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13 Dec 2007 : Column 806W—continued
Poverty: Children
Mr. Stewart Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children there were in families in work earning less than the average
national weekly income in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [170605]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 4 December 2007]: The available information is in the following tables.
| Table A: number (million) and percentage of children in families in work with income less than the average national weekly income in each year since 1997 | |||
| Number of children living in families in work with income below contemporary median income (before housing costs) | Number of children living in families in work | Percentage of children living in families in work with income below contemporary median income (before housing costs) | |
| Source: Family Resources Survey | |||
| Table B: number of children (million) in families in work with income below 60 per cent of contemporary median income in each year since 1997 | |||
| Number of children living in families in work with income below 60 per cent of contemporary median income (before housing costs) | Number of children living in families in work | Percentage of children living in families in work with income below 60 per cent of contemporary median income (before housing costs) | |
| Notes: 1. The information shown is for Great Britain up to 2001-02 and for the United Kingdom for 2002-03 onwards. 2. The figures are based on OECD equivalisation factors and will therefore not be the same as any figures previously published that were based on McClements equivalisation factors. 3. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 4. Table A uses contemporary median income, a different measure to the Government's preferred poverty measure, to measure national average weekly income. Table B uses the Government's preferred measure of relative low income poverty, defined as being the number of children living in families with a household income of less than 60 per cent. of the contemporary median income. This is an internationally recognised measure. 5. The tables show numbers rounded to the nearest 100,000, and percentages based on unrounded source data rounded to the nearest whole per cent. 6. Families have been defined as working if at least one adult (living in the family) is in at least part-time work. Source: Family Resources Survey | |||
Unemployed: Children
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance has been issued to Jobcentre Plus on the circumstances in which availability and affordability of childcare is to be taken into account in assessing a claimant’s availability for work. [171487]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 4 December 2007]: Guidance is issued to Jobcentres about the action to take when doubts arise as to whether the jobseeker is available for work. Jobcentres will refer the doubts to an independent decision maker who will determine whether availability and affordability of child care is to be taken into account.
Treasury
11 Downing Street
Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on which dates in 2006 the facilities at 11 Downing Street were used by outside charitable bodies to hold events; and which charities held each event; [167041]
(2) whether charities organising events at 11 Downing Street are required to submit guest lists in advance for each event; [167042]
(3) how many people attended events organised by charities at 11 Downing Street during 2006; [167051]
(4) how much was paid by charities for use of 11 Downing Street in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08 to date; [167053]
(5) whether charities using facilities at 11 Downing Street may charge admission fees for those events; [167143]
(6) what the (a) date and (b) purpose was of each event held at No. 11 Downing Street by or in conjunction with the Smith Institute in the last 24 months or the nearest period for which records are available; [167667]
(7) what records his Department holds of charitable events that were organised or hosted by his Department, including those held at No. 11 Downing Street, where donations were raised for the charity; [167668]
(8) if he will place in the Library a copy of the guest list of each Smith Institute event held at No. 11 Downing Street between 1 January and 27 June. [167669]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 22 November 2007]: The relevant information is disclosed on the Treasury Freedom of Information website
Details of receptions held by charities in 11 Downing street in 2007-08 will be given to Parliament before the House rises for the summer recess.
Carbon Markets Expert Group
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who the members are of HM Treasury’s Carbon Markets Expert group. [173196]
Angela Eagle: The Carbon Markets Experts group is intended to use the knowledge and the skills of the private sector to act as a sounding board for the Treasury, and to discuss ways of enhancing and developing the global carbon market. The membership of the group is currently being finalised and invitations will be issued shortly.
Child Benefit
Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of paying the carer of twins, triplets or higher multiple births (a) the higher level of child benefit and (b) the baby element of tax credit for each child. [173124]
Jane Kennedy: The annual extra cost in 2007-08 of paying the eldest child rate of child benefit in respect of multiple birth children is estimated to be approximately £50 million.
This other requested information is available only at a disproportionate cost.
Child Benefit: Databases
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which civil service grades have permission to download to CD-ROM information on the child benefit database at HM Revenue and Customs; what checks they are required to undertake; which protection mechanisms they should use; and what evaluation he has made of the suitability of current arrangements for such data transfer. [169780]
Jane Kennedy: On 20 November the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC's data handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Child Benefit: EU Nationals
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the evidential basis was for his estimate that 14,000 A8 nationals in the UK claim child benefit in respect of children living abroad, as referred to in the answer of 10 September 2007, Official Report, column 1968W, on child benefit: EU nationals; and what sources of information he used to make the estimate; [169504]
(2) upon what data his Department’s estimates of the number of child benefit claims made by A8 nationals in respect of children living abroad are made. [169508]
Jane Kennedy: This information is based on information collected by the Child Benefit Office as part of a database maintained for the accession monitoring report, last published on 20 November 2007
Child Benefit: Personal Records
James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) taxpayers and (b) recipients of tax credits or pension credits whose personal details have been misdirected or mislaid by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) or may otherwise be at risk of becoming victims of identity theft due to error or omission by HMRC; and if he will make a statement. [167591]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 26 November 2007]: The police continue to have no reason to believe that this data have found their way into the wrong hands or have been used for fraudulent purposes or criminal activity.
For details of the data mislaid by HMRC, I refer the hon. member to the statement given in the House by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20 November 2007, Official Report, columns 1101-04.
On 20 November the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC's data handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what security procedures are in place governing the transport of discs and documents containing personal tax related information. [168225]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 26 November 2007]: On 13 November HMRC initiated immediate increased security with a new three step process:
transfers will now only take place if they are absolutely necessary;
written authorization for the transfer has to be given by senior HMRC manager; and,
a clear instruction has been given regarding the appropriate standard of protection for the transfer.
Where directors decide that a data transfer by disc is unavoidable such media must, in every case, be securely encrypted at the appropriate level.
On 20 November the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC's data handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of disks containing data protected by the Data Protection Act that were sent to the National Audit Office by (a) (i) recorded and (ii) non-recorded delivery and (b) (A) Government, (B) private and (C) Royal Mail systems in each of the last two years. [168364]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 26 November 2007]: The information could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
On 20 November the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC's data handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The full terms of reference for that review are available on the HM Treasury website at http://www.hm- treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches/press/2007/press_133_0 7.cfm and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which version of which computer software was used for the Child Benefit database within HM Revenue and Customs (a) in March 2007 and (b) in October 2007. [168708]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 27 November 2007]: There is an ongoing police investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment on these issues.
Mr. Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of password to access the Child Benefit database within HM Revenue and Customs was capable of being encrypted. [168710]
Jane Kennedy [holding answer 27 November 2007]: The location of the missing data disks is the subject of an ongoing police investigation. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment on these issues.
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