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Fuel Direct
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for Fuel Direct for (a) gas and (b) electricity by eligible consumers were approved by his Department but declined by an energy supplier in (i) each region of England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales in the last full year for which figures are available. [84378]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available.
Fuel Direct is part of the DWP Third Party Deduction (TPD) scheme. This is a system of last-resort protection available to the most vulnerable of our customers and is designed to shield a minority of people on income-related benefits from the consequences of getting into debt with essential household outgoings.
The
scheme works by deducting a prescribed amount at source from
someone’s weekly benefit, currently £2.90, and paying it
direct to the creditor until the debt is cleared. In fuel and water
cases an amount is also deducted to cover current consumption costs
preventing
further debt accruing. The scheme is regulated under Schedule 9 of the
Social Security (Claims and Payment) Regulations 1987 No. 1968. These
allow for either a benefit customer or a supplier, to make an
application for TPD. However, only the DWP Decision Maker can decide
whether or not the application is
accepted.
Funeral Payments
Mr. Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he next plans to increase funeral payments made by the Social Fund. [86730]
Mr. Plaskitt: Funeral Payments from the social fund cover the cost of certain necessary charges in full; these include fees levied by burial authorities and crematoria. An additional sum of up to £700 is allowed for other funeral expenses, which give the person arranging the funeral the freedom to select items or services they consider appropriate.
Although there are no plans to make changes to the Funeral Payment scheme at this time the level of help is kept under review.
Government Employment (St. Annes)
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans he has to reduce employment levels at the Government office site at Heyhouses Lane in St. Annes; and which business areas will be affected; [87606]
(2) what plans he has to relocate staff presently employed at the Government office site at Heyhouses Lane in St. Annes to other department locations within the Fylde area; [87607]
(3) when he expects to announce the outcome of his Department’s estates review. [87608]
Mrs. McGuire: My Department intends to make an announcement to staff on the position of its non-London Headquarters estate by the end of July.
Change to the size and shape of the Department’s estate will not automatically lead to a reduction in staff numbers. However, as set out in the 2004 Spending Review, the Department is currently managing a major efficiency programme which involves reducing staff numbers by 30,000 by March 2008. These reductions are being made in all parts of the Department and across all of the country.
Harassment Complaints
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment have been investigated in the Department in each of the last three years; and how many complaints have been upheld. [63529]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions records complaints relating to bullying and sexual harassment that are formally investigated by the Department. The following table contains information about the number of complaints that were formally investigated in the years 2003 to 2005. The figures in the table relate to the Department and all its businesses.
| Bullying | Sexual harassment | |||
| Number of investigations started | Number upheld | Number of investigations started | Number upheld | |
Hinkley Point B
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what response he has made to the safety assessment made by the Nuclear Safety Directorate of Hinkley Point B, Somerset of 3 April 2006; and what action he plans to take. [84450]
Mrs. McGuire: None. Accountability for the safety of the civil nuclear industry rests with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Health and Safety Executive’s Nuclear Safety Directorate is the independent nuclear safety regulator and I am satisfied that it will respond appropriately with regard to its own safety assessments.
Housing Benefits
Mr. Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many under 25-year-olds are in receipt of the shared room rate of the local housing allowance in each of the pathfinder areas. [85609]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
| Under 25-year-olds in receipt of the shared room rate of the local housing allowance in each of the pathfinder areas | |
| Pathfinder area | Number of recipients |
| (1)
A number less than 25. Note: Numbers are
rounded to the nearest 50 and as such components may not sum to
total. Source: Administrative data,
February
2006. | |
Identity Cards
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will publish the feasibility reports on identity cards following the Information Commissioner's decision reference FS50083103. [84989]
Mr. Plaskitt: The Department has appealed against the Information Commissioner's decision to an Information Tribunal and we await the outcome.
However, we have previously confirmed in replies to earlier parliamentary questions that a study on identity fraud by the Cabinet Office, published in 2002, estimated that up to £50 million per year of benefit fraud occurred as a result of identity fraud. This figure was derived from the Regional Benefit Review data collected from Jobseekers Allowance and Income Support claims. The introduction of an identity card would have a significant impact by removing the bulk of this loss.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2006, Official Report, column 1589W, on incapacity benefit, how many claimants sought help from his Department to find work during the period October 2003 to February 2006. [85719]
Mrs. McGuire Information on the number incapacity benefit claimants seeking help from this Department to find work during the period October 2003 to February 2006 is not available. Data are not held on the type of inquiries made by clients.
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures his Department has taken to help into work those in rural areas receiving incapacity benefits; and if he will make a statement. [85879]
Mr. Jim Murphy: All services that are available to all incapacity benefits claimants are available to clients in both rural and urban areas.
We produce an internal annual Rural Proofing Report for the Countryside Agency; this includes examples of how the Department has addressed service delivery issues in rural areas. A copy of the Countryside Agency's Rural Proofing Report for 2004-05 is available in the Library.
The Department has developed more flexible ways of delivering services through working in partnership with national and local organisations. For example, Jobcentre Plus advisers provide advice and information sessions through partners premises and in some areas mobile offices have been introduced to take the service on the road. Advances in technology are also being used to develop innovative ways of delivering services to customers, particularly for those in rural areas. We are also piloting our successful “Pathways to Work” programme in a range of different geographical locations, including areas such as Somerset in England and Argyll and Bute in Scotland which are significantly rural in character. The programme will be offered nationally by 2008.
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants there have been in West Suffolk in each year since 2000. [85500]
Mrs. McGuire: The available information is in the following table:
| Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants, in the Suffolk West parliamentary constituency: each November 2000 to 2005 | |
| Number of claimants | |
| Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 2. “Claimant”
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. | |
Jobcentre Plus
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial savings were achieved by Jobcentre Plus in 2005-06 against budget; and if he will make a statement. [86039]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what financial savings were achieved by Jobcentre Plus in 2005-06 against budget. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The financial figures for 2005-06 are currently being audited. The unaudited position for 2005-06 shows an overall saving of £94 million against budget, as set out in the table below.
| £ million | |||
| Budget | Outturn | Saving/(Overspend) | |
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the waiting time is for jobseeker's allowance claims to be processed in (a) the South-West and (b) Somerset from (i) contacting the contact centre and being given an appointment for interview and (ii) interview to receipt of benefit; and if he will make a statement. [63378]
Mr.
Jim Murphy: In June 2006, the average clearance time for
jobseeker’s allowance claims in the south-west region was 17
days, and for Somerset claims was
17 days. The average time taken for the contact centres to return a
customer's call was within the target 48 hours within the region. The
average time between contacting the contact centre and the claim being
taken in the Jobcentre was two
days.
We recognise that the delivery of jobseeker’s allowance in the south-west and Somerset are not as we would want and that is why we have put additional measures in place to improve performance. These include the recruitment of additional staffing and increased telephony capacity. These measures along with closer working within Jobcentre Plus have resulted in an improvement in average clearance time for the south-west and Somerset. Jobseeker’s allowance claims are now being actioned on the day of receipt in all processing centres. We anticipate the improving trend to continue.
We are also operating a fast track system for those customers in urgent need. Details of this have been shared with local stakeholders.
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what special considerations are given to women wearing the veil regarding their suitability for employment when they apply for jobseeker’s allowance; and if he will make a statement. [85016]
Mr. Jim Murphy: There are no special considerations given to a woman’s suitability for employment when wearing a veil or any other specific item of clothing.
Means Testing
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ask the Government Actuary’s Department to make an assessment of the assumptions underlying the projections of (a) public spending and (b) the extent of means testing inCm 6841; and if he will make a statement. [83807]
James Purnell: The assumptions and modelling techniques underpinning the analysis contained in Security in Retirement: towards a new pensions system (Cm 6841) have been developed and refined over a number of years through a process of regular contact and validation with a range of expert organisations. In the past year these have also been scrutinised by the independent Pensions Commission who found them to be broadly comparable with their own analysis.
As part of the consultation process on Cm 6841 we will continue to engage with such organisations, including the Government Actuary’s Department, to set out and explain in detail the analysis it contained, including our projections on future public expenditure and eligibility for pension credit. We also intend to publish, prior to the introduction of legislation, the research on which our proposals are based.
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