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18 Dec 2007 : Column 1421W—continued
Incapacity Benefit
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how his Department monitors the effectiveness of those medical assessments used in determining eligibility for incapacity benefit; in how many cases the outcomes of those medical assessments were appealed against in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [165059]
Mrs. McGuire: The Department monitors the effectiveness of the medical assessments through the rigorous monitoring of performance against contractual targets and standards, covering a variety of aspects relating to throughput, quality and customer service. Information about appeals against the outcomes of medical assessments is in the following table.
| Appeals lodged against the incapacity benefit (IB) personal capability assessment (PCA) | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. All figures are subject to change as more up-to-date data become available. 2. Cases transferred on to the new appeals system G2 from 2006 may not have been updated on GAPS. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 4. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 5. IB and PCA figures are only available from 2000 onwards. 6. Figures are not available after 2005-06 as data are not available from the G2 processing system. Source: 100 per cent. download of the Generic Appeals Processing System (GAPS). | |
Sick Leave: Arthritis
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of working days lost due to rheumatoid arthritis in each of the last five years; and at what overall cost to the economy. [172906]
Ann Keen: I have been asked to reply.
We have made no estimate of the number of working days lost due to rheumatoid arthritis. Information on the overall cost to the economy of rheumatoid arthritis is not collected.
Social Security Benefits: Personal Records
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what categories of personal data relating to members of the public (a) his Department and (b) agencies of his Department hold. [167673]
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which agencies and organisations have access to personal data held by his Department or its agencies; and which agencies and organisations were provided with such data in each of the last two years. [167998]
Mrs. McGuire [holding answer 26 November 2007]: The categories of personal data relating to members of the public held by the Department and its agencies, and the organisations and other agencies that are provided with personal data by the Department, are set out in the Department’s formal registration with the Information Commissioner, and available on the Commissioner’s public website:
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what (a) procedures and (b) protocols govern the transfer of personal data by his Department to (i) other Government Departments, (ii) local authorities and (iii) Government agencies; [167679]
(2) on how many occasions CDs containing personal data of benefit recipients have been sent by his
Department to (a) other Government Departments, (b) agencies and (c) the National Audit Office in each of the last three years; and how many of those CDs were (i) encrypted and (ii) password protected. [167675]
James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of benefit recipients whose personal details have been misdirected or mislaid by his Department or may otherwise be at risk of becoming victims of identity fraud due to error or omission by his Department in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [167544]
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what reviews have been undertaken of his Department’s rules on data protection in the last two years; if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the last review of his Department’s compliance with data protection laws; and if (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s agencies will undertake a review of their compliance with data protection laws; [168071]
(2) on how many occasions in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies confidential data have been downloaded on to compact discs (i) without and (ii) with encryption in the last 12 month period for which figures are available; how many of those discs have been posted without using recorded or registered delivery; what procedures his Department has in place for the (A) transport, (B) exchange and (C) delivery of confidential or sensitive data; what records are kept of information held by his Department being sent outside the Department; what changes have been made to his Department’s rules and procedures on data protection in the last two years; on how many occasions his Department’s procedures and rules on data protection have been breached in the last five years; what those breaches were; what procedures his Department has in place on downloading confidential data on to computer discs before its transfer; what technical protections there are in his Department’s computer systems to prevent access to information held on those systems which is not in accordance with departmental procedures; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of his Department’s rules and procedures on the protection of confidential data on individuals, businesses and other organisations; [168264]
(3) how many employees of each grade in his Department (a) have access to confidential or sensitive data and (b) are authorised to download such data to disc; how many of his Department’s employees have undergone data protection training in the last 12 months; what the average length of time is that each employee of (i) his Department and (ii) his Department’s agencies has spent on data protection training; how many investigations of employees of his Department for improperly accessing confidential information have taken place in the last 12 months; how many such investigations resulted in cases of disciplinary action; and what the circumstances of each of those cases were. [168286]
Keith Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedures are in place in his Department to ensure that personal information
relating to members of the public is (a) stored and (b) transported securely. [168461]
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) on how many occasions the Information Commissioner was contacted by his Department to report breaches of data protection security in each of the last five years; [168821]
(2) how many breaches of data protection security there were in (a) his Department and (b) his Department’s Agencies in each of the last five years; and if he will provide details of each breach. [168834]
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he proposes to review how his Department transports data; and whether his Department uses TNT to transport data. [169381]
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many confirmed data security breaches there have been in his Department in the last 36 months; and what action was taken after each occurrence. [170242]
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what (a) procedures and (b) safeguards his Department and its agencies have in place to ensure the secure storage and transfer of personal information about benefit claimants; [167670]
(2) what procedures his Department put in place on (a) dealing with requests by and (b) transferring personal data to (i) other Government Departments, (ii) public bodies and (iii) others. [167671]
Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department’s information technology and data management systems are BS7799 compliant. [168737]
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to protect the personal data on members of the public which it holds. [171422]
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what security breaches there have been at his Department’s Newcastle office in relation to the personal data of those claiming benefits administered by local authorities; and if he will make a statement; [171238]
(2) what assessment he has made of the security of the data-sharing processes between local authorities and his Department; and whether any data have been compromised during such procedures in the last five years. [171240]
Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007, Official Report, column 1179. The review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments’ procedures will be made on completion of the review.
Social Services: Autism
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) guidance and (b) training is provided to social services staff dealing with people with autism. [173544]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
“Better services for people with an autistic spectrum disorder: A note clarifying current Government policy and describing good practice” was published on 16 November 2006. It clarifies the nature and intent of existing Government policy as it relates to adults with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This guidance is available to social services staff dealing with people with autism. A copy is available in the Library.
It is for local authorities to provide training and guidance for social services staff, taking into consideration locally identified needs and priorities, and assessments of individuals.
State Retirement Pensions: Females
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many divorced women receive a state retirement pension; what estimate he has made of the number of these who have enhanced their pension by substituting the national insurance record of their ex-husband; by what means his Department informs divorced women of their right to make such a substitution for the period of their marriage; what assistance his Department gives to such women unable to supply their ex-husband’s national insurance number; and if he will make a statement. [175487]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Information on the numbers of divorced women in receipt of state pension is not available as information on marital status is not required for payment of benefit.
At the new claim stage if a claim form shows that a woman is divorced, and does not have 100 per cent. basic state pension in her own right, substitution is automatically considered, subject to establishing the ex-husband’s national insurance record and details. The customer is notified of the award and how her state pension was calculated, including any substitution calculation.
If divorce occurs after the award of state pension, the customer should inform the Pension Service of her change of circumstances as advised on the entitlement notice. If appropriate a substitution calculation will be automatically considered.
If the customer is unable to provide the national insurance number for her ex-husband the Pension Service will try to trace the details using their name, date of birth and last known address. If this proves unsuccessful they write to the customer to inform her of the situation and to request any other information which could assist them. In the rare event that all tracing methods prove unsuccessful they would be unable to perform the substitution.
State Retirement Pensions: Personal Records
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of state pensions have had their personal data disclosed to third parties in error in the last two years. [172720]
Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) on 15 March 2007, Official Report, column 517W.
In addition, there was an incident in July 2007, where 7,800 state pension customers were sent a cheque payment intended for another customer.
In each case, prompt action was taken to apologise, and replace cheques where appropriate so as to minimise the impact on these pensioners. The Information Commissioner was informed.
Transport
A14: Cambridge
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects contractors to be appointed in relation to the upgrading of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon; and if she will make a statement. [174391]
Mr. Tom Harris: The appointment of the contractors for the A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton improvement scheme is planned for early in the new year.
A30: Bodmin
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work her Department is carrying out into the possibility of dualling the A30 between Temple and Bodmin. [174379]
Mr. Tom Harris: the Highways Agency is not currently working on any plans to improve this section of road as the South West region did not identify the scheme as a priority in their regional funding allocation advice.
We are planning to ask the regions in 2008 to look at their priorities again and come back and tell us whether those priorities have changed.
Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of road safety on the A30 between Temple and Bodmin. [174380]
Mr. Tom Harris: The Highways Agency continually monitors safety on its roads with a view to implementing improvements as priority allows. The accident rate for this length of the A30 is slightly less than the national average for single carriageways. No accident cluster-sites have been identified within this length.
A303: Public Participation
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the total cost has been to her Department and its predecessors of all (a) public enquiries, (b) consultations, (c) consultancy fees, (d) public exhibitions, (e) information initiatives, (f) publicity and (g) other costs in connection with proposals to upgrade the A303(T) from Countess Road roundabout to west of Chicklade since 1986; [173997]
(2) what the total cost has been to her Department and its predecessors of (a) public enquiries, (b) consultations, (c) public information initiatives, (d) consultancy fees and (e) other costs incurred in connection with the A303(T) trunk road improvement project and the proposed new visitors’ centre at Stonehenge since 1986. [174092]
Mr. Tom Harris [holding answer 17 December 2007]: The length of A303(T) from Countess Roundabout to west of Chicklade covers three potential major schemes: Stonehenge Improvement, Wylye to Stockton Wood Improvement and Chicklade Bottom to Mere Improvement.
It is not possible to allocate precise figures to the categories of expenditure the hon. Member requested because Highways Agency records are not broken down in that way, but in round terms, the total approximate cost of expenditure incurred since 1990 for public inquiries, consultation, consultancy fees, public exhibitions, information initiatives, publicity and other costs in connection with proposals to upgrade these schemes is £21.85 million.
The Stonehenge Visitor Centre proposal is a separate project led by English Heritage. The Highways Agency is therefore, unable to provide this cost information.
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