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3 Dec 2007 : Column 885W—continued


3 Dec 2007 : Column 886W

Departmental Standards

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to publish his Department's autumn performance report. [164867]

Mrs. McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions has not yet set a date for publication of its autumn performance report for 2007, however it is our intention to publish this before the House rises for the Christmas recess.

Disability Aids: Communication

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people who require alternative and augmentative communication equipment; and if he will make a statement; [168776]

(2) what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the provision of alternative and augmentative communication equipment for disabled people; [168777]

(3) what assessment he has made of the potential demand for alternative and augmentative communication aids among people aged (a) under 24, (b) between 24 and 65 and (c) over 65 years old; and if he will make a statement. [168779]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.

The Department has not made any such estimates or assessments and has not issued guidance.

It is the responsibility of local health and social care organisations to prioritise and allocate funding for communication aids based on their assessment of the needs of their local populations. To support this process the Government recently announced, through the Comprehensive Spending Review that local authority funding will increase by £2.6 billion by 2010-11.

Recommendation 5.6 of the Prime Ministers’ Strategy Unit report “Improving the Life Chances of Disabled people”, focuses on the provision of community equipment, communication aids and wheelchairs for children. As part of the process of addressing this recommendation the Department launched the Transforming Community Equipment and Wheelchair Services programme in June 2006.

In addition, the department, is working closely with the Department for Children, Schools and Families to support the Bercow Review. The Bercow Review is currently reviewing services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs with the aim of producing a report in the summer of 2008.

Disability Living Allowance: Immigrants

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are made on the immigration status of applicants for disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement. [168343]

Mrs. McGuire: The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of the Disability and Carers Service, Mrs Vivien Hopkins. She will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.


3 Dec 2007 : Column 887W

Letter from Vivien Hopkins, dated 3 December 2007:

Disability Living Allowance: Marfan Syndrome

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provisions are in place for people with Marfan syndrome to access disability living allowance. [169343]

Mrs. McGuire: Entitlement to disability living allowance is not linked to particular disabling conditions, but on the extent to which a severely disabled person has personal care needs and/or walking difficulties as a result of their disability. People with Marfan syndrome can claim disability living allowance in the same way as anyone else.

There is a range of help available to customers who may experience difficulty in completing the claim form. People can call the freephone Benefit Enquiry Line, where an operator will offer advice and answer individual questions as well as arranging for someone to call back to complete a copy of the claim form over the phone. The completed form will then be sent to the customer for checking, signing and return.

In cases where the customer does not want to fill in the self-reporting form, or cannot make use of the other help available, the Disability and Carers Service may be able to send out a visiting officer to help with the form. Customers can also go to their local Jobcentre Plus office or Citizens Advice Bureau for advice.

Disabled

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many companies have been awarded the two ticks symbol in recognition of action taken to meet commitments in relation to people with disabilities; and how many were withdrawn in each of the last five years. [168781]

Mrs. McGuire: The available information is in the following table.


3 Dec 2007 : Column 888W
Disability symbol: Agreements awarded and withdrawn each calendar year
New company agreements awarded Companies withdrawn( 1)

2003

328

17

2004

340

11

2005

269

15

2006

245

12

2007(2)

220

24

(1) This figure denotes the companies that have either chosen to terminate the agreement themselves or who have had their agreement terminated by Jobcentre Plus for non-compliance. (2 )To date. Source: The Disability Symbol employer database for England, Wales and Scotland.

Incapacity Benefit: Overseas Residence

Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit recipients live outside the UK in a country where they can receive (a) index-linked benefit entitlement and (b) non-index-linked benefit entitlement. [163426]

Mrs. McGuire: Incapacity benefit is a contribution-based benefit. It is only payable to people who have paid sufficient relevant UK national insurance contributions.

At 31 October 2007, the number of incapacity benefit recipients living outside the UK and in receipt of an index-linked benefit entitlement was 10,992.

There are no incapacity benefit recipients living outside the UK receiving a non-index linked benefit.

Income Support

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people there are on income support benefit who are working (a) part-time and (b) full-time. [168772]

Mr. Plaskitt: Income support is not payable to people who work full-time.

The number of people in receipt of income support who declare part-time earnings is 49,300, as at quarter ending May 2007.

Jobcentre Plus

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps are being taken to ensure that contact between people with mental health and learning difficulties and Jobcentre Plus is appropriately managed; [163584]

(2) what steps he is taking to make Jobcentre Plus more accessible to people who do not speak English as a first language; [163585]

(3) what progress has been made in improving the accessibility of Jobcentre Plus to elderly people; and if he will make a statement. [163586]


3 Dec 2007 : Column 889W

Caroline Flint: 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 3 December 2007:

New Deal for Disabled People

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people registered for new deal for disabled people in each month since the programme began for the (a) second and (b) third time; [162623]

(2) how many people have registered for new deal for disabled people in each month since the programme began. [162624]

Caroline Flint: The requested information is in the following table:


3 Dec 2007 : Column 890W

3 Dec 2007 : Column 891W
New deal for disabled people
Month of registration with new deal for disabled people Total number of registrations Number registering for the second time Number registering for the third time

July 2001

1,090

20

0

August 2001

1,370

20

0

September 2001

960

30

0

October 2001

1,080

40

10

November 2001

1,830

50

10

December 2001

900

20

0

January 2002

1,450

30

0

February 2002

2,040

70

0

March 2002

2,640

80

10

April 2002

2,550

80

0

May 2002

3,250

130

10

June 2002

2,170

100

10

July 2002

2,580

90

10

August 2002

3,010

150

20

September 2002

2,860

150

10

October 2002

2,990

140

10

November 2002

3,400

220

20

December 2002

1,480

120

10

January 2003

3,300

210

20

February 2003

3,220

180

20

March 2003

3,190

200

10

April 2003

2,590

200

20

May 2003

3,140

240

30

June 2003

3,120

240

20

July 2003

3,040

220

20

August 2003

3,190

210

20

September 2003

3,420

230

30

October 2003

4,130

290

30

November 2003

2,830

230

20

December 2003

1,740

140

20

January 2004

3,390

260

40

February 2004

3,700

270

30

March 2004

3,980

340

40

April 2004

4,670

440

60

May 2004

4,670

440

50

June 2004

4,640

460

70

July 2004

6,570

640

100

August 2004

4,900

410

60

September 2004

5,280

470

70

October 2004

6,650

660

100

November 2004

5,000

550

80

December 2004

3,630

410

70

January 2005

5,240

530

80

February 2005

5,840

590

70

March 2005

5,270

640

90

April 2005

6,040

630

110

May 2005

4,760

510

100

June 2005

4,830

550

100

July 2005

6,300

680

100

August 2005

5,330

560

100

September 2005

7,020

790

130

October 2005

5,800

640

100

November 2005

5,600

630

100

December 2005

3,870

440

100

January 2006

6,140

800

130

February 2006

7,060

840

160

March 2006

7,810

980

180

April 2006

4,880

640

140

May 2006

4,950

710

120

June 2006

6,210

840

130

July 2006

4,830

610

100

August 2006

5,070

600

100

September 2006

6,310

770

140

October 2006

4,970

570

120

November 2006

4,760

590

110

December 2006

3,550

440

80

January 2007

5,240

610

120

February 2007

5,560

650

150

March 2007

6,900

840

140

April 2007

4,760

620

110

May 2007

4,940

600

140

June 2007

6,230

780

150

July 2007

5,010

630

120

August 2007

4,950

490

100

Notes:
1. The New Deal for Disabled People programme was introduced in July 2001.
2. Latest data are to August 2007.
3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
Information Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions.

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