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18 Apr 2006 : Column 425W—continued
Obsolete Publications
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the disposal of the stock of obsolete publications identified on page 90 on his Resource Accounts 2004–05, indicating in each case (a) the name of publication, (b) the number of copies disposed of, (c) the nature of disposal and (d) the reason for overestimation of print run required. [52578]
Mrs. McGuire:
The obsolete publications referred to in the Resource Account 2004–05 were those made by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). During that year some 1,032 stock lines (271,714 copies) were subject to disposal and adjustment.
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Of the total there were two major disposals; 165,771 copies across 783 stock lines (61 per cent. of total) were due to the disposal of slow moving stock. This followed a recommendation from the National Audit Office that HSE should reduce its stock levels. A significant number of these publications were quite longstanding, and demand was initially based on placing orders for larger volumes in order to achieve cheaper print costs. Following the larger than usual level of disposals in 2004–05, HSE has put in place a policy of setting shorter print runs to better reflect actual demand.
A further 82,619 copies across 18 stock lines (30 per cent. of total) were disposed of due to a revision of the content, requiring the current stocks to be replaced by revised versions. This was an exceptionally high and unusual level of disposal. HSE have since changed the way in which the content of their publications is reviewed to help avoid a re-occurrence.
The remainder of the disposals in 2004–05 were due to publications being withdrawn because a brand new publication superseded current guidance, or a publication became obsolete and the guidance or information was no longer required. There were also a small number of write offs for stock damaged in transit or storage, and adjustments made following the annual stock count.
Older Workers
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged between 50 years and State Pension age were working (a) without a level 2 qualification, (b) with a work-limiting health condition and (c) without a level 2 qualification and with a work-limiting health condition in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2005. [58687]
Margaret Hodge: We have already made good progress in encouraging older people to take an active role in the labour market. The employment rates for men and women aged 50 to State Pension Age are now higher than at any time since the early-mid 1980s, and the gap between this and the overall rate has decreased. We are determined to give people greater choice and opportunity to stay in work as long as they wish.
The information requested is in the following table.
Notes:
Numbers rounded to the nearest 10,000, percentages to nearest percentage point. Individuals whose highest qualification is below O-level/GCSE A-C and those with fewer than five O-level /GCSE A-C passes are considered to lack level 2 qualifications.
Source:
Labour Force Survey (LFS),
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Parliamentary Questions
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will respond to question (a) 32429, (b) 32430 and (c) 32432 on departmental staff, tabled by the hon. Member for Putney on 23 November 2005; and if he will make a statement. [42503]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 16 January 2006]: Replies were given to the hon. Member as follows:
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many ordinary written parliamentary questions tabled for answer by him in the past 12 months have been answered (a) within 14 days, (b) between 14 and 28 days, (c) between 28 days and two months and (d) in excess of two months after the date of tabling; and if he will make a statement. [49892]
Mrs. McGuire:
For the year 7 February 2005 to 6 February 2006 inclusive, the number of ordinary written parliamentary questions tabled for answer by
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him in the past 12 months which were answered (a) within 14 days (b) after between 14 and 28 days (c) between 28 days and two months and (d) in excess of two months after the date of tabling were:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| (a) Within 14 days | 1,469 |
| (b) After between 14 and 28 days | 617 |
| (c) Between 28 days and two months | 230 |
| (d) In excess of two months after the date of tabling | 287 |
Pathways to Work
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Pathways to Work participants have found work within (a) one month, (b) two months, (c) six months, (d) 12 months and (e) more than 12 months; and how many in each category had been claiming incapacity benefit for (i) up to six months, (ii) six to 12 months, (iii) 12 months to five years and (iv) more than five years. [38249]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is in the following tables:
Notes:
1. Statistics quoted in this response are taken from the Pathways to Work Evaluation database.
2. Due to time lags in the benefits data a cohort of Pathways starts to the end of May 2005 have been considered.
3. For new/repeat customers the Pathways start date and the benefit start date are effectively the same.
4. Not all Pathways spell starts have a benefit claim start date matched to them. This is because the benefits data are taken from the National Benefits Database which does not include a proportion of short term Incapacity Benefit claims.
5. This response is based on the number of Pathways spells rather than the number of individuals who have started Pathways. This is because an individual may have multiple spells on Pathways but their interaction within Pathways may be different in different spells.
6. Database development work is required to merge the clerical data used as a basis for reporting on mandated stock customers to our benefits data. This work is currently in progress but resource is not available to complete this within the timescale for this question.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost per participant has been in the job brokering option of Pathways to work. [59802]
Margaret Hodge: Job brokering services for Pathways to work participants are provided through the new deal for disabled people (NDDP). We estimate that the average cost per participant in the NDDP element of the Pathways to work pilots is £1,600.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average cost per participant of the Condition Management Programme option of the Pathways to Work pilots. [59856]
Mrs. McGuire: We estimate that the average cost per participant in the Condition Management Programme element of the Pathways to Work pilots is £1,500.
Danny Alexander:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 7 February 2006 to the hon. Member for Romford
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(Andrew Rosindell), Official Report, column 1170W, on pathways to work, how the estimate of £400 funding per participant was calculated; and what the main components of the cost were. [59943]
Margaret Hodge: The £400 figure is an estimate of the average cost per participant in pathways to work pilots. The figure represents the total cost of the pathways to work programme, excluding the return to work credit element, divided by the total number of programme starts.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the numbers returning to work each year (a) in current Pathways to work pilot areas and (b) when the scheme is fully operational. [49803]
Margaret Hodge: There were 13,500 recorded job entries in Pathways to work areas in the year to October 2005.
We have not yet made an assessment of the total number of annual job entries that would result from a nationally rolled out service.
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