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26 Jun 2006 : Column 62W—continued


Pension credit household recipients and average weekly amount of benefit for wards in Kensington and Chelsea, November 2005
Ward name Household recipients Average weekly benefit (£)

Abingdon

220

74.70

Brompton

165

66.34

Campden

140

71.92

Courtfield

165

66.02

Cremorne

505

66.42

Earl's Court

375

73.05

Hans Town

235

61.82

Holland(1)

175

84.40

Pembridge

215

67.51

Queen's Gate

120

84.75

Redcliffe

245

66.25

Royal Hospital

280

49.67

Stanley

220

59.71

Kensington and Chelsea Constituency Total

3,150

67.77

(1) Only part of Holland ward falls within Kensington and Chelsea parliamentary constituency.
Notes:
1. The number of claimants is rounded to a multiple of five and average amounts to the nearest penny therefore ward totals do not always sum to area totals.
2. Some figures in Westminster Constituency have been suppressed due to there being less than 10 claimants within those wards. Suppressed figures are marked as “—“.
3. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries.
4. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either on behalf of themselves only or on behalf of a household. This number is equal to the number of households in receipt of pension credit.
Source:
DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) 100 per cent. data.

Pensions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what circumstances a credit will be awarded towards a qualifying year for (a) the basic state pension and state second pension, (b) the basic state pension only and (c) the state second pension only, if the proposals in the May 2006 White Paper ‘Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system’ are implemented in full; and which credits will apply on a weekly basis. [76607]

James Purnell: The White Paper ‘Security in retirement: towards a new pensions system’ (Cm 6841) sets out a package of proposed reforms. It includes a number of measures which would help to make the system more flexible, and make national insurance credits more valuable and more generous.

The proposed reduction of the number of qualifying years needed for a full basic state pension to 30 is a very significant change that makes the system more flexible;
26 Jun 2006 : Column 63W
it allows people to undertake a variety of activities during their working lives, and still be able to build a full basic state pension. This would be particularly beneficial to women.

Credits would be made more valuable by removing the first contribution condition, so that credits count towards pension entitlements in exactly the same way as paid contributions for the first time. This clearly signals that social contributions are rewarded and recognised by society in the same way as paid work. The credits would be awarded on a weekly basis only to the extent needed for the year to become a qualifying year.

In addition to making credits more valuable, the credits system would be made more comprehensive and generous, by reforming home responsibilities protection into a weekly credit and introducing new weekly credits for parents and carers—aligned in BSP and S2P and these would count towards satisfying the qualifying years in the same way as paid contributions.

Assuming the White Paper proposals are implemented in full, the new credits to be introduced are shown in the following table:

BSP S2P

Carer’s credit (20 hours' caring)

Yes

Yes

Parent's credit

Yes

Yes

Foster carer's credit

Yes

Yes


All the credits will be awarded on a weekly basis.

There will be no specific circumstances in which state second pension will accrue without there being entitlement to basic state pension.

Circumstances in which credits are currently awarded towards basic state pension are listed in the following table. Whether there is also eligibility for state second pension, if credits are awarded throughout the tax year, is also noted.

BSP S2P

Starting credits (aged 16 to 18)

Yes

No

Approved training courses

Yes

No

Jury Service

Yes

No

Former prisoners with quashed convictions

Yes

No

Men aged 60 to 64(1)

Yes

No

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Yes

No

Incapacity Benefit (short-term)

Yes

No

Incapacity Benefit (long-term)

Yes

(2)Yes

Severe Disablement Allowance

Yes

Yes

Carer’s Allowance

Yes

Yes

Statutory Sick Pay

Yes

No

Statutory Adoption Pay

Yes

No

Working Tax Credit

Yes

No

Maternity Allowance

Yes

No

Unemployability supplement

Yes

No

Unemployed, actively seeking work (no JSA)

Yes

No

Incapable of work through illness (no IB)

Yes

(2)Yes

(1) lf the White Paper proposals are implemented in full, these will be phased out in line with the increase in women’s state pension age.
(2) This is currently subject to satisfying the labour market test.


26 Jun 2006 : Column 64W

Private Members' Bills

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Private Members' Bills were drafted by his Department in each session since 1997; and which subsequently received Royal Assent. [78856]

Mrs. McGuire: Members will consider a range of possible subjects before introducing their Private Members' Bills.

Government draftsmen do draft some Bills in advance which are available as one of the options for Members to consider before they make their selection.

However, Members may make subsequent amendments or revisions to a Government drafted Bill, or use it as the basis for a Private Member’s Bill in the future.

The information requested is therefore not collected.

Remploy Review

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the review of Remploy to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [77480]

Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement I made on 6 June 2006, Official Report, column 26WS.

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether hon. Members are able to make submissions to the review of Remploy being undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers; and if he will make a statement. [79023]

Mrs. McGuire: The purpose of the independent strategic review is to explore future business options for Remploy that are consistent with the Government's strategy for supporting the employment of greater numbers of disabled people.

In delivering the review the PricewaterhouseCoopers team has met with a range of stakeholders including: the management and staff of Remploy, at a variety of sites; trade unions; disabled people and employers using Remploy's Interwork services; other providers of services supporting disabled people into and in work; and a number of disability organisations.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has reviewed carefully all the information it has gathered and is considering all the options to determine the advice it will put forward in the written report. Since the team has now reached the stage where it is writing the report it will not be possible for it to consider further submissions.


26 Jun 2006 : Column 65W

As indicated in my written statement of 6 June 2006, Official Report, column 26WS, we will make a further statement before the summer recess.

Rubber and Plastics Research Association Technology

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what requirements in relation to pension funds were imposed on Rubber and Plastics Research Association Technology in Shawbury, Shropshire before it went into administration. [79754]

James Purnell: None, over and above the standard legislative framework that applies to all such occupational defined benefit schemes.


26 Jun 2006 : Column 66W

Staff Reductions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reductions in staff numbers have been made in his Department and in each agency and non-departmental public body for which he is responsible since (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; what staff reductions are planned over the next 12 months in each business area; and if he will make a statement. [35724]

Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 12 December 2006]: Information on the reductions in staff numbers in each business area in the Department for Work and Pensions from the date specified to 31 March 2006 is in the following table.

Actual staffing at 31 March 2006 Reduction from 31 March 2003 Reduction from 1 March 2004( 1) Reduction from 31 March 2005 Further planned reduction to 31 March 2007 Plans

Department for Work and Pensions

Jobcentre Plus

71,222

8,084

10,845

3,253

2,672

The Pension Service

13,846

4,336

6,045

2,573

46

Child Support Agency

11,034

347

+106

+1,049

384

Disability and Carers Service

6,398

895

864

216

348

Appeals Service

759

134

91

5

n/a

The Rent Service

674

n/a

(2)

52

24

Other Departmental Units (includes non-departmental public bodies)

10,834

2,118

704

1,202

584

Departmental Total

114,767

15,240

18,443

6,252

4,817

Health and Safety Executive

Health and Safety Executive

3,943

219

+66

+40

259

(1) Baseline date for efficiency challenge
(2) The baseline position as at 1 March 2004 is adjusted to reflect the move of the Rent Service from 1 April 2004 from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Notes:
1. Figures are consistent with ONS definitions, are civil service full time equivalent posts (rounded) and are point in time as at the dates specified.
2. The Appeals Service moved to the Department for Constitutional Affairs on 1 April 2006.
3. Disability and Carers Service was granted Agency status from 1 November 2004.
4. CSA staffing levels have increased to support the Operational Improvement Plan announced on 9 February 2006.

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