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6 Nov 2006 : Column 929W—continued
Mr. Skinner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women in each constituency in the East Midlands receive the care component higher rate of disability living allowance. [96952]
Mrs. McGuire: 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 required.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women receive the care component higher rate of disability living allowance in each constituency in the East Midlands.
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 attached annex.
I hope this is helpful.
| Annex: disability living allowance cases in payment caseload: gender of claimant by parliamentary constituency of claimant (Westminster) with highest rate care award | ||
| Parliamentary constituency of claimant (Westminster boundaries 2005 onwards) | Female | Male |
| Definitions and conventions: 1. Caseload are rounded to the nearest 10; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 2. The boundaries of parliamentary constituencies do not correspond exactly to Government office regions (GORs). Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | ||
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many former British servicemen and women who became amputees while on active service are in receipt of disability living allowance. [98911]
Mrs. McGuire: The requested information is not available.
EU Enlargement
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of EC Regulation 1408/71 on the UK benefit system since the EU accession in May 2004; and what he expects the effect on the benefit system to be when Bulgaria and Romania join the EU. [98123]
Mr. Plaskitt: EEC Regulation 1408/71 co-ordinates the social security systems of member states for people who move within the European economic area. It prohibits discrimination on grounds of nationality; provides that contributions for benefits for sickness, invalidity, unemployment and retirement made in one member state may be taken into account to help satisfy the entitlement conditions in another; and determines which state is responsible for the payment of benefits. Income-related benefits, such as income support, are not paid to people who move permanently to other member states.
There is no indication of any major impact as a result of this Regulation on DWP administered benefits since EU enlargement in 2004. We would expect the same to be the case after Bulgaria and Romania join the EU.
Health and Safety (Education Establishments)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research he has commissioned to determine how many over three-day injuries are not reported by young people injured on practical vocational training within educational establishments; and if he will make a statement. [98061]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department has not commissioned any such research. Over-three-day injuries to young people injured while undertaking practical vocational training within educational establishments are not reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995.
Within such establishments, incidents that result in certain specified major injuries are, however, reportable under RIDDOR. We are aware that under-reporting is generally a problem. The Health and Safety Executive is therefore simplifying publicity material and guidance to make it clearer that reporting is easy to do simply by calling the national incident contact centre.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action can be taken to stop jobseeker's allowance being paid to people serving prison sentences. [91975]
Mr. Plaskitt: There are robust processes in place for preventing jobseeker's allowance overpayments to prisoners. However, where jobseeker's allowance overpayments do occur, the data that we receive from the Prison Service identify those who have failed to notify us that they have been committed to prison. We then take action to stop benefit and recover the overpayment.
Local Housing Allowance
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimates his Department has made of the impact of changing the size criteria for determining the local housing allowance to one based solely on bedroom entitlement on (a) the percentage of claimants facing a shortfall between their eligible and contractual rent and (b) the average size of that shortfall. [96138]
Mr. Plaskitt: Any shortfall between the local housing allowance and contractual rent at the time of national roll-out of the local housing allowance will depend on the trends in local rent levels and the accommodation choices made by tenants. The trends in local rent levels up to the point of national roll-out are currently hard to predict and local housing allowance rates will vary across local private rent sector markets and different sizes of property.
However, given the information currently available, we estimate the bedroom-only size criteria could result in losses of around two a week for small households, while three quarters of larger households are estimated to gain from the new size criteria.
Maternity Pay
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of statutory maternity pay was in each of the last 30 years at today's prices. [93471]
Mrs. McGuire: Statutory maternity pay was introduced in 1987. Since its inception, the first six weeks have been payable at 90 per cent. of the women's average weekly earnings, with no upper limit. Between 1987 and 5 April 2003 this was followed by a flat rate for the remainder of her maternity pay period. From 6 April 2003, the remainder of the maternity pay period is paid at the lesser of the flat rate or 90 per cent. of her average weekly earnings. The standard rates, together with the equivalent at 2005-06 prices, are in the table.
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