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5 Mar 2007 : Column 1717W—continued
Departments: Publications
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library copies of his Department’s evaluations of media coverage since May 2005. [120316]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department is committed to the publication of evaluation data and will ensure that summaries of the requested media evaluation are placed on the DWP catalogue at the time of the next update during May 2007.
Disability Discrimination Act 2005: Prosecutions
Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful prosecutions have been made under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. [123845]
Mrs. McGuire: The Disability Discrimination Act 2005, which amended, and extended duties under, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), introduced three new provisions that might result in criminal offences. Enforcement action would be under powers in the DDA though we are not aware of any prosecutions under these provisions.
With regard to enforcement of the DDA’s civil rights, data from the Employment Tribunal Service show that, in the year ended March 2006, 173 complaints of disability discrimination were upheld. Data from the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal show that, in the year ended August 2006, 20 complaints of disability discrimination were upheld.
National Insurance Contributions: Pensions
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether years of national insurance credits or contributions prior to 2010 will be counted at their full value towards the 30-year full basic state pension or discounted. [123369]
James Purnell: Proposals in the 2006 Pensions Bill will mean people reaching state pension age on or after 6 April 2010 will require 30 qualifying years for a full basic state pension.
All qualifying years accrued prior to 2010 through payment or crediting of National Insurance contributions will continue to count in full towards the basic state pension. In addition full years of home responsibilities protection awarded prior to 2010 will converted into qualifying years up to a maximum of 22. One qualifying year will be worth around 1/30 of the full rate of the basic state pension.
National Insurance Contributions: Rebates
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what existing arrangements are for contracting and national insurance rebates to employers and employees; what arrangements for rebates will be after the passing of the Pensions Bill; and whether this issue is under review. [123264]
James Purnell: The existing arrangements for rebates of national insurance contributions depend on the basis on which a pension scheme is contracted out.
When an occupational pension scheme is contracted-out on a defined benefit basis, the rebate is made wholly through a reduction in employee and employer national insurance contributions.
When an occupational pension scheme is contracted-out on a defined contribution basis, the rebate is made through a combination of a reduction in employee and employer national insurance contributions and an age-related rebate paid at the end of the tax year direct to the scheme by HM Revenue and Customs.
Personal pension schemes (including stakeholder pension schemes) can contract out on a defined contribution basis. In these cases, the rebate is made wholly through an age-related rebate paid at the end of the tax year direct to the scheme by HM Revenue and Customs.
Once the measures in the Pensions Bill abolishing contracting out on a defined contribution basis come into force, contracting out will only be permitted on a defined benefit basis and rebates will be made under the same arrangements as those currently in place. We are, though, committed to reviewing the situation around five years after the implementation of the pension reform package.
New Deal
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria are used to assess the quality of the training providers used in the New Deal programmes. [111229]
Mr. Jim Murphy:
New Deal providers are required to meet stringent quality and delivery standards as set out in contract specifications. They are subject to contract management and monitoring by trained procurement staff. Jobcentre Plus contract management processes are based on monthly analysis
of management information, performance management, quality assessment and customer satisfaction feedback. In addition, independent inspections and audits are undertaken by the Adult Learning Inspectorate.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the funding received by the training providers for the New Deal programmes was spent on administration in the last period for which figures are available. [111231]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The information is not available.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of leavers from New Deal for Lone Parents recommenced claiming benefits within 12 months of leaving the programme in each year since it began. [111232]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The information is in the following table:
| Percentage of leavers from New Deal for Lone Parents who recommenced claiming benefits within 12 months of leaving the programme | |
| Percentage | |
| Notes: 1. New Deal for Lone Parents was launched nationally in October 1998. 2. Latest benefit data are to May 2006, therefore, allowing for a 12-month gap, only New Deal leavers to May 2005 are included. 3. The benefits included are bereavement benefit, incapacity benefit, invalid care allowance, income support, jobseeker's allowance, severe disablement allowance and widows benefit. 4. A benefit claim has only been included if it is a new claim after leaving the New Deal spell. People can leave New Deal and continue a benefit claim; these people are not included as recommencing a claim to benefit. Source: Information Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions. | |
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions who has responsibility for monitoring the quality of New Deal programmes. [111479]
Mr. Jim Murphy: Professionally trained and qualified Jobcentre Plus personnel are responsible for the procurement and contract management of Jobcentre Plus provision, including New Deal contracts.
Occupational Pensions
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to present new proposals to assist those who have lost their occupational pension prior to the Report stage of the Pensions Bill; and if he will make a statement. [125092]
James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 22 February 2007, Official Report, columns 419-20.
Pensioners: Benefits
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the level of take-up was of housing benefit in pensioner households in each region of the UK in the last 12 months; [124135]
(2) what the level of take-up was of council tax benefit in pensioner households in each region of the UK in the last 12 months; [124136]
(3) what the level of take-up was of pension credit in each region of the UK in the last 12 months. [124137]
James Purnell: Estimates of take-up are not available below the level of Great Britain. The latest estimates of the take-up of the main income-related benefits in Great Britain—income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based)—can be found in the DWP report entitled "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2004/2005". Copies of the publication are available in the Library.
Pensioners: Eltham
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent to tackle pensioner poverty in Eltham since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [123005]
James Purnell: It is not possible to disaggregate spending on pensioner benefits in general to reveal how much has been spent specifically to tackle pensioner poverty in any particular area.
However, our policies have been highly effective in tackling pensioner poverty and now, for the first time ever in a period of sustained economic growth, pensioners are less likely to be in poverty than the population as a whole. Since 1997, 1 million pensioners have been lifted out of poverty. Pension credit has played a key part in addressing pensioner poverty; since its introduction the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by half a million. The latest estimates showed that 2.7 million households were receiving pension credit, and this includes 3,150 households in Eltham.
Nationally, as a result of the measures that this Government have introduced since 1997, we will be spending £10.5 billion more on pensioners in 2006-07 than if 1997 policies had continued. Almost half this spending—over £5 billion—is going to the poorest third of pensioners.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Eltham received (a) state pension, (b) pension credit, (c) winter fuel payments and (d) free television licences in the last period for which figures are available. [123006]
James Purnell: The information requested for state pension, pension credit and winter fuel payments is shown in the following table.
| Eltham | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. The constituencies used for state pension are those used for the Westminster Parliament. 2. Pension credit figure is an early estimate as at November 2006. 3. PC recipients are those people who claim PC either on behalf of themselves only or on behalf of a household. This number is equal to the number of households in receipt of PC. 4. Parliamentary constituencies for pension credit and winter fuel payment are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. 5. Any residence found to have four or more occupants aged 60 and over is not included in the household figures as it is assumed to be a care home. Sources: 1. For State Pension—DWP Information Directorate: 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data as at August 2006 rounded to the nearest 10. 2. For Pension Credit—Information Directorate 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service rounded to the nearest 10. 3. For Winter Fuel Payment—Information Directorate, 100 per cent. sample: 2005-06 Winter and rounded to the nearest 10. | |
The information requested on free TV licences is not available. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over receiving the winter Fuel payment in the Eltham constituency in 2005-06 was 4,740. Each of these households would therefore be eligible for a free TV licence.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Eltham are entitled to receive pension credit; and how many he estimates have yet to claim it. [123007]
James Purnell: Estimates of eligibility are not available below the level of Great Britain, and it is not therefore possible to say how many pensioners are eligible for pension credit in Eltham or how many have yet to take-up their entitlement.
The latest estimates of the number of pensioners in Great Britain entitled to pension credit were published in “Pension Credit Estimates of Take-Up in 2004-2005”. A copy of the report is available in the Library.
Pension credit has been highly successful in reducing pensioner poverty and now, for the first time in a period of sustained economic growth, pensioners are less likely to be in poverty than the population as a whole. Since the introduction of pension credit, the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by half a million.
We continue to make every effort to ensure that pension credit goes to those who are entitled to it. The latest estimates showed that 2.7 million households were receiving pension credit, and this includes 3,150 households in Eltham.
Notes:
1. The figure provided is an early estimate. The preferred data source for figures supplied by DWP is the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS). However, the figure provided is the latest available figure which is taken from the GMS scan at 1 December 2006. These are adjusted using the historical relationship between WPLS and GMS data to give an estimate of the final WPLS figure.
2. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 10.
3. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.
Source:
DWP 100 per cent. data from the Generalised Matching Service (GMS) Pension Credit scan taken as at 1 December 2006
Pensions
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many pensioner benefit units in 2050 will face (a) a 100 per cent. marginal rate of pension credit withdrawal if the White Paper reforms are implemented and (b) a 40 per cent. marginal withdrawal rate if they are not. [112912]
James Purnell: The proposed reforms to state pensions will provide a solid foundation for private saving, both by limiting the spread of pension credit entitlement and by delivering simpler and more predictable state pension outcomes. Under the proposed reforms, by 2050 just one in 50 pensioners will receive the guarantee credit only when they first reach state pension age. Even then, we would expect many to be able to reduce the interaction between additional private saving and benefit entitlement by taking some or all of their private pension income as a lump sum. Those with private savings of less than £15,000 can take them as a lump sum under the trivial commutation rules.
It cannot be assumed that all those with 100 per cent. marginal deduction rates are in receipt of the guarantee credit only. People on both guarantee credit and savings credit who qualify for additional amounts because they are severely disabled or a carer or have certain housing costs and are on the savings credit maximum will also have 100 per cent. marginal deduction rates.
Numbers and proportions of pensioner benefit units in 2050 that will face (a) a 100 per cent. marginal rate of pension credit withdrawal if the Pensions Bill reforms are implemented and (b) a 40 per cent. marginal withdrawal rate if they are not are as follows.
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