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31 Oct 2006 : Column 260W—continued
Sudan
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which relief projects in Darfur his Department is involved. [97475]
Hilary Benn: DFID is funding a range of humanitarian projects in Darfur, totalling £34 million in 2006. Our programme has three elements:
1. A £10 million humanitarian operation supporting twelve non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including Medecins Sans Frontieres, Oxfam, International Rescue Committee and Action Contre La Faim. These projects address a variety of humanitarian needs with a focus on water and sanitation, health and nutrition.
2. £5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross' national appeal, the majority of which is being spent in Darfur. This funding goes to support programmes on nutrition, health and protection.
3. £49 million to the Common Humanitarian Fund, a pioneering multi-donor mechanism giving the UN Humanitarian Coordinator the ability to allocate funding to the top humanitarian priorities across the country and respond to unforeseen needs. Of the DFID funding, at least £19 million has been allocated to Darfur to fund UN agencies and NGOs.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much humanitarian aid was allocated to Darfur in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. [98275]
Hilary Benn: In 2006-07, DFID Sudan plans to spend £34 million on humanitarian assistance in Darfur. A further £4 million will be spent in support of refugees and internally displaced people in neighbouring Chad.
The majority of our humanitarian funding for Darfur, £49 million, goes through the Common Humanitarian Fund, a pioneering multi-donor mechanism giving the UN Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) the ability to allocate funding to the top humanitarian priorities across the country and respond speedily and effectively to unforeseen needs. The rest goes to support the work of international non-governmental organisations including the International Committee of the Red Cross, Oxfam, Goal, International Rescue Committee and Action Centre La Faim.
The humanitarian situation in Darfur is of grave concern. As I saw during my recent visit to Sudan, the UN and non-governmental organisations are doing an
excellent job, but they are severely stretched by the sheer scale of needs. Many tens of thousands cannot be reached because of banditry and insecurity. That is why in my meeting with President Bashir I urged him to do all he could to stop the fighting, implement fully the terms of the Darfur peace agreement, and accept the deployment of a multinational UN peacekeeping force.
Work and Pensions
Child Poverty
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the review of his Department's child poverty strategy will conclude; and if he will make a statement. [96159]
Mr. Jim Murphy [holding answer 24 October 2006]: The Government's strategy for tackling child poverty is set out in ‘Opportunity for all’ and the Child Poverty Review, published alongside the 2004 Spending Review White Paper. We plan to complete and publish our review of this strategy later this year.
In 1997 there were 4.2 million children living in poverty and almost 5.5 million people on benefits,3 million more than in 1979. Compared with 1979, the number of people claiming unemployment benefits had risen by 50 per cent., while the number claiming incapacity benefits had more than tripled.
Today we are achieving growth with fairness. Since 1997 incomes have grown strongly for all groups but the poorer two-fifths have seen greater proportional increases in incomes than the better off. As a result of this progress there were 800,000 fewer children living in low income households in 2004-05, after housing costs, than in 1997 and we have lifted 2 million children out of absolute poverty.
Child Support Agency
Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the timetable is for the transfer of payments through the Child Support Agency to the new rules for the calculation of payments. [93561]
Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 16 October 2006]: The hon. Member for Gosport is referred to paragraph 57 of the Government's response to Sir David Henshaw: ‘A fresh start: child support redesign’. This can be found on the internet at www.dwp.gov.uk.
Health and Safety Executive
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Health and Safety Executive plans to make its guidance books available in electronic format. [90735]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 11 September 2006]: Over the past 18 months, HSE has made more than 1,000 previously priced publications, mainly reports, freely available in electronic format, available through the HSE website.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will make a statement on the recent decision by the Social Security Commissioner to reduce the level of housing benefit available to tenants of homes where care and support is provided to people with learning and physical disabilities; [91937]
(2) what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities following the recent decision by the Social Security Commissioner to reduce the level of housing benefit available to tenants of homes where care and support is provided to people with learning and physical disabilities; and if he will make a statement; [91938]
(3) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that tenants in homes where care and support is provided to people with learning and physical disabilities do not lose their placements following the recent decision by the Social Security Commissioner to reduce the level of housing benefit available to tenants; and if he will make a statement. [91939]
Mr. Plaskitt: The Social Security Commissioner decided that the rent restriction scheme introduced in 1996 should be used in certain cases as the accommodation did not fall into the type of specialist supported accommodation prescribed in legislation for which the pre-1996 rent restriction scheme has been preserved. This decision has led to some authorities reviewing their decisions on similar awards resulting in a reduction in benefit in some cases.
The Commissioner also confirmed the interpretation of the appropriate legislation was accurately reflected in current DWP guidance.
The Commissioner’s decision has not affected the responsibilities of social services, where they have them, to provide care and support for certain individuals. Where this duty existed previously, it will continue to exist, and social services will have to ensure that the care and support is provided. The only cases that the Commissioner’s decision will affect are those where the old scheme housing benefit rules are currently being incorrectly used.
Jobcentre Plus
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what advice and training on dealing with customers with autistic spectrum disorders is available for employees of Jobcentre Plus; [95058]
(2) what provision has been made to assist people with autistic spectrum disorder under the Jobcentre Plus Customer Management System. [95059]
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.
Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 31 October 2006:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking what advice and training on dealing with customers with autistic spectrum disorders is available for employees of Jobcentre Plus and what provision has been made to assist people
with autistic spectrum disorder under the Jobcentre Plus Customer Management System. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Jobcentre Plus has two training products for equipping its staff with the skills and knowledge to deal effectively with disabled customers, including autistic spectrum disorders. These are:
Working with Customers with a Health Condition and Disability [developed in consultation with external partners, including Mencap and Mind]; and
Skills to Help Customers with a Health Condition and/or Disability.
To support their training, advisers have a number of templates they can refer to when dealing with customers, the Autistic Spectrum Disorders template provides details about autistic spectrum disorders; the effects they have on individuals, the implications for work and the possible types of support an individual might need in employment. This information was approved by the National Autistic Society.
In addition, all Jobcentre Plus staff have access to information about autistic spectrum disorders through guidance on our Intranet.
The Customer Management System (CMS) is part of the Jobcentre Plus modernisation programme. Jobcentre Plus prefers customers to claim benefits by telephone but CMS also supports face-to-face and postal contact.
First Contact Officers work in our contact centres, they receive training to help them identify customers who are unable to use the phone and offer them alternative methods of contact. Customers can be represented by a third party (including an appointee) who would provide information on the customer's behalf either by phone, or whilst accompanying the customer to the office for a face-to-face meeting.
Alternatively, a claim form can be issued. Our Standard Operating Model, including the facility to use clerical claim forms, should be used by all staff.
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what training Jobcentre Plus visiting officers have received for advising claimants of the appropriate benefits for their circumstances; and if he will make a statement; [96835]
(2) what training Contact Centre and Jobcentre Plus staff have received for dealing with benefit claimants with mental health problems; and if he will make a statement. [96836]
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.
Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 31 October 2006:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking what training Jobcentre Plus visiting officers have received for advising claimants of the appropriate benefits for their circumstances and what training Contact Centre and Jobcentre Plus staff have received for dealing with benefit claimants with mental health problems. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Jobcentre Plus has an extensive range of training products designed to equip Nominated Officers [previously known as Visiting Officers] with the required level of benefit knowledge needed to provide all customers with accurate and reliable advice. These materials provide staff with general information about the benefits available, including the conditions of entitlement, how to deal with changes in circumstances and where they can get further help and guidance in order to support the customer's
needs. They also receive training on other allowances and credits that may impact on the benefits that the customer is in receipt of, for example, Tax Credits, Child Support and Pension Credit.
All staff who work directly with customers are provided with training and development to ensure they deal professionally with all customers including those with a mental illness. For example we have developed a two-day learning event, with the co-operation of specialist organisations such as MIND, for all Advisers to equip them with the specialist skills they need to work with customers with a mental illness.
I hope that this is helpful.
House of Commons Commission
Office Equipment (Energy Consumption)
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what estimate he has made of the hourly energy consumption of an (a) (i) desktop and (ii) laptop computer and (b) printer/fax machine of the types issued to hon. Members by Parliamentary Information Communication and Technology (A) when on standby mode and (B) when in full use. [98440]
Nick Harvey: The hourly energy consumption of desktop and laptop computers and printer/fax machines on standby mode and in full use are as follows:
| kWh | ||
| (A) Standby mode | (B) In full use | |
The in full use consumption figures (B) given above are the maximum figures and typical figures will normally be significantly less than these.
Visitors
Mr. Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many people visited the Palace of Westminster in each week during the Summer Opening 2006; how many tickets were sold during this period; and if he will make a statement. [97873]
Nick Harvey: The number of visitors paying to visit the Palace of Westminster during the Summer Opening 2006 was as follows:
| Week commencing | Visitor figures |
In addition, a further 4,505 visited the Palace in August as guests of Members; the equivalent figure for September was 4,947.
Trade and Industry
Companies Bill
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he undertook on the Report stage amendment 822 to the Companies Bill. [97616]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 30 October 2006]: Ministers have continued to listen carefully to representations from all parties throughout each stage of the Companies Bill’s passage through Parliament. In deciding to bring forward amendments 821 and 822 at Report, Ministers took account of all views received both in response to the Government’s consultation on the Business Review at the beginning of this year and subsequently.
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he received from the (a) Confederation of British Industry, (b) Association of British Insurers, (c) Federation of Small Business and (d) Institute of Directors on the Report stage amendment 822 to the Companies Bill. [97617]
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