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17 July 2006 : Column 224W—continued
Benefit Take-up
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of (a) the number of people who were entitled to but not claiming (i) unemployment benefit and (ii) incapacity benefit in (A) rural and (B) non-rural areas in each year since 1997 and (b) what proportion each figure represents of all those entitled to each benefit. [85921]
Mr. Plaskitt: Estimates are not available below national level for income-based jobseeker’s allowance. The national estimates are available in the DWP report entitled “Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up”. Copies of the latest publication, which describes patterns in take-up since 1997-98, together with past reports, are available in the Library.
No estimates are available for incapacity benefit.
Computer Software
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's policy is on the treatment of depreciation of computer software; and whether any extraordinary charges in respect of computer software assets have been made in the last three years. [82526]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department has a policy to depreciate software using a straight-line method, at rates calculated to write off the current replacement cost, less estimated residual value, of each asset in equal instalments over its expected useful life.
Assets are depreciated from the month following acquisition or from when the asset is brought into use, if later.
Software purchases are depreciated over a period of five years. Software licences and software development
costs are depreciated over a period of five years or the life of the asset or licence period, if shorter.
No extraordinary charges have been made in the last three years in respect of software.
Crisis Loans
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on crisis loans for people in (a) Stroud and (b) Gloucestershire in each of the last five years. [84153]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Crisis loans for area covered by Gloucestershire Jobcentre Plus district | |
| Expenditure (£) | |
| Notes: 1. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency or county, but only by Jobcentre Plus district. 2. From April 2002, Stroud parliamentary constituency and the county of Gloucestershire were in Gloucestershire Jobcentre Plus district, previously known as Gloucestershire Social Fund district. This district merged with another district in April 2005. The figure for 2005-06 in the table is for the area covered by the former Gloucestershire Jobcentre Plus district. 3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1,000. Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System. | |
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on crisis loans for people in Coventry, South in each of the last five years. [84848]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Crisis loans for area covered by Coventry and Warwickshire Jobcentre Plus district | |
| Expenditure (£) | |
| Notes: 1. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency but only by Jobcentre Plus district. 2. The parliamentary constituency of Coventry South is in the Jobcentre Plus district of Coventry and Warwickshire. This district was formed in September 2002 by merging the Social Fund district of Coventry and the Social Fund district of Warwickshire. The expenditure for these two districts has been combined in the table. 3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1,000. Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System. | |
Departmental Staff (Sickness Absence)
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2006, Official Report, column 1296W, on departmental staff, how many staff in his Department have had more than two periods of sickness of less than five days in two or more of the years for which he has provided figures. [84045]
Mrs. McGuire: Full information on how many staff in the DWP have had more than two periods of sickness of less than five days or more in two or more years is not collated and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Oxfordshire include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest rate, (b) middle rate and (c) lowest rate. [82202]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the chief executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran, dated 17 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Oxfordshire include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest rate (b) middle rate and (c) lowest rate.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information available is in the following tables:
| Recipients of disability living allowance with learning difficulties by rate of care award as at November 2005 in Oxfordshire parliamentary constituencies | ||||
| Care component | ||||
| Total with care component | Highest rate | Middle rate | Lowest rate | |
| Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data. | ||||
| Recipients of Disability Living Allowance with learning difficulties by rate of care award as at November 2005 in Oxfordshire local authorities | ||||
| Care component | ||||
| Total with care component | Highest rate | Middle rate | Lowest rate | |
| Notes: 1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 4. Figures are based on the care component condition only. Source: DWP, WPLS 100 per cent. data. | ||||
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Somerset include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest, (b) middle and (c) lowest rate. [82282]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mr. Terry Moran. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Terry Moran, dated 17 July 2006:
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in Somerset include a person with a learning disability who receives the care component of disability living allowance at the (a) highest (b) middle and (c) lowest rate.
The Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire MP, promised you a substantive reply from the Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service.
The information available is in the following table:
I hope this is helpful.
Financial Assistance Scheme
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what additional resources his Department estimates would be needed to extend the provision of the financial assistance scheme to those aged (a) between 59 and 62, (b) between 55 and 59 and (c) under 55; and if he will make a statement; [69545]
(2) what estimate he has made of the additional resources needed to extend the provision of the financial assistance scheme to those who otherwise fulfil the eligibility criteria but who are aged (a) below 55 and (b) between 55 and 59; and if he will make a statement. [70747]
James Purnell: Eligibility for the financial assistance scheme is based on the number of years to normal scheme retirement age when the financial assistance scheme was introduced in May 2004. People within three years of their normal scheme retirement age qualify for payments when they reach 65. Not all schemes have a retirement age of 65. Estimates of the cost of extending the financial assistance scheme to individuals of specific ages are not available.
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