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4 July 2006 : Column 963W—continued
I hope this is helpful.
Health and Safety Executive
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Freedom of Information requests were received by the Health and Safety Executive in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006; how many of these were rejected; and how many of those rejected were subsequently upheld by the Commissioner. [80460]
Mrs. McGuire: Information on Freedom of Information requests made to the Health and Safety Executive is as follows:
| 2005 | 2006( 1) | |
| (1) To date. | ||
To date HSE has not received any decisions from the Information Commissioner’s Office regarding referred cases.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants moved from the short-term lower rate on to the short-term higher rate without first undertaking the personal capability assessment in each year since the introduction of the assessment. [70791]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 12 May 2006]: Information about the timing of the personal capability assessment (PCA) in relation to the point at which the higher rates of incapacity benefit become payable is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants there have been in Bristol East in each year since 2000. [80588]
Mrs. McGuire: The available information is in the following table.
| Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants in the Bristol East parliamentary constituency, as at November each year | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. ‘Claimants’ figures include all incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance, including incapacity benefit credits only cases. Source: DWP Information Directorate, Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data. | |
Ministerial Visits (Overnight Stays)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 18 May 2006, Official Report, column 1154W, on overnight stays, how the cost of overnight stays by Ministers of State in his Department is monitored; and if he will begin to keep a separate record of such stays. [77190]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department does not keep a separate record of overnight accommodation costs for Ministers. Overnight stays are carried out in accordance with the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers. There are no plans to start keeping a separate record of the cost of overnight stays.
Motability Scheme
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 13 to 19 years were refused help from the Motability scheme in 2005. [69740]
Mrs. McGuire: The number of people aged 13 to 19 that were unable to receive assistance from Motability in 2005 are in the following table:
Public Consultations
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 1292W, on departmental expenditure, what mechanisms are in place to ensure value for money in public consultations. [80752]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions follows the Code of Practice on consultation as a key element of its policy development. Criterion 3 of the code requires Departments to ensure that their consultations are
‘...clear, concise, and widely accessible.’
The Department for Work and Pensions seeks to strike a balance between the accessibility and value for money of its public consultations. In accordance with the code, the Department's consultation co-ordinator advises colleagues on best practice and is integral to consultation planning and delivery. The Department works closely with its key stakeholders, intermediaries, and charitable organisations to broaden the coverage of its consultations. As well as obtaining the views of the wider public, stakeholders have hosted public consultative events on key policy issues which Ministers and officials have attended.
In accordance with Government best practice, consultation documents are made available on-line to ensure the widest possible best-value coverage.
By following the code, and making effective use of consultative channels, DWP has been able to take on board the views both of those likely to be affected and of relevant experts. Consequently Government are considerably more likely to meet their policy objectives, thus rendering consultation invaluable.
Remploy
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the review team looking at the future of Remploy Ltd. to present its final report; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library once it has been presented to him. [81677]
Mrs. McGuire: I have not yet received PricewaterhouseCoopers' report on Remploy, but expect to do so shortly. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library in due course.
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the recommendations on the future of Remploy Ltd. made in the final report of the current review of Remploy’s future business options, if he will consult interested parties prior to decisions being made on the future of Remploy Ltd. and any of its factories. [81678]
Mrs. McGuire: In conducting the review, PricewaterhouseCoopers have consulted a range of stakeholders, including employees, trade unions, customers, Remploy managers and DWP’s Disability Employment Advisory Committee. As the review team has not yet reported I have not formed any conclusions or developed proposals for the future strategic direction of Remploy. At this stage I cannot therefore determine whether further consultation is appropriate.
Staff Training
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what arrangements are in place for monitoring the (a) quality and (b) outcomes of staff training in his Department and its agencies. [80327]
Mrs. McGuire: We have arrangements in place that cover all areas of the Department and its agencies that capture all staff training activity, the effectiveness of the individual training events and the impact on business performance. These arrangements are consistent with the Investors in People standards and are externally validated to help us focus on developing our staff in the most effective way.
Work and Pensions Committee Recommendations
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what actions have been taken by his Department to implement Work and Pensions Select Committee recommendations since the 2001-02 session; and if he will make a statement. [78859]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold a central record of actions taken to implement recommendations made by the Work and Pensions Select Committee and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, the Government are required to respond formally to reports published by the Committee and those responses set out whether or not the Government accept the recommendations presented by the Committee and the actions it proposes to take.
Constitutional Affairs
Compensation
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which a compensation culture exists. [75833]
Bridget Prentice: The Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF) report: “Better Routes to Redress” published in May 2004 found that the “compensation culture” is a myth, because the number of claims and litigation is not in fact rising. But that it is a damaging myth that needs to be tackled, because the widespread belief that claims are rising, leads to a disproportionate fear of litigation and risk averse behaviour.
The Government are therefore taking forward a wide- ranging programme of work, with the core objectives of preventing a compensation culture from developing; tackling perceptions that can lead to a disproportionate fear of litigation and risk averse behaviour; finding ways to discourage and resist bad claims; and improving the system for those with a valid claim for compensation.
Departmental Staff
Dr. Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people were employed by (a) HM Land Registry, (b) National Archives, (c) HM Courts Service and (d) the Public Guardianship Office in each region in each of the last 12 months for which data are available; and how many and what percentage of posts were vacant in each region in each month. [51331]
Vera Baird: The figures requested are published in civil service statistics. Departments should refer to Table A which covers staff numbers (FTE and headcount basis) for each organisation. Civil service statistics are available in the Library and at the following address on the Cabinet Office statistics website: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/index.asp.
The number of posts which were vacant in Departments is not collected centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Deposited Papers
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the deposited papers placed in the Library by her Department since 2000; and when each was published. [81266]
Vera Baird: Currently my Department does not record this information. However, a system will be set up to shortly to record all papers that will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Draft Legislation
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what draft Bills have been produced by her Department since October 2005; how many were (a) examined and (b) are planned to be
examined by (i) a departmental Select Committee and (ii) a Joint Committee; what draft Bills are still to be produced by her Department; when each is expected to be published; how many clauses each has; and if she will make a statement. [81263]
Vera Baird: My Department has published two draft Bills since October 2005, the Legal Services Bill and the Coroners Bill.
The draft Legal Services Bill is undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny before the Joint Committee on the Draft Legal Services Bill, which aims to report by 25 July. The Coroners Bill is undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny before the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee.
A further draft bill may be published this session, the Courts and Tribunals Bill. As yet no Select Committee has expressed an interest in conducting pre-legislative scrutiny nor are there any plans to put together a Joint Committee.
Announcements on future legislation and future draft legislation will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny, which will be indicated in the Queen's Speech.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her practice is regarding meeting, discussing and taking into account the views and opinions of (a) private individuals and (b) representatives of organisations, when drawing up and framing legislation to be introduced by her Department; and if she will make a statement. [81264]
Vera Baird: The Department always seeks a full range of views when drawing up and framing legislation. In this regard, consultation is an essential part of the policy-making process, both informal and formal.
The Department's formal consultations, which abide by the code of conduct on consultation, are all available on the Department's website and they are also generally available in hard copy. The DCA website has a "what's new" section on its home page which lists new additions to the website, including new consultations, making them easier to find. Those who access the site can also make use of the Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed to be alerted when new content, including consultations, has been added to the Department's website.
Following consultation exercises, response papers are normally produced in accordance with the code on consultation to give feedback on the responses received and on how the consultation process influenced the further development of the policy.
Enduring Powers of Attorney
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what information her Department makes available on the signing of Enduring Powers of Attorney; and why the scheme is ending in April. [81411]
Ms Harman: The Public Guardianship Office (PGO) has information on its website regarding Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) and publishes a guide on how to make an Enduring Power of Attorney.
This document can be found on the PGO website at: http://www.guardianship.gov.uk/downloads/EPA.web.pdf This can be downloaded in large font, and easy to read formats.
The Enduring Powers of Attorney Act will be repealed on enactment of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, planned for April 2007. Enduring Powers of Attorney will be replaced by Lasting Powers of Attorney. These new legal instruments will cover deputy decision-making arrangements for both financial and heath and welfare issues. Lasting Powers of Attorney will offer additional safeguards and will provide the donor with more choice and flexibility as to whom they can appoint and the decisions that can be delegated to them.
Although the Enduring Powers of Attorney Act 1985 will be repealed on implementation of the Mental Capacity Act, the legal effect of an EPA already made under the current law will be preserved. It will be possible to make an EPA until the point of enactment, and people will still be able to register and use Enduring Powers of Attorney after the Act is implemented.
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