Previous Section Index Home Page

6 Dec 2006 : Column 534W—continued


6 Dec 2006 : Column 535W

This research, which is available in the House of Commons Library, provides an evidence base used to develop longer term approaches to Social Fund reform. It helps us to assess the extent to which the Social Fund contributes to wider DWP and government objectives and to identify where improvements might be made.

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the repayment rate for Social Fund loans is calculated. [106031]

Mr. Plaskitt: Standard repayment rates are calculated as a percentage of available weekly benefit income. Weekly benefit income includes income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or pension credit plus any child tax credit and child benefit.

There are three rates—5 per cent., 10 per cent. and 12 per cent.—depending on the extent of other financial commitments.

Depending on individual circumstances, other non-standard rates can be set up to the maximum rate of 20 per cent. of weekly income.

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average percentage is of weekly income of families with one or more children in receipt of a Social Fund loan which is spent on repaying Social Fund loans. [106032]

Mr. Plaskitt: For budgeting loans, the available information is based on the repayment amount agreed by an applicant when a loan is accepted. Easier repayment terms for loans were introduced for applications received on or after 3 April 2006. For budgeting loans agreed on these repayment terms, the average percentage of weekly income of families with one or more children which was to be spent on repaying the loan was 9.2 per cent.

The equivalent information for crisis loans is not available.

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the Social Fund’s ability to help families on low incomes meet minimum income standards. [106115]

Mr. Plaskitt: No such assessment has been made as the Social Fund is not intended to address minimum income standards. The Government do not use a minimum income standard to assess families’ needs.

State Pension Deferment

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of (a) male and (b) female state retirement pensioners who have deferred payment beyond state retirement age; and how many have claimed (i) a lump sum and (ii) an enhanced weekly pension after doing so. [100528]


6 Dec 2006 : Column 536W

James Purnell: As at March 2006 the total number of State pension recipients who are in receipt of basic state pension increments (as a result of deferring their state pension) is 1,216,500 made up of 240,800 men and 975,800 women.

Lump sum payments have only been available from April 2006. The figures which include lump sum payments are scheduled to be published in February 2007.

Statutory Paternity Pay

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual cost of statutory paternity pay in the UK was in each year since 2003-04; and what estimate he has made of the cost for each year from 2006-07 to 2009-10 in nominal terms. [107555]

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.

The 2002 statutory paternity pay regulatory impact assessment (RIA) estimated the annual amount of statutory paternity pay reclaimable from the Exchequer at around £57 million. This assumed 70 per cent. of the total number eligible to receive statutory paid paternity leave would take it up.

The Maternity and Paternity Rights and Benefits Survey 2005 found around 80 per cent. of the 415,000 eligible fathers surveyed had used at least some of their statutory entitlement, suggesting a higher take-up rate than estimated in the RIA. Although the take-up has been higher than originally estimated, not all fathers take their full entitlement to two weeks paid paternity leave. Therefore we anticipate that the costs of statutory paternity pay are around the level presented in the RIA.

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many men in the UK received statutory paternity pay in each year since 2003-04; and what estimate he has made of the likely number in each year from 2006-07 to 2009-10. [107558]

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.

We estimate that around 415,000 fathers are eligible for statutory paternity pay each year.

The Maternity and Paternity Rights and Benefits Survey 2005 found around 80 per cent. of fathers surveyed had used at least some of their statutory entitlement. We expect take-up to continue at a similarly high level.


6 Dec 2006 : Column 537W

Winter Fuel Payments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each constituency in Scotland were in receipt of winter fuel payments in each year since 2000; and how much was claimed in each constituency in each year. [100936]

James Purnell: The information that is currently available has been placed in the Library. Information on the amount of winter fuel payments paid in each constituency in Scotland for the years 2004-05 and 2005-06 is not currently available as age-related payments were combined with winter fuel payments in those two years. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the information becomes available.

Health

Appointments Commission

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many appointments the Appointments Commission is responsible for; and how many of those appointments are held by people with (a) political affiliations to (i) Labour, (ii) the Conservatives, (iii) the Liberal Democrats, (iv) other parties and (b) no declared political affiliation. [102664]

Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is available from the independent Appointments Commission.

Birthing Facilities

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) strategic health authorities, (b) primary care trusts and (c) hospitals hold the home addresses of expectant mothers; and what account is taken of such information when planning the optimum location of birthing facilities. [106007]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts do not hold the home addresses of expectant mothers. National health service trusts hold the names and addresses of expectant mothers who have booked with their maternity services. It is for local primary care trusts and NHS maternity care providers to determine the optimum location of birthing facilities. Since January 2003, NHS organisations have had a duty to involve and consult patients, the public and their representatives in the planning and development of services, and to consult them on changes to the operation of services.

Bishop Auckland Hospital

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) initial estimated cost was and (b) current projected cost is of Bishop Auckland hospital under the private finance initiative. [102684]

Andy Burnham: The full annual charge agreed upon at the time of contract signature in May 1999 for the Bishop Auckland General hospital private finance
6 Dec 2006 : Column 538W
initiative (PFI) scheme was £8.1 million per annum. This is uprated annually by the retail price index (RPI) and the cost in 2005-06 was £9.4 million per annum. In addition to changes as a result of RPI, the payment mechanism in a PFI contract contains a volume element under which the quantity of variable items provided by the private sector contractor and charged to the trust, such as meals or linen, is directly related to the throughput of patients.

Blind People: Wirral

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of blind people living in (a) Wirral and (b) Wirral South. [104446]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The number of people registered as severely sight impaired (blind) in Wirral council with social service responsibilities was 1,270 at 31 March 2006.

Data at constituency level are not centrally available.

Breast Cancer Screening

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps the Government plan to take to increase the take up of breast cancer screening amongst women over 70; and if she will make a statement; [106039]

(2) what assessment she has made of the effect of the ageing of the population on the demand for breast screening; and if she will make a statement. [106040]

Ms Rosie Winterton: There is now clear evidence showing the benefits of breast cancer screening on a population basis for women aged 50 to 70. The evidence for inviting women aged over 70 on a population basis is not so clear.

That is why research has been commissioned on behalf of the advisory committee on breast cancer screening (ACBCS) to bring more clarity to this area. A final report of the research is due shortly, and based on this the ACBCS will advise on a way forward.

Women aged over 70 can self-refer for free three-yearly screening and women who have already participated in the programme should be informed of this right after the age of 70.

The availability of screening for older women is widely publicised. In particular, we have collaborated with Age Concern to produce the leaflet, ‘Over 70? You are still entitled to breast screening’. The leaflet is widely available in general practitioner surgeries, health centres, breast screening units and Age Concern outlets and as with ‘Breast Screening—The Facts’ it allows women aged over 70 to make an informed choice on whether to be screened or not.

We are aware that there are a growing number of women becoming eligible for breast screening, as women born in the post-war baby boom reach their 50th birthdays and we expect this increase to peak in 2015, resulting in a 20 per cent. increase in women aged 50 to 70 in England between 2005 and 2025.

Breast screening capacity in the National Health Service needs to increase to meet this demographic challenge, and the cancer programme board are
6 Dec 2006 : Column 539W
considering what action may be taken in this area. It is for primary care trusts and cancer networks, in collaboration with local stakeholders, to decide how local services are organised and patients supported.

Cancelled Operations: Hertfordshire

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in (a) North East Hertfordshire and (b) West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust areas have had operations cancelled at short notice in the last 12 months. [105801]

Andy Burnham: The Department does not collect the number of operations cancelled at short notice. The Department collects the number of operations cancelled at the last minute for non-clinical reasons. A ‘last minute cancellation’ is a cancellation on the day patients were due to arrive, after the patient has arrived in hospital or on the day of their operation. Data are available on an NHS Trust rather than PCT basis.

Cancelled operations for non clinical reasons, NHS organisations in England, Q3 2005-06 to Q2 2006-07
Organisation Number of last minute cancellations for non clinical reasons

East and North Hertfordshire NHS trust

968

West Hertfordshire hospitals NHS trust

805

Source:
Department of Health, QMCO

Cancer Treatment

Mr. Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to encourage cancer networks to implement her Department’s advice on the development of low dose rate brachytherapy services for localised prostate cancer in England. [106342]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The advice was e-mailed on 22 November 2006 to cancer network lead clinicians and lead directors. The covering note that accompanied the advice stated:

Care Homes

Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which registered care homes for the elderly have a religious ethos; and what the average number of residents in each such care home was in the latest year for which figures are available. [106938]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that the information requested is not collected.

In January 2007, CSCI will publish information on the number of care homes and places in England and how they perform against national minimum standards and regulations in its “State of Social Care” report.


6 Dec 2006 : Column 540W

Carers

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend direct payments to carers. [106329]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Direct payments have already been extended to carers. The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 empowered local authorities to make direct payments to carers (including 16 and 17-year-old carers) for the services that meet their own assessed needs.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the carers grant to local authorities beyond 2007-08; and if she will make a statement. [103996]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The local government finance settlement was announced on 28 November 2006. Details of the carers grant allocations for 2007-08 can be found in LASSL 2006(1), which has been placed in the Library.

Subsequent allocations will be made in line with the outcome of the comprehensive spending review 2007, which we anticipate will be announced next summer.


Next Section Index Home Page