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26 July 2007 : Column 1493W—continued
Employment: Absent Parents
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has undertaken into the employment rate of non-resident parents. [152072]
Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 24 July 2007]: In 2001 the Department conducted a large survey of the Child Support Agency caseload (DWP report 152) which profiled both persons with care and non-resident parents and most of the non-resident parents (61 per cent.) were in full-time employment at this time.
At the moment the Department is currently conducting the relationship separation survey which interviews CSA and non CSA persons with care and non-resident parents and covers employment. The results of this research will be published in January 2008.
Hazardous Substances: Storage
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) additional and (b) amended advice has been issued on the separation from each type of hazardous material storage of (i) other businesses, (ii) residential homes and (iii) schools and other establishments following the Buncefield fire; and if he will make a statement. [149918]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 16 July 2007]: HSE published a consultation document (CD) ‘Proposals for revised policies for HSE advice on development control around large-scale petrol storage’ in February 2007. This set out a number of options:
Option 1—no change to land use planning (LUP) advice;
Option 2—change size of consultation distance and zones, based on hazard;
Option 3—change size of consultation distance (as option 2) and development sensitivity levels;
Option 4—change size of Consultation Distance informed by risk, and adopt new development proximity zone to give more restrictive advice.
The consultation period closed on 22 May and responses are being analysed.
HSE had previously written in December 2006 to all planning authorities identified as having at least one similar installation to the Buncefield depot. This letter asked planning authorities, ahead of the CD's publication, not to progress pre-application discussions with developers about any proposal within 250 metres of the site boundary which would add to the number of people in the area, or any significant public use development up to 400 metres from the boundary.
Hazards: Housing
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on separation distances needed between Control of Major Accident Hazard sites and residential houses, with particular reference to liquefied natural gas storage facilities; and if he will make a statement. [150806]
Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
I have had no such discussions.
It is a matter for HSE under the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 to set a consultation distance around major hazards sites and to notify the relevant Local Planning Authority (LPA). The Town and Country (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 requires the LPA to consult HSE about certain proposed developments within any consultation distance and on any applications for hazardous substances consent.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants have transferred from claiming incapacity benefit to (a) pension credit and (b) any other benefit in each month since November 2004. [152330]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 24 July 2007]: The available information is in the following table.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) 20 Parliamentary constituencies and (b) 20 local authorities were with the highest number of incapacity benefit claimants in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many there were in each such constituency and local authority. [152645]
Mrs. McGuire: The available information is in the following tables.
| 20 parliamentary constituencies with the highest number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement Allowance claimants—November 2006 | |
| Parliamentary Constituency | Number of claimants |
| Note: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: DWP Information Directorate 100 per cent. WPLS | |
Low Incomes
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people lived in households earning less than 40 per cent. of median income (a) in 1997 and (b) in 2006, broken down by region. [152027]
Caroline Flint: [holding answer 23 July 2007]: The information requested is not available.
Mesothelioma
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people died from mesothelioma in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north east and (d) England in each year since 1997. [150558]
Mrs. McGuire: The number of mesothelioma deaths which occurred in South Tyneside, the north east, and England is given in the following table. Death statistics for mesothelioma are not held in a form which allows data for individual UK constituencies to be readily available.
| Place of death | |||
| South Tyneside | North East | England | |
| (1 )Provisional. Source: HSE Great Britain Mesothelioma Register | |||
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