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21 Jun 2007 : Column 2228W—continued
Direct Payments
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which financial institutions participate in the Direct Payments Scheme. [143193]
Mr. Plaskitt: This is a matter for my hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Disabled People: Poverty
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of (a) people with disabilities of working age and (b) children with disabilities were living in poverty in each Government office region in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 2004-05. [118811]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Employment Services: Digital Broadcasting
Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether digital television job services are available in Wirral; [142970]
(2) what provisions exist for people without access to digital television or the internet to access job search services; [142971]
(3) what steps are being taken to advertise the provision of digital television services to those seeking jobs; [142972]
(4) what estimate he has made of the average age of people using the digital television job search services; [142973]
(5) what level of use of digital television job search services was recorded in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by region. [142974]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
Letter from Mel Groves , dated 21 June 2007:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about jobsearch services available through digital television. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Lesley Strathie as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. I am replying on her behalf as Acting Chief Executive.
Jobcentre Plus published a News Release on 2 April 2007 to launch the national job search engine on digital television in partnership with Looking Local, the local government digital TV
portal. Looking Local is part of DigiTV, which is a not-for-profit organisation run by, and for, local government. DigiTV is currently working with over 75 Local Authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The digital television jobsearch services are available in Wirral. Although Wirral Council are not currently delivering services through DigiTV’s Looking Local, other councils in the area are, and these are accessible across the Wirral.
Customers without digital television or the Internet can access Jobcentre Plus vacancies through channels such as Jobseeker Direct (a telephone job search service), Jobpoints (in all Jobcentre Plus offices), and External Kiosks in third party premises such as libraries. We also offer assisted jobsearch through our Personal Advisers in Jobcentre Plus offices, and some outreach premises, for more disadvantaged customers. In addition, all employment programmes delivered through Jobcentre Plus contain a jobsearch element, for example, Programme Centres offer Internet access, newspapers, and support on the range of jobsearch skills, including CV preparation, completing job applications and interview skills.
Jobcentre Plus has no current plans to advertise or evaluate digital television jobsearch services. The services offered through digital television form part of a wider set of services, available across a range of channels for those seeking work. The two pilots that took place in Kingston-upon-Hull (2003), and London (2005), were evaluated, but did not report on the age range of users.
Looking Local currently averages 270,000 hits per month for jobsearch services but information is not available broken down by region.
Housing Benefit: Temporary Accommodation
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to change the level of non-Housing Revenue Account housing benefit subsidy to local authorities for homeless households placed in temporary accommodation in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [145167]
Mr. Plaskitt: A questionnaire has been sent to a sample of local authorities seeking information on the use and costs of temporary accommodation. Until we have considered the results of this questionnaire, no decision can be made about subsidy arrangements in respect of homeless households in temporary accommodation for 2008-09.
We are continuing to work with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the devolved Administrations on our longer term proposals which would separate out reasonable costs for the rent and management of temporary accommodation; we would expect these to take effect from 2009.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of disability living allowance who also claim incapacity benefit have been on incapacity benefit for more than (a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) 18 months, (d) 24 months and (e) 60 months. [144011]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 19 June 2007]: The available information is in the following table.
| Number of claimants of DLA, who also claim IB/SDA—November 2006 | |||||
| Duration of IB/SDA claim | |||||
| Six months up to one year | One year and up to 18 months | 18 months and up to two years | Two years and up to five years | Five years and over | |
| Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Information Directorate 100 per cent WPLS | |||||
Incapacity Benefit: Disposable Income
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the median net disposable income of households receiving incapacity benefit was (a) before and (b) after housing costs were taken into account in the latest period for which figures are available. [142737]
Mrs. McGuire: Latest available data show that the median net (disposable) weekly income of households receiving incapacity benefit is £302 before housing costs and £260 after housing costs.
Notes:
1. The source of the information provided is the Family Resources Survey (FRS), United Kingdom 2005-06. The Survey is a nationally representative sample of approximately 28,000 households.
2. Data for 2005-06 were collected between April 2005 and March 2006.
3. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the FRS to Government Office Region populations by age and gender. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining non-response error.
4. Incapacity benefit receipt is under-reported on the FRS. However, there is no other reliable source for this information at a household level.
5. Figures for the median net weekly income are rounded to the nearest pound.
6. Net (disposable) weekly income includes income from all sources for all adults and children in the household, less income tax and national insurance contributions (for adults).
7. Housing costs include household rent for rented accommodation or mortgage interest for those buying their home with a mortgage, plus water and sewerage charges (including council tax water charge in Scotland), plus premiums paid on structural insurance, plus charges for owner occupiers (ground rent, service charges etc.).
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the median equivalised net disposable income (a) before and (b) after housing costs were taken into account was of individuals in households receiving incapacity benefit in the latest period for which figures are available. [142741]
Mrs. McGuire: Latest available data show that the median equivalised net (disposable) weekly income of households receiving incapacity benefit is £271 before housing costs and £228 after housing costs.
Notes:
1. The source of the information provided is the Family Resources Survey (FRS), United Kingdom 2005-06. The Survey is a nationally representative sample of approximately 28,000 households.
2. Data for 2005-06 were collected between April 2005 and March 2006.
3. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the FRS to Government Office Region populations by age and gender. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining non-response error.
4. Incapacity benefit receipt is under-reported on the FRS. However, there is no other reliable source for this information at a household level.
5. Figures for the median equivalised net disposable weekly income are rounded to the nearest pound.
6. Net (disposable) weekly income includes income from all sources for all adults and children in the household, less income tax and NI contributions (for adults).
7. Housing costs include household rent for rented accommodation or mortgage interest for those buying their home with a mortgage, plus water and sewerage charges (including council tax water charge in Scotland), plus premiums paid on structural insurance, plus charges for owner occupiers (ground rent, service charges etc.).
Incapacity Benefit: Lancashire
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in West Lancashire were registered for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) jobseeker’s allowance in the financial year ending (i) March 1997 and (ii) March 2007. [144971]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following table.
| Incapacity benefits and jobseeker’s allowance claimants in the Lancashire West parliamentary constituency , November 1997 and 2006 | ||
| Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance | Jobseeker’s allowance | |
| Notes: 1. JSA figures are unrounded, incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance figures for November 1997 are rounded to the nearest 100 and the November 2006 figures to the nearest 10. 2. Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance figures for November 1997 have been produced using 5 per cent. data and have been uprated in accordance with Great Britain WPLS 100 per cent. IB/SDA totals. 3. Claimant figures for incapacity benefit include incapacity benefit credits-only cases. Source: 100 per cent. count of claimants of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus Computer Systems; DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. Sample for November 1997 and Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. Data for November 2006. | ||
Income Support: Lone Parents
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents made repeat claims for income support in West Lancashire in each month since 2005. [144926]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available other than at disproportionate cost.
Jobcentre Plus: Chard
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people visited the Jobcentre in Chard in each month since July 2006; and if he will make a statement. [143041]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
Letter from Mel Groves, dated 21 June 2007:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of people who have visited Chard Jobcentre since July 2006. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Lesley Strathie as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. I am replying on her behalf as Acting Chief Executive.
I am unable to provide details of customer usage in Chard Jobcentre since July 2006 as this information is not recorded in sufficient detail. We are analysing the number of customers using the office as part of the office network review. This monitoring commenced on 21 May 2007 and is being undertaken over a six week period.
Jobcentre Plus: Lancashire
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies were available through the job centres in West Lancashire constituency in the financial year ending March (a) 1997 and (b) 2007. [143531]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The available information is in the following table.
| Vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus in the West Lancashire Parliamentary Constituency | |
| Financial year | Number of vacancies |
| Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Information is only available at constituency level from April 2004. 3. Figures are not fully comparable over time and may not indicate developments in the labour market. Source: DWP Information Directorate Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System. | |
Low Incomes: Disabled
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of working age disabled adults were living on less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median income in each year since 1996-97. [136015]
Mr. Jim Murphy: The available information is in the following table.
Figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors and therefore will not be the same as any figures previously published which were based on McClements equivalisation factors.
| Percentage of working-age disabled adults living in households below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income | ||
| Before housing costs | After housing costs | |
| Source: Family Resources Survey | ||
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