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4 Feb 2008 : Column 855W—continued
Christmas
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department's agencies spent on (a) Christmas cards and (b) postage of Christmas cards in each year since 1997. [182447]
Mrs. McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 933W.
Departmental Accountancy
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what items of his Department's (a) revenue and (b) expenditure are uprated using (i) the consumer prices index, (ii) the retail prices index and (iii) other measures of inflation. [179939]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Parliamentary approval for the Department for Work and Pensions' spending plans is sought through supply estimates presented to the House of Commons. Consequently the Department for Work and Pensions revenue is obtained from HM Treasury via the parliamentary vote system.
Sections 150 and 150A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 prescribe the benefits that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions must review on an annual basis and those that must be up-rated. The prices related indexes that are used in those benefits up-rated in line with prices are the retail prices index, and the rossi index (which is the retail prices index with the housing elements removed).
The following table shows the basis on which benefits have generally been uprated in recent years, some, but not all, of which are prescribed by legislation.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to reduce his Department’s carbon dioxide emissions in 2008-09. [181816]
Mr. Plaskitt: The Department is committed to reducing its direct and indirect carbon dioxide emissions by reducing energy consumption and business travel.
We work closely with our Estates Partners, Land Securities Trillium to reduce energy consumption, and as a consequence the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from our operations across our estate.
There are a number of initiatives currently under way which have already shown average reductions of 8.5 per cent. in electricity consumption and 23 per cent. in fossil fuel consumption over the past two years. This equates to an overall reduction of 16.9 per cent. in our indirect carbon dioxide emissions in the same period. So far we have concentrated on our larger sites, which represent two-thirds of our overall energy consumption. This programme is ongoing, will be expanded to our smaller sites,, and continues to make a significant impact on emissions.
The programme includes installing new energy saving technologies (e.g. voltage optimisation devices and passive infrared controls), more energy efficient equipment (e.g. IT), and Automated Meter Reading (AMR) to provide better quality management information leading to quicker resolution of issues and improved staff involvement.
We have also identified sites for possible micro-generation schemes (e.g. wind turbines, solar-thermal and bio-mass boilers). We will continue to explore the practicalities of installing these technologies at appropriate locations across our estate.
A review of business travel was undertaken in 2007 and a number of recommendations are being implemented. These include reducing our average vehicle emissions below the current Government target and setting targets to reduce business mileage travelled by car.
Departmental Computers
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of his Department’s (a) computers and (b) laptops have been stolen in 2007; and what the value of those items was. [168589]
James Purnell: The Department has approximately 143,500 computers and laptops in service. 21 were reported as stolen (or lost presumed to be stolen), in the year to 31 December 2007 (0.01 per cent). None are believed to have contained any customer data. The total value of the stolen items has been estimated at approximately £14,250.
Disability Discrimination Act 2005
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government is taking to increase awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and its implications for business; and if he will make a statement. [181661]
Mrs. McGuire: We continue to undertake promotional work to make businesses aware of their obligations under disability discrimination legislation. In particular we have sought to illustrate straightforward reasonable adjustments that could be made in order to meet their duty towards customers and employees, and to also highlight the wide range of impairments covered under the Act.
Disability Living Allowance
Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost of providing disability living allowance instead of attendance allowance to those who have a disability that commences after the age of 65. [181808]
Mrs. McGuire: The information is not available as there are no reliable data available on which estimates could be made.
Disability Living Allowance: Mentally Ill
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many representations he has received on the rights of people with mental illnesses to claim the higher level of mobility benefit under the disability living allowance in each of the last three years. [182159]
Mrs. McGuire: Over the last three years, our records show that we have received a very small number of representations relating to the rights of people with mental illnesses to claim the higher rate mobility component.
Employment: Enfield
Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were employed in Enfield, North constituency in (a) 1997 and (b) 2008 as a percentage of the working-age population. [183471]
Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 4 February 2008:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people were employed in Enfield North constituency and Enfield borough in (a) 1997 and (b) 2007 as a percentage of working age population. I am replying in her absence. (183471, 183472).
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
Table 1 attached shows the number of people aged 16 and over and those of working-age (Males 16-64 years and Females 16-59 years) resident in the Enfield, North constituency and in Enfield borough who were in employment for the 12 months ending in February 1998 from the annual LFS and for the 12 months ending in June 2007 from the APS. The table also shows the corresponding employment rates for the 12 months ending in February 1998 and the 12 months ending in June 2007.
As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas they are based on small sample sizes and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. Change in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.
| Table 1: Employment in Enfield, North constituency and Enfield borough | ||||||
| Enfield, North | Enfield borough | |||||
| 16+ | Working age | 16+ | Working age | |||
| 12 months ending | Level (000) | Level (000) | Rate (%) | Level (000) | Level (000) | Rate (%) |
| Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution. Source: Annual Population Survey and Annual Labour Force Survey | ||||||
Graduates: Unemployed
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many university graduates were registered unemployed in each of the last five years. [179360]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 15 January 2008 ]: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 4 February 2008:
The National Statistician has been asked to reply your Parliamentary Question on how many university graduates were registered unemployed in each of the last five years. I am replying in her absence. (179360)
Information on claimants of Job Seekers Allowance, as collected by the Department for Work and Pensions, does not include the type of qualifications held. As an alternative, the Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides the numbers of people who are unemployed according to the ILO (International Labour Organisation) definition and this can be broken down by type of qualification held.
The attached table gives unemployment figures for graduates and all people aged 16+ for the three month period ending June each year, from 2003 to 2007.
The LFS estimates at this detailed level are only consistent with the UK population estimates published in February and March 2003 and they do not incorporate the more recent population estimates that are used in the Labour Market Statistics monthly First Release.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
| Unemployed( 1) people aged 16+, 2003-07( 2) —UK, not seasonally adjusted | ||
| Thousand | ||
| Total | Graduates( 3) | |
| (1) According to the ILO (International Labour Organisation) definition of unemployed, i.e. those who are without a job, are available to start work in the next two weeks, who want a job and have been seeking a job in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. (2) For the three-month period. April to June each year. (3) Those who hold qualifications to degree level or higher. Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS). | ||
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