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Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Tuesday 21 November 2006
(the 'Questions Book')
Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Tuesday 21 November 2006
This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 21 November of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department. For other Written Questions for answer on Tuesday 21 November of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper. For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Tuesday 21 November see Part 2 of this paper.
Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 1
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information is collected by HM Revenue and Customs on the cost/yield ratios for investigating (a) tax fraud and (b) error; and if he will make a statement. | | (102083) | 2
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the monthly HM Revenue and Customs management account information on tax credit call centre performance for each month from April 2005 to September 2006; and if he will make a statement. | | (102095) | 3
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the monthly HM Revenue and Customs management account information on overpaid tax credits and benefits debt balances in each month since April 2005. | | (102096) | 4
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the monthly HM Revenue and Customs management account information on disputed overpayment of tax credits for each month from April 2005 to October 2006; and if he will make a statement. | | (102097) | 5
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the monthly HM Revenue and Customs management account information on complaints on hand in relation to tax credits for each month since April 2005. | | (102098) | 6
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit renewals were outstanding in each month since April 2005. | | (102099) | 7
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish (a) the HM Revenue and Customs narrative updates on the design and implementation of tax credit 2.T and (b) design work to improve and develop tax credits for each month since April 2005. | | (102100) | 8
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit compliance team staff there were in each year since 2001-02; and if he will make a statement. | | (102101) | 9
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of individuals involved in large scale attempts to defraud the tax credits system. | | (102102) | 10
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many tax credit applications have been referred by HM Revenue and Customs for criminal proceedings to date in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. | | (102103) | 11
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the value was of the three largest frauds perpetrated in the tax credits system since 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (102104) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 12
| Mrs Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet):To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which statistics have been put forward by (a) her Department and (b) her predecessor Department for consideration to become new national statistics in each of the last five years; and how many statistics sets (i) her Department and (ii) her predecessor Department has produced in each year. | | (102067) | Questions to the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 13
| Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield):To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment she has made of the likely impact on the legal aid budget of the reduction in the number of criminal cases going through the courts; and to what extent this reduction has informed the Department's proposals for legal aid reform. | | (102012) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 14
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to secure a resolution of the dispute involving the Swimming Teachers Association; and if she will make a statement. | | (101619) | 15
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whom the Minister of Sport met on legacy use of the Olympic Stadium; when each meeting took place; if the potential value of the stadium was discussed; if (a) the Olympic Board, (b) the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and (c) the Olympic Delivery Authority were informed of these discussions by her Department before they took place; if the results were reported to these bodies; and what account was taken in discussions of the commitment to convert the stadium into an athletics facility. | | (101620) | 16
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the £750 million pledged by the Prime Minister to school sport at the 2000 Labour Party Conference has been (a) committed and (b) spent. | | (101621) | 17
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department uses an internal traffic light or colour coded system for parliamentary questions for written answer. | | (102035) | 18
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many people work for the Casino Advisory Panel; how many members have left since the Panel was created; and what the staff turnover has been in that period. | | (102041) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 19
N | Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he will implement the recognition scheme for the Bevin Boys. | | (100996) | 20
| Mrs Siân C. James (Swansea East):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many ex-service men and women in Swansea East are eligible for the veteran's badge; and if he will make a statement. | | (102034) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 21
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, whether he plans to carry out research into the effects of clustering of independent children's homes. | | (101804) | 22
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each local education authority closed for at least one day due to snowfall in each of the last 10 years. | | (101912) | 23
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many school days were lost due to snowfall in the last year for which figures are available. | | (101913) | 24
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many schools closed for at least one day due to inclement weather in the last year for which figures are available. | | (101914) | 25
N | Sarah Teather (Brent East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what guidance his Department has issued to schools about closures due to inclement weather. | | (101915) | 26
| Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many special needs units were (a) opened and (b) closed in maintained schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority; and what estimate he has made of the number of such units which were (i) opened and (ii) closed in independent schools in each year, broken down by local authority. | | (102046) | 27
| Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many enhanced provision facilities were (a) opened and (b) closed in maintained schools in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority; and what estimate he has made of the number of such facilities which were (i) opened and (ii) closed in independent schools in each year, broken down by local authority. | | (102047) | 28
| Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) independent and (b) maintained special schools there were in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority. | | (102048) | 29
| Mr David Willetts (Havant):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many (a) independent and (b) maintained special schools have opened in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority. | | (102049) | 30
| Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many head teacher posts are filled by temporary head teachers. | | (102025) | 31
| Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many head teacher positions are vacant in secondary schools; and what the average length of vacancy of such a position was in 2006-07. | | (102027) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 32
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many successful prosecutions have been brought under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 in the last 30 years; and how many such prosecutions were in relation to the use of fireworks. | | (100527) | 33
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the Rural Payments Agency will make a substantial part payment of the 2006 payments due before the end of 2006 under the single payment scheme. | | (102016) | 34
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his intervention of 7th November 2006, Official Report, column 721, if he will give further details of the (a) accounting changes and (b) pressures of previous years which have contributed £65 million and between £70-80 million respectively to his Department's funding deficit of £200 million. | | (102143) | 35
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his Department calculated the figure of £131 million for contingent liabilities in its 2005-06 accounts for errors and procedural mistakes in administering the single payment scheme. | | (102144) | 36
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) formal and (b) informal discussions have taken place between his Department and European Commission staff on the potential disallowance for administration of the 2005 single payment scheme. | | (102145) | 37
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he will respond to the comments made in the National Audit Office report into the administration of the 2005 single payment scheme. | | (102146) | 38
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to his intervention of 7th November 2006, Official Report, column 721, on what basis the figure of £25 million of his Department's budget deficit was allocated to the Rural Payments Agency. | | (102147) | 39
N | Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the household waste recycling rates were in of each English region in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what the rates were in each year since 1996-97. | | (101115) | 40
N | Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on waste management of Manchester's joint private finance initiative procurement; and if he will make a statement. | | (101116) | 41
N | Joan Ruddock (Lewisham, Deptford):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions between his waste strategy team officials and his (a) climate change team, (b) transport team, (c) energy team and (d) procurement team took place prior to the announcement in July on the Greater London Authority: The Government's Final Proposals for Additional Powers and Responsibilities for the Mayor and Assembly. | | (101117) | 42
N | Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Food Stocks Survey 2005. | | (101800) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 43
N | Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment she has made of recent reports that the Europe Minister told Bulgarian observers in the European Parliament on 15th November that UK restrictions on labour market access for Romanians and Bulgarians may be ended after one year. | | (101627) | 44
| Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the responsibilities are of the right hon. Member for Torfaen in his role as the Government's Special Representative to Sri Lanka; with whom he will hold meetings in that capacity; and what the objectives are of his role. | | (102050) | 45
N | Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the banning of the (a) manufacture and (b) use of cluster munitions; and if she will make a statement. | | (101623) | 46
N | Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what definitions the Government uses of (a) smart cluster munitions and (b) dumb cluster munitions. | | (101624) | 47
N | Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which (a) makes and (b) models of cluster munitions the Government defines as (i) smart and (ii) dumb. | | (101625) | 48
N | Mr Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has ratified Protocol V of the Connections on certain conventional weapons; and if she will make a statement. | | (101626) | 49
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have held in the last five years with casino operators interested in securing licences under the Gambling Act 2005; which casino operators they met; and if she will place in the Library the agenda and minutes of the meetings and details of who attended each. | | (102038) | 50
| Mr Hugo Swire (East Devon):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which casino operators officials from her Department met in 2005-06; whether the Department for Trade and Industry provided papers for the meetings; and if she will make such papers available along with the minutes and agendas of the meetings. | | (102084) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Health 51
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning in the last 10 years. | | (102036) | 52
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps her Department is taking (a) to prevent deaths caused by carbon monoxide poisoning and (b) to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. | | (102037) | 53
N | Tim Farron (Westmorland & Lonsdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if her Department will review funding provision for air ambulances. | | (101801) | 54
N | Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussion her Department has had with local health NHS trusts on minor injuries facilities in Northamptonshire over the last month. | | (100569) | 55
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many product assessments the Rapid Review Panel has undertaken since December 2003; how many assessed products were recommended to the Department of Health for use in the NHS; how many products were recommended for use by the NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency; and how many products in use by the NHS were recommended by the Panel. | | (102031) | 56
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients the NHS has treated for lung disease in each year since 1997; and what resources the NHS has allocated for research into and treatment of lung disease. | | (102032) | 57
| Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when she will publish the predictive risk indicators for non-elective admissions. | | (102033) | 58
N | Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps she has taken to ensure that NHS financial turn-around teams have no conflict of interest with accountancy companies auditing NHS hospital annual accounts. | | (100574) | 59
N | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting time is for (a) all minor surgery and (b) circumcision at the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust. | | (101460) | 60
N | Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting time is for patients for dynamic psychotherapy in the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. | | (101461) | 61
| Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the waiting time is for an MRI scan for a trapped nerve in the shouder at the Coventry and Walsgrave hospitals. | | (102028) | 62
N | Hugh Robertson (Faversham & Mid Kent):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what account was taken of sporting activity in developing the Healthy Living Social Marketing Strategy. | | (101622) | 63
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much was spent by the primary care trusts in (a) Suffolk Coastal, (b) Central Suffolk, (c) Ipswich and (d) Suffolk East on (i) salaries and (ii) wages for (A) general and senior managers, (B) nurses and midwives and (C) administrative and clerical staff in each of the last four financial years. | | (102030) | Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department 64
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many licensed premises were closed down by (a) police and (b) local authorities for selling alcohol illegally in (i) Dudley, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) the UK in each of the last 10 years. | | (102074) | 65
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many licensed premises were issued penalties by (a) police and (b) local authorities for selling alcohol illegally in (i) Dudley, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) the UK in each of the last 10 years. | | (102075) | 66
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what penalties may be imposed in cases where licensed premises sell alcohol illegally. | | (102076) | 67
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of underage drinkers in (a) Dudley, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the UK. | | (102077) | 68
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle (a) underage drinking and (b) the use of false identification documents by under-aged youths to purchase alcohol. | | (102078) | 69
| Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the policy review of the practice of giving two months discretionary leave to remain to any citizen who cannot provide evidence of existing leave to remain at a port of entry will be completed; and if he will make a statement. | | (102013) | 70
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many items of correspondence have been received by his Department since 5th May 2005; and what percentage of correspondence received in that period was answered within 15 days of receipt. | | (102023) | 71
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking in conjunction with HM Revenue and Customs to reduce suspected organised fraud of the tax credits system. | | (102085) | 72
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has to change funding for the Avon and Somerset Constabulary to reflect (a) relative crime levels and (b) the conclusions of recent departmental reviews of force funding; and if he will make a statement. | | (102086) | 73
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what instructions were given (a) verbally and (b) in writing to the Director General of the Prison Service by Ministers in October 2002 on control of a riot at Lincoln jail; and if he will make a statement. | | (102087) | 74
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) present and (b) future retirement age arrangements are for each public sector pension scheme for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement. | | (102088) | 75
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate he has made of the (a) rate and (b) annual cost of employer contributions to each public sector pension scheme for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement. | | (102089) | 76
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the arrangements are for the payment of pensions to people who retire early through ill-health for each pension scheme for which his Department is responsible; what the incidence of ill-health retirement was as a percentage of all retirement for such schemes in each year since 1988-89; and if he will make a statement. | | (102090) | 77
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his most recent estimate is of the unfunded liability, in present value terms, of each public sector pension scheme for which his Department is responsible; and on what assumptions of (a) discount rate and (b) longevity the estimate is based. | | (102091) | 78
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current (a) accrual rate and (b) normal retirement age is for each public sector pension scheme for which his Department is responsible; and if he will make a statement. | | (102092) | 79
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the potential for savings to his Department of the reforms to public sector pensions agreed with trades unions in 2005 for each year between 2006-07 and 2050-51; and if he will make a statement. | | (102093) | 80
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the rate of ill-health retirement is for each public sector pension scheme for which his Department is responsible; and if he will make a statement. | | (102094) | 81
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prosecutions there have been in (a) Worthing and (b) West Sussex for the sale of tobacco to under 16-year-olds since 2000. | | (101805) | 82
N | Tim Loughton (East Worthing & Shoreham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what action he has taken to put the education campaign on cannabis announced in the House on 19th January into effect. | | (101839) | 83
N | Mr Chris Mullin (Sunderland South):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many terrorist suspects have been detained for 28 days; and how many of these have subsequently been (a) charged and (b) released. | | (101498) | 84
| Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many appeals have been determined by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Panel in each of the last five years; and what percentage of appeals was successful in each year. | | (102024) | 85
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was of prison to prison transfers in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. | | (102017) | 86
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners escaped while being transferred between prisons in each year since 2000. | | (102018) | 87
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people under 18 years who have DNA profiles stored on the national database have not been charged or cautioned for an offence; and if he will make a statement. | | (102070) | 88
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many profiles held on the DNA database relate to people under the age of 18 who have been (a) arrested but had no further action taken against them, (b) charged but later acquitted, (c) charged, where such charges were subsequently dropped, and (d) given a reprimand or final warning; and if he will make a statement. | | (102071) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 89
N | Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) interim and (b) full anti-social behaviour orders have been obtained by agencies in Northern Ireland in each district council area since inception. | | (101114) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 90
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he is taking to promote the use of carbon monoxide detectors in homes. | | (102073) | 91
N | Sir Paul Beresford (Mole Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the policy of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory will be on the interpretation of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Regulations in respect of (a) existing but unsold electronic equipment held by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and (b) production by the SMEs of new equipment where for health, safety or robustness of construction reasons the equipment demands the use of lead-based solders or no proven alternative is widely available. | | (101716) | 92
N | John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps he has taken besides his efforts to liberalise the European gas market to ensure security of supply within the UK gas market. | | (101909) | 93
N | John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what impact concerns raised by NATO regarding Russia limiting gas supply into Europe have had on his plans for security of gas supply in the UK. | | (101910) | 94
N | John Hemming (Birmingham, Yardley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate he has made of how much more gas would enter the UK were Europe's gas markets to be liberalised. | | (101911) | 95
| Mr Denis Murphy (Wansbeck):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how much was spent on training trading standards officers in each of the last five years. | | (102026) | 96
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if he will take steps to ensure that those most vulnerable at-risk service users registered with telephone service providers have faults dealt with within four hours; and if he will make a statement. | | (102040) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 97
| Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many blue badges for children under two years old have been authorised by local authorities in England in each of the last 10 years. | | (102014) | 98
| Mr Brian Binley (Northampton South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether local authorities have discretion in issuing blue badges to children under two years old. | | (102015) | 99
N | James Duddridge (Rochford & Southend East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that the system whereby drivers from outside the UK can drive within the UK for up to 12 months without obtaining a British driving licence does not apply to drivers from countries where standards for obtaining a driving licence are not sufficiently high. | | (101584) | 100
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will respond to the conclusions and recommendations of (a) the Review by the Light Aviation Airports Study Group and (b) the Regulatory Review of General Aviation in the UK; and if he will make a statement. | | (102019) | 101
N | Hywel Williams (Caernarfon):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction in train services calling at the commuter station of Severn Tunnel Junction; and if he will give guidance to First Great Western on maintaining services to rail users who depend on this station. | | (101628) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 102
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on referring Child Support Agency cases with outstanding arrears to debt collection agencies since August 2005; how much such agencies have collected in outstanding arrears; and if he will make a statement. | | (102021) | 103
| Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth & Camborne):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unresolved Child Support Agency cases are with debt collection agencies. | | (102022) | 104
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information about local reference rents has been made available by The Rent Service since Novmber 2003. | | (102055) | 105
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many localities were used by TRS to determine local reference rents in each month since 1999. | | (102056) | 106
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria need to be met to enable a reciprocal agreement to be in place between the United Kingdom and another country to allow for the pensions of British expatriates who live in that country to be uprated fully each year. | | (102057) | 107
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with which countries the United Kingdom has a reciprocal agreement on the annual uprating of British expatriate pensions. | | (102058) | 108
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what strategies his Department has for extending and developing support for carers under the age of 25; and if he will make a statement. | | (102059) | 109
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will take steps to develop a joined up strategy with the Department for Education and Skills to identify and offer support to those carers who are of school age. | | (102060) | 110
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his most recent estimate is of (a) how many carers there are in the UK, (b) how many hours, on average, they spend fulfilling their carer responsibilities and (c) what the cost per hour of care would be to the public purse if they were not providing such care. | | (102061) | 111
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the UK left employment in the last 12 months; how many were provided with job search support via Government agencies; what the (a) total and (b) average cost per person was of providing such support; what success rates were achieved; and how success is measured. | | (102062) | 112
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) smallest, (b) largest and (c) average settlements made by the Government in lieu of backdating widows' benefits are. | | (102063) | 113
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was allocated (a) to each London local authority and (b) in each region of the UK under the discretionary housing payment scheme in each of the last five years; and what proportion was used in each case. | | (102064) | 114
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many discretionary housing payments were awarded in each London local authority in each of the last five years; and what the average value was of those payments during that period. | | (102065) | 115
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were in receipt of the basic state pension in each quarter from the first quarter of 1990 to the third quarter of 2006; how many lived abroad in each period; and if he will make a statement. | | (102081) | 116
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who were claiming incapacity benefit prior to November 2003 are now claiming jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement. | | (102082) | 117
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations on simplifying the non-dependant deduction received in response to `Quality and choice: a decent home for all' his Department has considered. | | (102105) | 118
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which (a) full and (b) part-time Jobcentre Plus offices have been closed in each of the last four years. | | (102106) | 119
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Jobcentre Plus offices had their opening hours reduced in each of the last eight quarters for which figures are available; and which offices had such reductions in the last (a) six, (b) 12, (c) 24 and (d) 48 months, broken down by parliamentary constituency. | | (102107) | 120
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have received ex-gratia payments from the Child Support Agency in the last five years due to delays in processing their cases. | | (102108) | 121
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what action he is taking to ensure that housing benefit claimants facing benefit shortfalls are made aware of the availability of discretionary housing payments to help with their rent. | | (102109) | 122
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average cost to his Department was of Post Office Card Account transactions in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (102110) | 123
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which information technology projects are being undertaken by (a) his Department and (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if he will make a statement. | | (102111) | 124
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of single claimants under 25 years old in the local housing allowance pathfinders face a shortfall between their eligible and contractual rents. | | (102112) | 125
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households which are not pensioner households are entitled to cold weather payments; and what plans he has to provide additional help to those householders who may be suffering from fuel poverty. | | (102113) | 126
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the July 2006 changes which introduced a right to work pre-condition before National Insurance numbers could be allocated. | | (102114) | 127
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will break down the number of repeat participants by the number of times each repeated for each New Deal programme in each year since the programme started. | | (102115) | 128
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance numbers have been issued; and how many new numbers were issued in 2005-06. | | (102117) | 129
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets are set for Jobcentre Plus contact centre telephone operators. | | (102118) | 130
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of the Department's mail is shipped using private companies; and what the cost was over 12 months. | | (102119) | 131
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library the data underlying the graph on page 46 of the response to the Report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman `Trusting in the Pensions Promise' showing cash and net present value cost over time for compensating those who have suffered diminutions in their pensions. | | (102120) | 132
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether an estimate has been made of the net cost of compensating those identified in the Ombudsman's report `Trusting in the Pensions Promise' taking into account the resulting reduction in (a) pension credit, (b) council tax benefit and (c) housing benefit payable to those compensated. | | (102121) | 133
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether national insurance numbers will be issued to (a) non-working and (b) self-employed migrants to the UK from (i) Bulgaria and (ii) Romania after their accession to the EU. | | (102122) | 134
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what housing benefit expenditure was on (a) tenants in social housing, (b) tenants in private rented accommodation and (c) households in temporary accommodation in (i) England and (ii) each London local authority in each of the last five years. | | (102123) | 135
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what housing benefit expenditure was in each local authority area in London in each of the last five years at 2006 prices. | | (102124) | 136
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average housing benefit payment was to households in temporary accommodation in each London local authority in each of the last five years. | | (102125) | 137
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what housing benefit expenditure was on households in temporary accommodation in each year since 1997. | | (102126) | 138
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been spent by his Department on referring Child Support Agency cases with outstanding arrears to debt collection agencies since August 2005; how much such agencies have collected in outstanding arrears; and if he will make a statement. | | (102127) | 139
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many unresolved Child Support Agency cases are with debt collection agencies. | | (102128) | 140
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to offset the carbon dioxide emissions caused by ministerial travel in his Department. | | (102129) | 141
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases were (a) outstanding and (b) unprocessed in (i) Yeovil and (ii) Somerset in each year since 1997. | | (102130) | 142
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of light bulbs purchased by his Department in 2005 were of the compact fluorescent type. | | (102131) | 143
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases in (a) Somerset and (b) Yeovil constituency were (i) outstanding and (ii) unprocessed in each year from 1997 to 2006. | | (102132) | 144
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the access to work scheme in increasing the numbers of disabled people in employment. | | (102133) | 145
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost has been of developing his Department's web-based retirement planner. | | (102134) | 146
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on (a) information technology projects generally and (b) web-facing projects in each year since 2001, broken down by (i) expenditure on consultants and (ii) other costs. | | (102135) | 147
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what liaison he authorises the Child Support Agency to have with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority to ascertain whether heavy goods vehicle drivers have current licences and thereby investigate their current employment status. | | (102136) | 148
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of information technology projects undertaken by or for his Department since 2001 have been delivered (a) over budget, (b) after their original deadline, (c) on budget, (d) under budget, (e) on their original deadline and (f) ahead of their original deadline. | | (102137) | 149
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which web-related information technology projects have cost his Department more than £50,000 since 2001; how many qualified tender proposals there were for each project; and which company was awarded each contract. | | (102138) | 150
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the numbers of National Insurance numbers which were used for fraudulent purposes in each of the last five years. | | (102139) | 151
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many housing benefit claims were subject to each rate of non-dependant deduction in 2005-06; how many claimants in each rate lived in (a) council housing, (b) registered social landlord housing and (c) the private rented sector; and what percentage of total housing benefit claims each group represents. | | (102140) | 152
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of housing benefit claims were subject to a non-dependent deduction for which the claimant was (a) registered disabled, (b) over 60 years old, (c) in receipt of income support or jobseeker's allowance and (d) a lone parent in 2005-06. | | (102141) | 153
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which organisations (a) were in favour of and (b) opposed the simplification or reform of the housing benefit non-dependent deduction regime proposed in the housing green paper referred to in the Answer of 1st February 2006 on benefits. | | (102142) | 154
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the claimant on-flow rates to (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disablement allowance were in each month since January 2005. | | (102148) | 155
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average duration of an incapacity benefit claim was in each month since January 2005. | | (102149) | 156
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the claimant off-flow rates from (a) incapacity benefit and (b) severe disability allowance were in each month since January 2005, broken down by reason for leaving the benefit. | | (102150) | 157
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will disaggregate the cost of basic state pension reforms, as shown in figure 9 of the Pensions White Paper, Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pension System, to show (a) the gross cost of saving from increasing the basic state pension in line with earnings from 2012 on existing qualifying criteria, (b) the net cost of increasing the basic state pension in line with earnings from 2012 on existing qualifying criteria, (c) the changes to qualifying criteria and (d) the changes to adult dependency increases proposed in the White Paper. | | (102151) | 158
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff are employed in the Error Task Force. | | (102152) | 159
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what targets have been set for the Error Task Force. | | (102153) | 160
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost is to his Department of work related to pension reform that has been undertaken by consultants since the publication of the Pensions Commission's Second Report on 30th November 2005. | | (102154) | 161
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of disabled people were living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (102155) | 162
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what total amount of additional unpaid maintenance has been recovered to date as a result of the Child Support Agency's operational improvement plan; and if he will make a statement. | | (102156) | 163
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of individuals participating in the New Deal for Young People are participating in the programme for the (a) first, (b) second and (c) third time. | | (102157) | 164
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of (a) women and (b) men leaving (i) the New Deal for Young People and (ii) the New Deal 25 Plus (A) found a sustained job and (B) moved onto jobseeker's allowance in each year for which figures are available. | | (102158) | 165
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been spent on (a) administration and (b) legal fees for the Financial Assistance Scheme in each month since its inception; and if he will make a statement. | | (102159) | 166
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the value was in each case. | | (102160) | 167
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that more staff in job centres are trained to deal with clients suffering from mental illness. | | (102161) | 168
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total pension liabilities are of his Department and the agencies for which he is responsible; and if he will make a statement. | | (102162) | 169
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases have been reported of (a) an individual using more than one national insurance number and (b) a national insurance number being used by more than one individual in each year since 1997. | | (102163) | 170
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing in full the proposals set out in his Department's report `A new deal for welfare: empowering people to work'. | | (102164) | 171
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many families living in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland receive more than half of their gross income in cash benefits and tax credits. | | (102165) | 172
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much overpayment his Department recovered in each benefit in each of the last five years for which figures are available. | | (102166) | 173
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the level of overpayment of benefits by his Department was in each of the last eight years. | | (102167) | 174
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent by his Department on refreshments in each year since 1997. | | (102168) | 175
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many penalties the Child Support Agency has issued in Scotland for (a) failure to provide information and (b) providing false information in each of the last eight years. | | (102169) | 176
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many changes of circumstances have been reported by non-resident parents on the (a) old and (b) new Child Support Agency scheme claims in Scotland in each month of the last three years. | | (102170) | 177
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the compliance rate for the self-employed in Scottish claims with the Child Support Agency. | | (102171) | 178
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the cost of compensation which would need to be paid to those identified in the Ombudsman's report `Trusting in the Pensions Promise' who would experience diminutions in their pensions if Pension Protection Fund compensation rules were applied. | | (102172) | 179
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have passed through Pathways to Work programmes in each year since their inception, broken down by (a) area and (b) whether the participants had a physical or mental disability; and what proportion obtained work in each case. | | (102173) | 180
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants in (a) Great Britain, (b) each region and (c) each London borough did not receive the full child support payments they were entitled to in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. | | (102174) | 181
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the recent performance of Jobcentre Plus in dealing with claimants; and if he will make a statement. | | (102175) | 182
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies in respect of hotel and other similar privately-provided accommodation (i) in the UK and (ii) abroad for (A) Ministers, (B) staff and (C) other persons in each year since 2001-02. | | (102176) | 183
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many confirmed security breaches of databases controlled by his Department occurred in each of the last five years; whether the breach resulted from internal or external sources in each case; how many records were compromised on each occasion; and what estimate was made of the total number of records accessible to the individuals concerned. | | (102177) | 184
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children were in poverty whose parents were (a) in work and (b) receiving benefits in each of the last five years. | | (102178) | 185
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what checks are made by Jobcentre Plus on the immigration status of applicants and claimants. | | (102179) | 186
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received (a) incapacity benefit, (b) disability living allowance, (c) attendance allowance, (d) bereavement benefits, (e) carer's allowance, (f) maternity allowance and (g) severe disablement allowance in each of the last five years; how much was paid in each case in each year; and how much was spent on the administration of each in each year, broken down by (i) employee costs, (ii) IS/IT costs and (iii) other costs. | | (102180) | 187
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many National Insurance numbers have been issued since May 2004; and how many of these were to workers from EU accession countries, broken down by country of origin. | | (102181) | 188
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total value has been of the contracts that his Department has held with (a) ER consultants and (b) Praesta in each of the last three years; and which ministers have made use of their services. | | (102182) | 189
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the estimated (a) on-flows and (b) off-flows for incapacity benefits are for each year to 2019-20. | | (102183) | 190
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in receipt of home responsibilities protection have a younger child aged (a) between six and 11 and (b) 12 or over. | | (102184) | 191
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has carried out of the impact on work incentives of (a) reducing the number of qualifying years needed to receive a full basic state pension and (b) gradually reducing the link between salary and state second pension accruals. | | (102185) | 192
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total (a) set-up and (b) running costs have been of the Error Task Force. | | (102186) | 193
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total value is of erroneous benefit payments identified by the Error Task Force. | | (102187) | 194
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much has been paid out by the Financial Assistance Scheme since its inception; and how many people are receiving payments. | | (102188) | 195
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on reform of the part-time study rule to enable young people to study full-time while in receipt of housing benefit. | | (102189) | 196
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will carry out a cost-benefit analysis of the effect of (a) abolishing and (b) changing the part-time study rule for housing benefit. | | (102190) | 197
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the monetary value of fraud and error in each of the last five years in (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) disability living allowance, (d) jobseeker's allowance, (e) housing benefit, (f) pension credit, (g) council tax benefit, (h) basic state pension, (i) carer's allowance and (j) attendance allowance; and if he will make a statement. | | (102191) | 198
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what research he has undertaken into the proportion of working age people in the UK on incapacity benefit in comparison with figures for other EU countries; and if he will make a statement. | | (102192) | 199
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average age has been of uncleared Child Support Agency applications for each month since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (102193) | 200
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken to answer telephone calls to the Child Support Agency helpline has been for new scheme cases in each month since 1st January 2003; and if he will make a statement. | | (102194) | 201
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the performance targets of the Child Support Agency are; what progress has been made in meeting each target; and if he will make a statement. | | (102195) | 202
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether bonus payments made to employees of the Child Support Agency are based on (a) relative and (b) absolute levels of performance. | | (102196) | 203
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the average age of uncleared Child Support Agency cases in each quarter since Q2 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (102197) | 204
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the maximum budget available for bonus payments to employees of the Child Support Agency was in each year since 2001; and what the total amount of bonuses paid out to employees of the Agency was in each such year. | | (102198) | 205
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are used to determine bonus payments to employees of the Child Support Agency. | | (102199) | 206
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what quotas are set for the (a) number of people and (b) proportion of the pay budget in the Child Support Agency for bonus payments in any one year. | | (102200) | 207
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on external consultants in each year since 1996-97, broken down by project; what the purpose of each such project was; and if he will make a statement. | | (102201) | 208
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases were (a) outstanding and (b) unprocessed in each year from 1993 to 2006; and if he will make a statement. | | (102202) | 209
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what total payments of Child Support Agency arrears have been made by absent parents in each (a) month, (b) quarter and (c) year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. | | (102203) | 210
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children in the UK have been in absolute low income poverty in each year since 1979-80; and if he will make a statement. | | (102204) | 211
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many parents with care are owed Child Support Agency maintenance arrears; what the average arrears are per case; and if he will make a statement. | | (102205) | 212
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the amount of Child Support Agency outstanding unpaid maintenance arrears in each quarter since 1993, broken down into (a) collectable, (b) possibly uncollectable, (c) deferred and (d) probably uncollectable. | | (102206) | 213
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of recipients of incapacity related benefit received such benefit for (a) mental illness and (b) back pain in each year since 1979-80. | | (102207) | 214
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of economic migration to the UK on the pay rates of low skilled workers; and if he will make a statement. | | (102208) | 215
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the ratio of incapacity benefit to median earnings in the UK was in each year from 1975-76 to 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. | | (102209) | 216
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of consultations by his Department on reform of the UK pension system has been since May 2005; and if he will make a statement. | | (102210) | 217
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what earnings would have to be received by a male full-time employee for his after-tax income to match the level of income on incapacity benefit, taking all other associated benefits into account, for each household type for which his Department has information; and if he will make a statement. | | (102211) | 218
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many women were in receipt of incapacity related benefits in each year since 1976-77. | | (102212) | 219
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost of running the Pensions Service in each year from 1990-91 to 2005-06. | | (102215) | 220
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost of the administration of his Department and its agencies was in each year since 1995-96 in (a) cash and (b) real terms; and what the planned costs are in each year to 2008-09 in (i) cash and (ii) real terms. | | (102216) | 221
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's spending on (a) each benefit and (b) each programme was in (i) cash and (ii) real terms using 2004-05 prices in each year since 1995-96; what his estimate is of the same figures in each year to 2010-11; and what the total annual change is in each case. | | (102217) | 222
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new claims for incapacity benefit there were in each month since 1997; and if he will make a statement. | | (102218) | 223
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on the New Deal in each year since 2003-04; and what spending is planned in each year to 2009-10. | | (102219) | 224
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the (a) rate and (b) cost of fraud and error for each benefit administered by his Department in each year since 1996-97; and if he will make a statement. | | (102220) | 225
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the fraud and error rate in (a) percentage and (b) cash terms in (i) attendance allowance, (ii) carer's allowance, (iii) basic state pension, (iv) bereavement benefit, (v) industrial injuries benefit, (vi) maternity allowance, (vii) severe disablement allowance, (viii) social fund, (ix) widow's benefit and (x) winter fuel payments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. | | (102221) | 226
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the combined value of basic state pension and state second pension payments at the point of retirement for an average earner with a full contribution record reaching state pension age in each year from 2010 (a) under current policies and (b) if the reforms in the Pension White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pension System are implemented. | | (102222) | 227
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate how many pensioner benefit units in 2050 will face a (a) 100 per cent. marginal rate of pension credit withdrawal if the White Paper reforms are implemented and (b) a 40 per cent. marginal withdrawal rate if they are not. | | (102223) | 228
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish a revised version of Figure 8 from the Pensions White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pension Scheme in which the median earner chooses to defer his state pension until the age of 68, if current policies are continued. | | (102224) | 229
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish a revised version of Figure 1.xiv in the Pensions White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pension System to show the cost of proposed reforms to employers if all employers currently offering schemes with an employer contribution worth at least three per cent. of banded earnings automatically enrol all staff aged 22 years or over with earnings of at least £5,000 a year into their existing schemes on existing terms. | | (102225) | 230
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the research by outside consultants commissioned by his Department in connection with pension reform since January 2004. | | (102226) | 231
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate what proportion of pensioner benefit units, including those with sufficient income not to qualify for pension credit, would in 2050 face an average rate of pension credit withdrawal on any income from sources other than the basic state pension that is (a) 40 per cent., (b) 41-50 per cent., (c) 51-60 per cent., (d) 61-70 per cent., (e) 71-80 per cent., (f) 81-90 per cent., (g) 91-99 per cent. and (h) 100 per cent., if current uprating policies were continued indefinitely. | | (102227) | 232
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of pensioner benefit units, including those with sufficient income not to qualify for pension credit, will in 2050 face an average rate of pension credit withdrawal on any income from sources other than the basic state pension that is (a) 40 per cent., (b) 41-50 per cent., (c) 51-60 per cent., (d) 61-70 per cent., (e) 71-80 per cent., (f) 81-90 per cent., (g) 91-99 per cent. and (h) 100 per cent., if the reforms proposed in the Pensions White Paper Security in Retirement: Towards a New Pensions System are implemented. | | (102228) | 233
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library the advice about possible changes to the qualifying conditions for receipt of a full basic state pension that has been issued to individuals applying to pay class 3 national insurance contributions (a) between 30th November 2005 and 25th May 2006 and (b) since 26th May 2006. | | (102229) | 234
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance deficiency notices have been distributed since (a) 30th November 2005 and (b) 25th May 2006; and how many of these have been sent to individuals who would reach state pension age on or after 6th April 2010 and who could potentially achieve at least 30 qualifying years without paying any class 3 national insurance contributions. | | (102230) | 235
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will disaggregate the cost of pension credit reforms listed in figure 9 of the Pensions White Paper into (a) the cost of uprating the guarantee credit in line with earnings from 2008-09 and (b) the savings generated by proposed reforms to the savings credit. | | (102231) | 236
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of each age cohort of (a) men and (b) women in the working age population were on incapacity-related benefits in the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by (i) educational background and (ii) other available characteristics. | | (102232) | 237
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his estimate is of the replacement rate between incapacity benefit and earnings for a male worker in the lowest decile; and if he will make a statement. | | (102233) | 238
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the estimated (a) total cost and (b) net present value is of the average award of incapacity benefit; and if he will make a statement. | | (102234) | 239
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of incapacity benefit claimants ceased to claim the benefit in each year from 1976-77 to 2005-06; and if he will make a statement. | | (102235) | 240
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effects on the number of people receiving incapacity-related benefits of the ageing of the UK population; and if he will make a statement. | | (102236) | 241
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claims for incapacity benefit were unsuccessful in each year since 1976-77; and if he will make a statement. | | (102237) | 242
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average duration is of receipt of incapacity benefit; and what this figure was in each year since 1980-81. | | (102238) | 243
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total uncollected Child Support Agency arrears were in each year since 1993, broken down by quarter; how much of the amount is assessed as (a) uncollectable and (b) collectable; and if he will make a statement. | | (102239) | 244
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what definition his Department uses of (a) uncollectable and (b) collectable Child Support Agency arrears; and if he will make a statement. | | (102240) | 245
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total is of uncollectable Child Support Agency arrears, broken down by uncollectable due to (a) death, (b) move abroad, (c) unknown address, (d) incorrect maintenance assessment and (e) other causes; and if he will make a statement. | | (102241) | 246
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what definitions his Department uses for unpaid Child Support Agency maintenance that is (a) probably uncollectable and (b) possibly collectable; and if he will make a statement. | | (102242) | 247
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what compensation he plans to pay to people awaiting the payment of Child Support Agency arrears; and if he will make a statement. | | (102243) | 248
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what factors he took into account when deciding (a) the tax treatment of the winter fuel payment and (b) whether the winter fuel payment should be means-tested. | | (102244) | 249
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the annual real growth of his Department's spending in each year from 2010-11 to 2020-21, assuming (a) the basic state pension is linked to earnings from 2010, (b) all other benefits are linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) and (c) administration costs grow in line with the RPI; and if he will make a statement. | | (102245) | 250
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost would be of restoring the link between the basic state pension and earnings in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) 2012 for each year from 2008-09 to 2015-16; and if he will make a statement. | | (102246) | 251
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the proportion of children in poverty, broken down by age band; and if he will make a statement. | | (102247) | 252
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the special funds set up by his Department since 2002; what the expenditure of each fund was in each year since 2002; and what the planned expenditure on each is in each year to 2009. | | (102248) | 253
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of the City Strategy programme was in each year since 2004-05; and what his estimate is of the likely cost in each year to 2010-11. | | (102249) | 254
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners living overseas have not had their pensions uprated annually in each year since 1976-77, broken down by country; what plans he has to change this policy; and if he will make a statement. | | (102250) | 255
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Government's policy is on uprating pensions of UK citizens who take-up residence overseas; what the policy will be on pensioners living overseas when the link to earnings is restored; and if he will make a statement. | | (102251) | 256
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims there have been for each benefit administered by his Department in each year from 1996-97 to 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. | | (102252) | 257
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many incapacity benefit claimants there are in Yeovil; how many claimants there were in each year since 1984; and what proportion of the working age population this represented in each year. | | (102253) | 258
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Support Agency is taking to increase parental compliance. | | (102254) | 259
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the Department's performance in replying to hon. Members' correspondence. | | (102255) | 260
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's programme of manpower reduction and reorganisation. | | (102256) | 261
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many young people have been helped into work by the New Deal programme; and if he will make a statement. | | (102257) | 262
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are used to determine whether pension credit is eligible to be backdated. | | (102258) | 263
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department spent on unemployment benefits in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available. | | (102259) | 264
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the latest statistics are for the take-up of income-related benefits; and if he will make a statement. | | (102260) | 265
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what employment rates were in the UK in (a) 1997 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (102261) | 266
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in the UK are in receipt of pension credit; and what the average payment received is. | | (102262) | 267
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on young carers. | | (102263) | 268
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of recipients of incapacity benefit moving into work in the Pathways to Work pilot areas. | | (102264) | 269
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what measures he has introduced to assist people over 55 years who have been (a) made redundant and (b) made redundant for more than one year to find alternative employment. | | (102265) | 270
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people claiming industrial injuries benefit were (a) in work, (b) out of work and of working age and (c) retired in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. | | (102266) | 271
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost of bereavement benefit was in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. | | (102267) | 272
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the level of unemployment benefit/jobseeker's allowance was as a percentage of average earnings in (a) 1976-77 and (b) 2006-07; what percentage he expects it to be in 2020-21; and if he will make a statement. | | (102268) | 273
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what entitlement the self-employed have to industrial injuries benefit; and if he will make a statement. | | (102269) | 274
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are in receipt of reduced earnings allowance; and if he will make a statement. | | (102270) | 275
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of industrial injuries benefits in each year since 1996-97; and what the projected costs are in each year up to 2008-09. | | (102271) | 276
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what effect receipt of industrial injuries benefit has on entitlement to incapacity benefit. | | (102272) | 277
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent on each category of benefit administered by his Department in the last year for which figures are available. | | (102273) | 278
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many uncleared Child Support Agency applications there have been in each month since May 1997. | | (102274) | 279
| Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his most recent estimate is of how many (a) carers there are in the UK and (b) hours on average they spend fulfilling their caring responsibilities; and what estimate he has made of the cost per hour of care to the public purse if such care was not provided. | | (102020) | 280
| Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department plans to ensure that the Welfare Reform Bill extends support for those carers who have suffered from ill health but wish to return to work. | | (102042) | 281
| Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what strategies he and his Department have devised to ensure that there are (a) appropriate sources of support, (b) flexible care options and (c) flexible working arrangements for carers returning to work. | | (102043) | 282
| Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will take steps to develop a joined-up strategy with the Department for Education and Skills to identify and offer support to those carers who are of school age. | | (102044) | 283
| Mr Gordon Marsden (Blackpool South):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what strategies his Department has for extending and developing support for carers under the age of 25; and if he will make a statement. | | (102045) | 284
N | Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many cases of benefit fraud in the last five years have been linked to the financing of suspected terrorists. | | (100575) | 285
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff in (a) his Department and (b) each of the agencies for which he is responsible was registered as disabled in each of the last five years. | | (102051) | 286
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform's blog has cost to administer in each month since its inception; what the budget for the blog is for 2007-08; and how many unique visitors to the blog there have been since May. | | (102066) | 287
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Office for Disability Issues is responsible for monitoring the effect of the removal of access to work funding from employees working in central government departments; and how he will assess the effect of the change. | | (102068) | 288
| Mr David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on IT systems since March; what the purpose of each system is; what the outturn against planned expenditure of each system has been; and what the (a) planned and (b) actual date of completion was for each system. | | (102069) | Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer 289
| Mr David Laws (Yeovil):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many women he expects to reach the state pension age (a) by April 2010 and (b) after April 2010. | | [Transferred] (102116) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence 290
| Grant Shapps (Welwyn Hatfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the amount spent on the war in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. | | [Transferred] (102039) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport 291
N | Mark Tami (Alyn & Deeside):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to make real time travel information available to road users. | | [Question Unstarred] (100553) | Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 292
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what penalties may be imposed on landlords in cases where carbon monoxide poisoning has been caused by inadequately maintained heating equipment. | | [Transferred] (102029) | 293
| Mr Ian Austin (Dudley North):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will assess the merits of making carbon monoxide detectors compulsory for rented accommodation. | | [Transferred] (102072) |
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