House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Feb 2006 (pt 38)

15 Feb 2006 : Column 2177W—continued

Departmental Staff

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the cost to be included in the departmental expenditure limits for involuntary and voluntary staff exit schemes in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08; and if he will make a statement. [32430]

Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 28 November 2006]: The latest estimate of the cost to be included in the departmental expenditure limit on voluntary and voluntary exits is in the following table.

£ million

2005–06 213

2006–07 85

2007–08 205

	£ million
2005–06	213
2006–07	85
2007–08	205

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to change the London allowance of its staff; and if he will make a statement. [50010]

Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions no longer has separate London allowances" for its staff. Instead the Department has four pay zones which all attract different rates of basic pay: inner London; outer London; specified location pay zones, which are a number of offices in the South East which have experienced recruitment difficulties in the past; and national, which covers the rest of the country. The difference between pay rates in the national zone and inner London differs for each pay scale, but is generally about £3,500.

The pay scales are fixed until July 2007 as part of a three year pay deal agreed with the unions in 2004. The negotiations with the unions about the detail of pay 2007 will cover the full range of pay arrangements, including the approach to geographic pay.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department are paid on a performance-related basis. [50481]

Mrs. McGuire: All employees below senior civil service level are eligible for bonuses, depending on their level of performance. For members of the senior civil service both their bonuses and their base pay increases are dependent on performance.

Disability Symbol

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the criteria are for use by an organisation of the two tick disability symbol; under what circumstances organisations lose the right to use

15 Feb 2006 : Column 2178W

the symbol; and how many organisations have lost the right to use the symbol in each of the last five years. [44512]

Mrs. McGuire: The Disability Symbol does not apply in Belfast North as the scheme does not operate in Northern Ireland. However, in the rest of the UK, organisations applying for symbol status must agree to meet commitments, which cover guaranteeing an interview for disabled people who meet the minimum requirements for the job, consultation with disabled employees on developing and using their abilities, retention, disability awareness and review.

Front-line Staff

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what definition he uses of front-line staff as referred to in the introduction to the 2005 departmental report. [45239]

Mrs. McGuire: The front-line staff referred to in the introduction to the 2005 departmental report are defined as those staff that have regular, direct contact with customers. The definition is included in the Department's Efficiency Technical Note, which is published on the Department's website.

Full-time Carers (Financial Support)

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial support the Government have made available to full-time carers since 1997. [45882]

Mrs. McGuire: The Government's national carers strategy, which we developed with carers and the organisations that represent them and published in 1999, has achieved much in improving the financial support for carers, including older carers, through carer's allowance and other benefits, and through introduction of the carers grant to support local authorities in providing breaks and services for carers. Carers have access to the full range of social security benefits depending on their individual circumstances.

We have extended access to carer's allowance to carers aged 65 and over through abolition of the age limit which precluded them from claiming the benefit; extended entitlement to carer's allowance for up to eight weeks after the death of the person being cared for; linked the amount, net of allowable expenses, that a carer's allowance recipient can earn from paid employment to the level of the annually increased national insurance lower earnings limit; and increased in April 2001 the carer premium in income support and other income-related benefits by an extra £10 a week on top of the normal uprating.

Since 1997, the number of carers receiving carer's allowance has increased by 21 percent. to over 437,000, with a further 287,000 entitled to but not in receipt of carer's allowance (because they receive another income maintenance benefit). Expenditure on the benefit has increased by 26 percent. in real terms (at 2005–06 prices) and is expected to be over £1.1 billion in 2005–06. Some 207,000 carers under 60 years of age also receive extra help through the carer premium in income support, and over 164,000 pension credit recipients (households) receive the additional amount for carers.

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In addition, most carers entitled to carer's allowance are credited with national insurance contributions to protect their entitlement to state pension and around two million carers will benefit from the special arrangements we have made for them in the state second pension.

In the last local government finance settlement we confirmed our commitment to continue the carers grant beyond 2006. Until at least the end of the 2007–08 financial year, provision for the grant will be £185 million a year.

Source:

Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study Data May 05

15 Feb 2006 : Column 2180W

Gas Safety

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deaths occurred due to carbon monoxide poisoning in each of the last 10 years; and how many of these deaths involved (a) liquid petroleum gas, (b) fire and explosions, (c) exposure to unburnt gas from piped gas and (d) exposure to carbon dioxide from piped gas. [50998]

Mrs. McGuire: An analysis of gas-related incidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive in the last 10 years shows the following breakdown of fatalities from exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), fire and explosions, and other exposure (these are primarily from exposure to unburnt gas from piped gas):
Number of gas-related fatalities by incident kind and year

Exposure to CO
Fire and explosion

Piped Gas LPG Piped Gas LPG Other exposure⁽⁴⁴⁾ Total

1995–96 29 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— 6 ⁽⁴⁵⁾— — 35

1996–97 29 2 9 — — 40

1997–98 24 4 8 — — 36

1998–99 29 8 8 3 — 48

1999–00 18 8 10 — — 36

2000–01 20 5 9 1 — 35

2001–02 15 7 5 — — 27

2002–03 17 3 4 1 — 25

2003–04 8 3 5 — 2 18

2004–05⁽⁴⁶⁾ 16 2 2 — 2 22

Grand total 205 42 66 5 4 322

⁽⁴⁴⁾ Information on 'other exposures' was not collected prior to 2003–04.
⁽⁴⁵⁾ In the case of exposure to CO and fire & explosion, these are separated into those from piped gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
⁽⁴⁶⁾ The figures for 2004–05 are provisional.
Notes:
1. HSE does not collect information on exposure to carbon dioxide.
2. Information on LPG was not collected separately prior to 1996–97.
3. These figures may not correspond with official statistics because the analysis has been conducted using a different source.

	Exposure to CO	Fire and explosion
	Piped Gas	LPG	Piped Gas	LPG	Other exposure⁽⁴⁴⁾	Total
1995–96	29	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	6	⁽⁴⁵⁾—	—	35
1996–97	29	2	9	—	—	40
1997–98	24	4	8	—	—	36
1998–99	29	8	8	3	—	48
1999–00	18	8	10	—	—	36
2000–01	20	5	9	1	—	35
2001–02	15	7	5	—	—	27
2002–03	17	3	4	1	—	25
2003–04	8	3	5	—	2	18
2004–05⁽⁴⁶⁾	16	2	2	—	2	22
Grand total	205	42	66	5	4	322

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions there have been by the Health and Safety Executive of unregistered gas installers in each of the last 10 years; and how many of these were successful. [50999]

Mrs. McGuire: The number of prosecutions relating to unregistered gas installers is as follows:

Reg 3(3)1
Reg 3(7)2
Total

Total number of prosecution actions taken Of which: Convictions Total number of prosecution actions taken Of which: Convictions Total number of prosecution actions taken Of which: Convictions

1996–97 36 33 0 0 36 33

1997–98 57 53 0 0 57 53

1998–99 56 51 0 0 56 51

1999–2000 50 39 3 0 53 39

2000–01 23 22 8 8 31 30

2001–02 27 17 4 0 31 17

2002–03 34 32 12 11 46 43

2003–04 20 18 7 7 27 25

2004–05⁽⁴⁹⁾ 21 20 5 5 ⁽⁵⁰⁾26 (29) ⁽⁵⁰⁾25 (28)

⁽⁴⁷⁾ Regulation 3(3) requires installers to be a member of a class of persons approved by HSE (i.e. CORGI registered).
⁽⁴⁸⁾ Regulation 3(7) prohibits anyone from falsely pretending to be a member of a class of persons (i.e. CORGI registered).
⁽⁴⁹⁾ The information for 2004–05 is provisional.
⁽⁵⁰⁾ In 2004–05, there were also three successful prosecutions under Reg 3 which have not been allocated to a sub-reg number. In summary 29 prosecutions were made, 28 of which were successful.
Note:
The question seeks information for each of the last 10 years. The table sets out data from 1996–97. Access to older data is not readily available and would require the restoration of archived databases.
Source:
Health and Safety Executive, Safety and Enforcement Statistics.

	Reg 3(3)1	Reg 3(7)2	Total
	Total number of prosecution actions taken	Of which: Convictions	Total number of prosecution actions taken	Of which: Convictions	Total number of prosecution actions taken	Of which: Convictions
1996–97	36	33	0	0	36	33
1997–98	57	53	0	0	57	53
1998–99	56	51	0	0	56	51
1999–2000	50	39	3	0	53	39
2000–01	23	22	8	8	31	30
2001–02	27	17	4	0	31	17
2002–03	34	32	12	11	46	43
2003–04	20	18	7	7	27	25
2004–05⁽⁴⁹⁾	21	20	5	5	⁽⁵⁰⁾26 (29)	⁽⁵⁰⁾25 (28)

15 Feb 2006 : Column 2181W

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding has been spent by his Department on reducing rates of carbon monoxide poisoning in each of the past 10 years; and what steps the Government is taking (a) to promote gas safety awareness and (b) to prevent deaths by carbon monoxide poisoning. [51001]

Mrs. McGuire: The amount spent by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on campaigns to publicise the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in each of the past 10 years was as follows:

Amount (£)

1995–96 ⁽⁵¹⁾1,374,000

1996–97 101,000

1997–98 695,000

1998–99 82,000

1999–2000 150,000

2000–01 150,000

2001–02 250,000

2002–03 150,000

2003–04 112,000

2004–05 100,000

⁽⁵¹⁾ Inc. TV and radio.

	Amount (£)
1995–96	⁽⁵¹⁾1,374,000
1996–97	101,000
1997–98	695,000
1998–99	82,000
1999–2000	150,000
2000–01	150,000
2001–02	250,000
2002–03	150,000
2003–04	112,000
2004–05	100,000

Additionally, during the period, £101,000 was spent maintaining the Gas Advice Helpline.

During 2006, HSE is undertaking a major review of the gas safety regime and this will be launched at a stakeholder forum on 20 February. The review is aimed at ensuring that the gas safety regime is based on the most sensible and proportionate approach to managing the risk. It will include research to examine the scale of the CO problem and awareness of the risks.

Other interdepartmental efforts to promote CO awareness have included:

HSE has worked with ODPM on their Home Fire Risk Check Initiative, where, in addition to smoke alarm installation, funding is also available for fire and rescue services to purchase and install a number of carbon monoxide detectors to offer additional protection.

DH produced a leaflet in autumn 2005 about domestic carbon monoxide poisoning that is endorsed by HSE, industry and the registered charity CO-Gas Safety. In his update newsletter of 11 January 2006, the Chief Medical Officer gave advice to all doctors in England on how to recognise CO poisoning.

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