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7 Mar 2007 : Column 2065W—continued


7 Mar 2007 : Column 2066W

Mrs. Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional amount of unpaid maintenance debt has been recovered in each month since the introduction of the Operational Improvement Plan; what new debt accrued in each month; what maintenance remained uncollected in each month; and if he will make a statement. [119801]

Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 19 February 2007]: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Lady with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 7 March 2007:


7 Mar 2007 : Column 2067W
Annex A: the average debt growth and total outstanding debt each month since the implementation of the Operational Improvement Plan
2006 Average debt growth per month over previous 12 months (£ million) Total outstanding debt at the end of each month (£ billion)

April

19

3.514

May

19

3.533

June

19

3.550

July

19

3.570

August

18

3.588

September

17

3.602

October

16

3.615

November

16

3.630

December

15

3.645

Notes:
1. The above figures have not been audited. Figures will not be finalised until the publication of the CSA Annual Report and Accounts.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest million.

Consultants

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies spent on external consultancy in each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. [104252]

Mrs. McGuire: The DWP was formed in June 2001 and I have provided the total spent on external consultants (including VAT) in each year since formation broken down by agency.

£ million
Agency 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

Jobcentre Plus(1)

4.70

5.29

8.46

7.76

17.63

The Pension Service(1)

0

1.06

3.06

9.28

15.16

Child Support Agency

1.18

4.00

0.94

1.06

4.23

Disability and Carers Service(2)

n/a

n/a

n/a

0.35

3.76

The Rent Service(3)

n/a

n/a

n/a

0.15

0.10

Corporate Centre and NDPBs(4)

88.59

130.70

294.27

149.78

89.42

DWP Total

94.46

141.04

306.72

168.37

130.29

n/a = Not available
(1) Jobcentre Plus and The Pension Service were established as agencies in April 2002.
(2) The Disability and Carers Service was established as an agency in November 2004.
(3) The Rent Service became part of DWP in April 2004.
(4) The Appeals Service moved to the Department of Constitutional Affairs in April 2006.

Departments: Equal Opportunities

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has a gender (a) strategy and (b) equality action plan in place. [125103]


7 Mar 2007 : Column 2068W

Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 5 March 2007]: The information is as follows: (a) The Department will be taking the steps outlined in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities)(Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930) which are due to come into force on 6 April 2007. The Department’s Gender Equality Schemes were published on 1 December 2006 and set out the strategy for gender equality.

(b) Each business within the Department has committed to objectives for addressing areas of concern and for ensuring that we meet the requirements of the Gender Duty. These objectives were set out in action plans for each business, which were published in the Gender Equality Schemes on1 December 2006.

Departments: Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2006, Official Report, column 1200W, on departmental cost, how much was spent on (a) involuntary and (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in (i) his Department and (ii) each agency of the Department in each year since 2005-06; how much is planned to be spent for 2007-08; and if he will make a statement. [123890]

Mrs. McGuire: The amounts spent by the Department and its agencies on voluntary staff exit schemes in 2005-06 are set out in the following tables The in-year costs for each agency include lump sums paid to individuals on the day of departure, plus Annual Compensation Payments for exits in that year and from previous years. They exclude Annual Compensation Payments for future years.

The Department is unable to differentiate between voluntary and involuntary exits schemes but to date there has been only one compulsory redundancy.

Departmental Actual and Planned Expenditure

£ million

2005-06

139.98

2006-07

67.58

2007-08

131.74


Expenditure in 2005-06

Business £ million

The Pension Service

14.06

Child Support Agency

4.48

Disability and Carers Service

6.98

The Appeals Service

0.16

Jobcentre Plus

69.01

Health and Safety Executive

1.81

The Rent Service

0.00

Corporate and Shared Services

43.48

Total

139.98

Note:
A proportion of the ongoing annual pension payments for early retirement cases are held centrally and included in the Departmental Corporate Units’ line.

Expenditure in 2006-07

The actual expenditure for the Department and its agencies on voluntary staff exit schemes to January
7 Mar 2007 : Column 2069W
2007 and are forecast for February and March 2007 is set out in the following table.

Business £ million

The Pension Service

3.71

Child Support Agency

1.34

Disability and Carers Service

0.26

The Appeals Service

Jobcentre Plus

45.38

Health and Safety Executive

0

The Rent Service

0.33

Departmental Corporate Units

16.56

Total

67.58

Note:
The Appeals Service is no longer an agency of the Department.

Expenditure in 2007-08

The forecast expenditure for the Department and its agencies on voluntary staff exit schemes in 2007-08 is set out in the table.

Business £ million

The Pension Service

52.39

Child Support Agency

3.71

Disability and Carers Service

8.97

The Appeals Service

Jobcentre Plus

28.15

Health and Safety Executive

0

The Rent Service

2.37

Departmental Corporate Units

36.15

Total

131.74

Notes:
1. The Appeals Service is no longer an agency of the Department.
2. The forecast is based on the £176 million Early Release Fund budget already identified for businesses in 2007-08. Further funding is likely to become available and allocated at the start of the financial year.

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