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25 July 2007 : Column 1124W—continued
Jobcentre Plus: Scotland
Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the headcount target figure is for the number of employees in Jobcentre Plus in Scotland in 2007-08; and how many staff are in post, broken down by (a) district and (b) office. [149622]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 16 July 2007]: 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.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking about the headcount target figure for the number of employees in Jobcentre Plus in Scotland in 2007-08; and how many staff are in post, broken down by district and office. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The planned level of staffing for Jobcentre Plus in Scotland at March 2008 is 7,652 full-time equivalents.
I attach two tables which show the staff in post and the full-time equivalent figures at the end of March 2007, for our Operational staff and our National Directorates, broken down by district and office. Copies of these tables have been placed in the Library.
I hope this is helpful.
Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his target is for the number of full-time equivalent staff in each Jobcentre Plus office in Scotland at the end of 2007-08. [152052]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 23 July 2007]: 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 Lesley Strathie, dated 25 July 2007 :
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the headcount target for the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in each Jobcentre Plus office in Scotland at the end of 2007-08.This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
I attach a table which shows, for Jobcentre Plus Operations, the planned FTE staff in each office in March 2008, and for national Directorates, the planned FTE staff in each District in March 2008. Copies of this table have been placed in the Library.
The difference between the target figure provided in response to your earlier question asking about the headcount figure for the number of Jobcentre Plus employees in Scotland in 2007-08 (7,652 FTE), and the total of the targets by site and district in the attached table (7,555 FTE), is because an additional allocation of FTE staff has been made for Scotland as a whole and has not yet been disaggregated to individual sites. This disaggregation will take place as part of a current revision to workforce plans.
I hope this is helpful.
Lung Diseases
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were diagnosed with pleural plaques in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since 1997. [150557]
Ann Keen: I have been asked to reply.
Information on the number of people diagnosed with pleural plaques is not collected.
Pensioners: Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Dai Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to make arrangements to ensure that eligibility arrangements
for (a) disability living allowance and (b) vehicle excise duty are amended in line with the pension eligibility change when pensionable age is raised to 67. [152274]
Mrs. McGuire: The age limit for claiming disability living allowance will be increased incrementally with effect from 6 April 2024 in line with the age increases to state pension age. The measure is being taken forward as part of the Pensions Bill currently passing through Parliament.
Vehicle excise duty exemption policy is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Pensioners: Income
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average income of the (a) top and (b) bottom quartile of pensioners was in each year since 1997. [150058]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information that is shown in the following tables is based on sampling and estimates. Movement in data between single years may be due to sampling error but over a period trends are useful.
| Average gross income of pensioner couples by position in the income distribution: 2005-06 prices | ||
| £ per week | ||
| Bottom quartile | Top quartile | |
| Average gross income of single pensioners by position in the income distribution: 2005-06 prices | ||
| £ per week | ||
| Bottom quartile | Top quartile | |
Pensions Bill
Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the statement by the Minister for Pensions Reform on 17 July 2007, Official Report, column 194, on the Pensions Bill, how many members of the Abingdon Carpets pension scheme he expects to be affected by the commitment to match the extra funds that the Young Review identifies with the goal of moving towards 90 per cent. of expected core pension for all recipients. [151930]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The information is not available. Abingdon Carpets is still in the process of winding up which is not expected to be completed until 31 December 2007. Until this time, and until data on all scheme members eligible for payment from the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) has been provided by the trustee, it will not be possible to assess how many will be eligible for assistance.
In the meantime the FAS Operational Unit (FASOU) is making initial payments at 60 per cent. of core expected pension to five members who have reached the age of 65.
Pensions Regulator
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many instances the Pensions Regulator has ordered employers to cease the accrual of further benefits by pension scheme members. [151385]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Regulator has not, as yet, found it necessary in respect of any recovery plan submitted to exercise its powers to modify the scheme in respect of future accrual of benefits.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many instances the pensions regulator has offered clearance to those involved in corporate reconstructions; and if he will make a statement. [151386]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: There were 338 clearances offered as at the end of June 2007 in respect of corporate transactions or ‘Type A’ events.
The clearance system operated by the regulator has been very successful in helping to achieve beneficial outcomes for both schemes and members. The business community has also welcomed the risk based and proportionate approach that the regulator has adopted in this area. Recent high profile cases have demonstrated that the regulator has significant influence and is not afraid to use its powers where it is right to do so.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many trustees the Pensions Regulator has (a) removed and (b) replaced. [151387]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Regulator has not used its powers to remove or replace any trustees to date. It has however, caused the resignation of one trustee who was then subsequently prohibited by the Regulator’s Determinations Panel.
During 2006-07 the Regulator made 46 appointments from its register of independent trustees and 506 other appointments were also made on application, to defined contribution schemes only.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many funding schedules the Pensions Regulator has imposed. [151388]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Regulator has not yet found it necessary to use its powers in relation to the new scheme funding regime. However, where it judges it necessary it will work with trustees and employers to ensure that any recovery plan submitted is both prudent and appropriate.
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many scheme-specific funding plans agreed between the trustee and company the pensions regulator has approved. [151389]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The regulator does not approve scheme specific plans. Plans submitted to the regulator are reviewed on a risk basis taking into account its statutory objectives and consideration of whether those plans are consistent with the principles in Part 3 of the Pensions Act 2004. Where the regulator is satisfied that trustees and employers have agreed a plan consistent with those principles it will notify the trustees or their designated advisers that it will not be seeking to exercise its statutory powers in respect of the plan.
As at 30 June 2007, there were 407 plans where trustees had been so notified.
Working Links
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance applies to engagement consultants employed by Working Links with regard to the selection of incentives offered to potential recruits under the scheme. [152346]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 24 July 2007]: The Department for Work and Pensions encourages providers, such as Working Links, to find innovative methods of engaging with unemployed people. The Department is not prescriptive about the types of innovation that may be used to engage with people recruited to the scheme.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on providing incentive vouchers for use by engagement consultants employed by Working Links to offer to potential recruits under the scheme (a) in Scotland and (b) throughout the UK since the commencement of the scheme. [152347]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 24 July 2007]: The information is not available as the Department for Work and Pensions does not provide separate funding for the provision of incentive vouchers that may be used by engagement consultants.
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