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8 Nov 2006 : Column 1618W—continued
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of industrial injuries benefits in each year since 1996-97; and what are the projected costs in each year up to 2008-09. [99841]
Mrs. McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what entitlement the self-employed have to industrial injuries benefit; and if he will make a statement. [99842]
Mr. Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claiming industrial injuries benefit were (a) in work, (b) out of work and of working age and (c) retired in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [99843]
Mr. Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect receipt of industrial injuries benefit has on entitlement to incapacity benefit. [99845]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Incapacity benefit is reduced by the amount of unemployability supplement and industrial death benefit paid as additions to industrial injuries disablement benefit.
The award of industrial injuries disablement benefit without the unemployability supplement or industrial death benefit components has no effect on the payment of incapacity benefit.
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) smallest, (b) largest and (c) average settlements made by the Government in lieu of backdating widower’s benefit are. [99559]
Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 6 November 2006]: Since the judgment of the House of Lords in the case of Hooper, the Government have, in compliance with our legal obligations, settled those claims relating to widow's payment and widowed mother's allowance, which are or would be admissible before the European Court of Human Rights.
The total sum so far paid is £671,068.76 to 78 applicants, thereby making the average settlement £8,603.44. The smallest payment made so far was £1,140.67 and the largest £30,865.61.
Cancer Patients
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made by the triparite group on information delivery of benefits to cancer patients; and if he will make a statement. [99852]
Mrs. McGuire: The Disability and Carers Service have been working closely with the Department of Health and Macmillan Cancer Support to identify people with long-term health conditions who need benefit advice at the earliest opportunity. The Department of Health is developing an “Information Prescription” which will provide details of where people can go to find out more about their specific condition, treatment and services, and will alert patients with any progressive disease where they can get advice and information about the benefits they may be entitled to. The “Information Prescription” will be trialled and it is hoped it will be available throughout England by 2008.
Carers
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how his Department plans to ensure that the Welfare Reform Bill extends support for those carers who have suffered from ill health but wish to return to work; [100196]
(2) what strategies he and his Department have devised to ensure that there are (a) appropriate sources of support for carers who return to work, (b) flexible care options for carers who wish to return to work and (c) flexible working arrangements for carers returning to work. [100197]
Mrs. McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information and advice on benefits entitlement is provided for (a) all carers and (b) those carers who wish to return to work; and if he will make a statement. [100198]
Mrs. McGuire: Information about the benefits available to carers can be obtained from a wide range of sources, including Jobcentre Plus offices, Pensions centres, advice agencies, libraries, doctors' surgeries, and the Directgov. website.
Carer's allowance recipients who wish to return to work can request a work-focused interview from their local Jobcentre Plus office. These interviews are conducted by experienced advisers who can help carers find and apply for suitable jobs or training opportunities.
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of (a) how many carers there are in the UK, (b) how many hours, on average, they spend fulfilling their caring responsibilities and (c) what the cost per hour of care would be to the public purse if they were not providing such care. [100199]
Mrs. McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department intends to develop a separate strategy to support and encourage carers aged over 50 years who wish to return to work. [100200]
Mrs. McGuire: We are committed to increasing the choices and opportunities available for all people aged 50 and over, including carers, to remain in, or rejoin the labour market. We want to give people opportunities to make choices that best meet their individual needs. We are promoting the benefits of a mixed-age workforce to employers through our Age Positive initiative.
From April 2007, the Work and Families Act 2006 will extend the right to request flexible working to carers of adults. This will support carers who wish to remain in or return to work and will particularly help those aged 45 to 64, around one quarter of whom are carers. As we set out in the Welfare Reform Green Paper, over the coming year we will be encouraging employers to adopt more flexible approaches to work and retirement to increase the work opportunities available for older workers.
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with organisations representing (a) older people and (b) those with disabilities on the impact of the Welfare Reform Bill on those carers who have suffered from ill health but wish to return to work. [100201]
Mr. Jim Murphy:
We published a response to our formal Green Paper consultation on 19 June in “A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering People to Work” consultation report (Cm 6859). The response set out our proposals for welfare reform and reflected the
consultation feedback that was received from over 600 organisations. This consultation has helped us to understand and appreciate the issues faced by our customers and the practical implications of policy changes.
We continue to liaise closely with a wide range of stakeholders, lobby groups and service users, meeting as many as possible. For example, I have recently been on visits to projects run by MIND and MENCAP, consulted with Carers UK, and have hosted a meeting of service users with mental health conditions.
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if his Department will take steps to a develop a joined-up strategy with the Department of Education and Skills to identify and offer support to those carers who are of school age; [100203]
(2) what strategies his Department has for extending and developing support for carers under the age of 25; and if he will make a statement. [100202]
Mrs. McGuire: It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the extent to which the means-testing of carer’s allowance affects single parents and couples equally; and if he will make a statement. [97171]
Mrs. McGuire: Carer’s allowance is not a means-tested benefit.
Child Poverty
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of children in poverty, broken down by age band; and if he will make a statement. [95740]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The information is in the tables. Low income is defined as being below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income. The information is shown on a before housing costs and after housing costs basis.
| Percentage of children living in low income households, by age-band Before Housing Costs: 2004-05 | ||
| Age-band | 1996-97 | 2004-05 |
| Source: Family Resources Survey 2004/05 | ||
| Percentage of children living in low income households, by age-band After Housing Costs: 2004-05 | ||
| Age-band | 1996-97 | 2004-05 |
| Source: Family Resources Survey 2004/05 | ||
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which specific targets define the Government’s objective of abolishing child poverty by 2020; and if he will make a statement. [96111]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The decision on the choice of indicators to measure our progress to eradicate child poverty, was the result of extensive consultation, the conclusions of which are set out in the Department’s “Measuring Child Poverty” consultation document; which is available in the Library.
The consultation exercise resulted in the decision to adopt three indicators for our measure. These are summarised on page 30 of “Opportunity for All 8”, which is available in the Library.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in the UK have been in absolute low income poverty in each year since 1979-80; and if he will make a statement. [97245]
Mr. Jim Murphy: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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