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13 Jun 2007 : Column 1113W—continued

Housing Benefit: Young People

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 25 years or under claimed housing benefit in each year for which figures are available since 1997. [140594]

Mr. Plaskitt: The available information is in the following table.

Housing benefit (HB) recipients by age: Great Britain, May 1997 to May 2004
Aged 25 and under

May 1997

467,000

May 1998

396,000

May 1999

374,000

May 2000

326,000

May 2001

302,000

May 2002

291,000

May 2003

294,000

May 2004

325,000

Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
3. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
4. Housing benefit figures exclude extended payment cases.
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 1997 to May 2004.

Incapacity Benefit: Medical Examinations

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to publish the results of the second round of testing of the revised personal capability assessment. [141191]

Mr. Jim Murphy: The technical working group carrying out the review of the personal capability assessment carried out an early and limited evaluation, which was published in February 2007. The full and extensive evaluation of the second round of testing is currently under way and we expect to publish the results this summer when analysis is completed.

Industrial Accidents: Construction

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of whether the target of reducing fatalities in the construction industry by June 2010 to half of their 1990 levels will be met. [139746]


13 Jun 2007 : Column 1114W

Mrs. McGuire: These targets do not relate to 1990 levels. They were set by the industry (not the Health and Safety Executive) at the 2001 Construction Summit to provide challenging targets for a reduction in accidents and ill-health by 2010.

Both behavioural and statistical progress is reported to my Department by the Strategic Forum for Construction Health and Safety Task Group approximately every 18 months. I am expecting the 5th report from the forum soon.

The 4th report showed that there have been encouraging developments in areas such as work force competence and that the industry is exceeding the Government's health and safety targets set in 2000 for all industries. However, the industry is failing to meet the target it set itself in 2001 for a reduction in fatal injuries and is not currently on track to meet its target for 2010.

Jobseekers Allowance: East Sussex

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex were registered for jobseeker's allowance in each year since 1997. [141886]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following table.

Jobseeker’s allowance claimants in Eastbourne local authority (LA) and East Sussex: April 1997 to April 2007, as at April each year
Eastbourne LA East Sussex

1997

1,997

9,877

1998

1,536

7,855

1999

1,698

7,557

2000

1,345

6,194

2001

1,136

5,267

2002

1,256

5,426

2003

1,283

5,469

2004

1,278

5,379

2005

1,347

5,250

2006

1,540

6,102

2007

1,478

5,629

Notes: 1. Figures are unrounded. 2. Figures include clerically held cases. Source: 100 per cent. count of claimants of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems.

LinkAge Plus Centres

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2007, Official Report, column 1281W, on LinkAge Plus centres, how much of the LinkAge Plus budget has been spent to date. [140418]

James Purnell: £1,581,517 has been paid by DWP to local authorities in respect of invoices received relating to the period up to 30 April 2007.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2007, Official Report, column 1281W, on LinkAge Plus centres, how many elderly people the eight LinkAge Plus pilots are expected to assist. [140438]


13 Jun 2007 : Column 1115W

James Purnell: LinkAge plus is testing out new and innovative methods of providing information and access to services to over 50's. It aims to join up services to existing clients and increase take-up through outreach work with isolated individuals. The evaluation will show the numbers as well as the range of people accessing services and in what ways as well as providing information on the cost effectiveness of LinkAge Plus. A report is due by March 2009.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2007, Official Report, column 1281W, on LinkAge Plus Centres, when the eight LinkAge Plus pilots will be completed. [140444]

James Purnell: The current LinkAge Plus pilots will end their funded activity by October 2008.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2007, Official Report, column 1281W, on LinkAge Plus centres, which areas his Department has identified for future LinkAge Plus centres. [140442]

James Purnell: The current LinkAge Plus pilots will end their funded activity by October 2008. The evaluation of the pilots will inform any subsequent developments. In the meantime emerging lessons will be shared widely with local authorities and other service providers in other areas of the country.

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2007, Official Report, column 1281W, on LinkAge Plus Centres, what evaluation of the eight LinkAge Plus pilots will be undertaken. [140443]

James Purnell: Warwick Business School have been commissioned to undertake an over-arching national evaluation of the LinkAge Plus pilots. The project brief is:

In addition local evaluators have been appointed by each pilot to test the success of the projects in local terms. Their evidence will contribute to the national evaluation. A series of thematic reports are proposed during the life of the projects with a final summary report scheduled for publication by March 2009.

New Deal for Partners

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of partners who would be eligible for the New Deal for Partners (a) were claiming jobseeker's allowance and (b) had been claiming jobseeker's allowance for more than five years in each month since 1997. [141114]


13 Jun 2007 : Column 1116W

Mr. Jim Murphy [holding answer 7 June 2007]: The information requested is not available.

Pension Credit: Telephone Services

Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Pension Credit application forms were requested (a) on the Pensions Credit application form telephone number 0845 6060 265 and (b) in total in each month since the service has been offered. [138036]

James Purnell: The information requested is as follows:

Pension credit application forms requested from the pension credit application line
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

January

162,725

25,697

34,479

17,036

February

148,762

46,178

24,125

12,942

March

160,544

40,024

31,607

13,346

April

6,530

107,936

21,843

17,914

May

11,204

76,982

18,294

28,624

June

27,905

82,457

21,922

18,829

July

64,980

46,709

27,713

23,097

August

84,844

28,501

31,609

25,193

September

126,398

37,507

32,387

20,610

October

218,859

23,237

33,791

20,965

November

115,162

20,569

56,131

21,518

December

74,157

21,107

19,557

10,463

Source: Telephony centres operational reports from 2003 to date.

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