK presidency. An official from the Department of Health presided and two other officials from the Department of Health also attended.

(b) There was one meeting of the Technical Commission on Data Processing during the UK presidency. An official from the Department for Work and Pensions presided and an official from the Department Health also attended.

(c) The Committee for the implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality met once during the UK presidency. An official of the European Commission chaired the meeting. A representative of the Department of Trade and Industry attended.
 
11 Jan 2006 : Column 700W
 

The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend Councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

A copy is available on the internet at:

http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community action programme to combat social exclusion, (b) Advisory Committee on the Free Movement of Workers and (c) Technical Committee for the implementation of regulations concerning the free movement and employment of workers have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if he will make a statement. [38800]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information is as follows.

(a) There was one meeting of the Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community action programme to combat social exclusion during the UK presidency. An official of the European Commission chaired the meeting. The UK was represented by an official from the Department for Work and Pensions.

(b) The Advisory Committee on the Free Movement of Workers and (c) the Technical Committee on the Free Movement of Workers each met once during the UK presidency. An official of the European Commission chaired each meeting. On each occasion, the UK Government were represented by two officials from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The UK Government take into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12 to 15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Administrative Commision on social security for migrant workers (and working parties), (b) Committee of the European Social Fund and (c) Technical adaptation
 
11 Jan 2006 : Column 701W
 
Committee on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38801]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information is as follows:

(a) The Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers met twice during the UK presidency. There were no working parties during the UK presidency. An official from the Department for Work and Pensions presided over both meetings. Two other DWP officials attended the first meeting and three attended the second. An official from the Department of Health attended both meetings and two officials from HM Treasury were present at the second meeting.

(b) There were two meetings of the EU Advisory Committee of the European Social Fund during the UK presidency. An official from the European Commission chaired the meetings. The UK representatives were two officials from the Department for Work and Pensions and representatives from the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress.

(c) The Technical Adaptation Committee on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work did not meet during the UK presidency.

The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend Councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

A copy is available on the internet at:

http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Standing Committee on agricultural statistics, (b) Advisory Committee on employment and (c) Advisory Committee on incentives in the field of employment have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [38803]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information is as follows:

(a) There has been one meeting of the Agricultural Statistics Committee under the UK presidency; an official from Defra attended the meeting. There was prior consultation between Defra and the devolved administrations ensuring that the representations made
 
11 Jan 2006 : Column 702W
 
at the Committee reflected the common view of Defra and the devolved governments. The Committee is presided over by the Commission.

(b) There have been two meetings of the Employment Committee (EMCO) under the UK presidency the first was an informal meeting on the 18 and 19 October and the second on the 24–25 November. All EMCO meetings are presided over by an elected chair; this is currently Maarten Camps (Netherlands). Both meeting were attended by officials from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Officials from the Scottish Executive attended the Informal EMCO held between Glasgow and Edinburgh in October.

(c) The Advisory Committee on Employment Incentives (EIM) meets twice a year in the spring and autumn, therefore it has only met once under the UK presidency on 7 October. No UK officials attended (only delegations from half the member states managed to attend the meeting due to industrial action in Belgium). When the Committee does meet it is presided over by the Commission.

The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend Councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

A copy is available on the internet at:

http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the (a) Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods between member states, (b) Committee for implementation of the action programme to tackle discrimination and (c) Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and other Extractive Industries have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement. [39004]

Mr. Plaskitt: I understand from the Office for National Statistics that that there was one meeting of the Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods between member states during the UK presidency. It was chaired by the Commission and was attended by representatives from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

The EU Committee for implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality met once during the UK presidency and the Commission chaired the meeting, in the usual way. The Department of Trade and Industry represents the UK.
 
11 Jan 2006 : Column 703W
 

The Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and other Extractive Industries was wound up when the European Commission rationalised its consultative machinery on health and safety during 2003–04. In its place, a Standing Working Party on Mining and the Other Extractive Industries of the Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work has been established. The Standing Working Party has met once during the UK Presidency on 13 December 2005 and it was presided over by a German Government representative. A senior official of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) attended.

On such committees, it is normal practice to send a single UK representative. When appropriate, they will consult the devolved Administrations.

---