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14 Jun 2006 : Column 1288W—continued
Benefits (Information Leaflets)
Mr. Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to ensure that leaflets on pensions and disability benefits from his Department are freely available at (a) post offices, (b) libraries, (c) doctors’ surgeries, (d) council offices and (e) citizens advice bureaux. [44037]
Mrs. McGuire: Although there is no national agreement for the display of leaflets at libraries, doctors’ surgeries, council offices and citizens advice bureaux there are a number of routes which ensure the availability of leaflets at these locations.
The Pension Service’s local service teams, located throughout England, Scotland and Wales, have local partnerships with external organisations and formally monitor the use and availability of leaflets at ‘Hard Copy Information Points’ on partner premises. They also share local knowledge and experience of which leaflets are the most popular and most useful to our customers.
The 80,000 subscribers to the Department’s Publicity Register receive a quarterly newsletter called ‘Touchbase’ which provides details of current and forthcoming information campaigns. Subscribers are also able to order leaflets directly from the Department through its on-line catalogue of information products.
Some private companies provide information services in public locations such as libraries and doctors’ waiting rooms. The costs of providing this service are usually met directly by the Department or by the venue but the information remains free of any charge to the public.
Recent customer research has indicated that disabled people would prefer information to be available at the point of diagnosis. The Disability and Carers Service are proposing to develop an awareness poster for display in locations such as doctors’ surgeries, hospitals and local authorities that will signpost potential customers to more detailed information. Where possible the outlet displaying the poster will also hold stocks of leaflets.
There is no longer any contractual agreement with the Post Office to display DWP leaflets.
Carers
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether receipt of state pension affects the level of carer’s allowance granted to carers. [70321]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 12 May 2006]: Yes, the payment of carer’s allowance is affected by receipt of state pension.
The payment of state pension takes precedence because it is a contributory benefit, either extinguishing the payment of carer’s allowance, or reducing it if the amount of carer’s allowance due is higher.
Although this will mean that carer’s allowance is not payable, or not payable in full, an underlying entitlement to carer’s allowance gives access to the carer premium in housing benefit and council tax benefit and to the carer’s additional amount in pension credit.
Correspondence
Sir Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 17 March 2006. [67320]
Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 2 May 2006]: I replied to the hon. Member on 2 May 2006.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on (a) Christmas cards, (b) Christmas decorations and (c) Christmas parties in each year since 1997. [39181]
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to his Department of sending Christmas cards in 2005. [46482]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions was formed in 2002. The Department does not co-ordinate the purchase and distribution of Christmas cards centrally. However details on the cost of cards sent by Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and other areas of the Department can be found in the following table. Figures provided prior to 2005 in respect of other areas of the Department are based on the available information but may be under-estimates.
| Cost (£) | |||
| Ministers | Permanent Secretary | Other areas | |
| (1) Breakdown not available. | |||
Christmas cards are also sent out by the Department’s Executive Agencies, and I have asked the respective chief executives of these agencies to write to the hon. Members separately. A copy of their letters will be placed in the Library.
No expenditure was incurred on Christmas decorations in any year since the Department was formed.
Expenditure on Christmas parties was as follows:
| Ministers and Permanent Secretary Christmas party | ||
| £ | ||
| Cost to DWP( 1) | Cost | |
| (1) The Department only paid for approximately one third of the total cost. The Secretary of State and the Permanent Secretary paid personally for the remainder of the total cost reflecting broadly the proportion of external guests invited. (2) Information not available. | ||
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual expenditure on training and development by (a) his Department and (b) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) each of the English regions and (D) Northern Ireland was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005-06. [39989]
Mrs. McGuire: The following tables show the total expenditure for staff training and development for DWP, its agencies and its associate bodies at a national level. Full information by region is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| Training and Development expenditure for DWP 2002-03 to 2005-06 | |
| £ million | |
| (1 )Information for 2005-06 is incomplete. | |
| Training and Development expenditure for DWP’s agencies 2002-03 to 2005-06 | ||||
| £ million | ||||
| Agencies | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 |
| (1 )Information taken from the Rent Service Business Plan 2005-2006. | ||||
The categories of data gathered during this period have changed, limiting the usefulness of any year by year comparison. In addition to formal training, staff are developed in a variety of other ways including e-learning, coaching, and mentoring in the work place.
All these learning interventions are now reflected in the investment figures. Records have therefore become more accurate and comprehensive resulting in the apparent increase shown.
| Training and Development Expenditure for non departmental public bodies (NDPB’s) | ||||
| £ | ||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
|
Health & Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive | ||||
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent by his Department on salaries paid to civil servants in each year since 1997. [41581]
Mrs. McGuire: The information is in the following table.
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