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21 Apr 2008 : Column 1846W—continued


PROGRESS Programme

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding has been made available by the PROGRESS programme for UK projects. [188361]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information, which has been provided this week by the European Commission, is in the following table:


21 Apr 2008 : Column 1847W

21 Apr 2008 : Column 1848W
Description of call Activity Contractor Amount of contract (£)

Employment

Broader social/societal costs and benefits of flexicurity

Mr. A. Fuller Alphametrics (UK) Ltd. Heath House, Princes Mews, Royston SG8 9RT—Hertfordshire

59,403

Employment

Small-scale studies/research in support of EMCO thematic discussions and support bilateral cooperation activities in the area of employment and social affairs (US, Japan, China, India, ASEM, Latin America, etc.) Various topics of common interest to MS and topics for future joint bilateral

Mr. S. Gibbons Ergon Associates Ltd. 24 Greville Street, London, EC1N 8SS

181.031

Employment

Feasibility study on mobility. To improve data on cross border commuting short term international assignments; return after geographical mobility (new project)

Ms K. Hughes University of Warwick Kirby Corner Road, University House Coventry, CV4 8UW

130,601

Employment

European Employment Observatory

Mr. N. Bozeat GHK Consulting (UK) (Renewal) 526 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5NR

987,386

Local employment development

Mrs. P. Hearn, Dacorum Council for Voluntary Service, 48 High Street, Hemel Hempstead HP13AF

134,292.36

Projects contributing to Social Inclusion

Studies and analysis of Private Health Insurance

London School of Economics, Houghton street, Aldwych, London WC2A 2AE

198,820

Support to EU social network

John Halloran Victoria House, 125 Queens Road—Brighton, BN13WB

594,869

Trans national mutual learning on Social Inclusion and Social Protection

University of Dundee Dundee DD1 4HN (UK)

522,369.27

Greater London Enterprise New City Court London SE1 9RS

575,591.42

Oxfam Oxfam House, John Smith Drive Oxford OX4 2JY

622,267.25

Working conditions

Good Practice Guide for Directive 2006/25/EC. To facilitate the understanding of the provisions of the “optical radiation” directive

HPA—UK Chilton, Didcot, OX11 ORQ Oxfordshire

189,865

Working Conditions

Revision European Works Council

EPEC—526 Fulham Road London SW6 5NR

199,715

Restructuring, Well-being at work and financial participation

Mrs. Janet Asherson Confederation of British Industry 103 New Oxford St London WC1A 1DU

218,379.05

Non-Discrimination

Study on the situation of Women with disabilities in Europe in the light of the UN convention on the rights of PWD

ECOTEC Research and Consulting Priestley House, 12-26 Albert Street Birmingham, B4 7UD

325,000

Non-Discrimination

Mid term Evaluation of the European disability programme

Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services 17 Coombe Road, Otford TN14 7RJ Kent

196,200

National Awareness Raising in the field of anti-discrimination

Mrs. Moira Dustin Equality and Diversity Forum 207-221 Pentonville Road London N1 9UZ

142,131.95

Mrs. Ali Harris Citizens Advice Myddelton House, London N1 9LZ

257,097.33

Gender Equality

Exchange of good practices

Focus Consultancy Ltd. Elmsgate House Steeple Ashton, Trowbridge BA14 6HP Wiltshire

249,990

Gender Equality

Study on directive 86/613, on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women engaged in an activity in a self employed capacity and assisting spouses

European Policy Evaluation Consortium EEIG 526 Fulham Road UK London SW6 5NR (UK)

262,745


Remploy

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which factories have closed under the Remploy modernisation programme. [198243]

Mrs. McGuire: The following factories have closed under the Remploy modernisation programme.


21 Apr 2008 : Column 1849W

Wisbech wasn't on the original list for closure. However, it closed as a result of all employees applying for voluntary redundancy as part of the modernisation programme.

Social Security Benefits

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reflect recent changes in the cost of essential goods and services in benefit entitlement. [197969]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The Chancellor announced in his Budget 2008 speech that for winter 2008-09 an additional payment will be made alongside the winter fuel payment. Households with someone aged 60 to 79 will receive an additional £50 and households with someone aged 80 or over will receive an additional £100.

The levels of benefits are increased once a year, in April. The increases are calculated, for most contributory and non-contributory benefits, using the increase in the retail prices index for the 12 months ending in the preceding September. This ensures that benefits keep their real value in broad terms.

Income-related benefits (jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support) are usually increased in line with September's 12-month rate for the Rossi index. The Rossi index is the retail prices index excluding rent, mortgage interest payments, council tax and depreciation costs. This index is used because help for housing costs is given to people getting income related benefits either as additional amounts in those benefits or in council tax benefit and housing benefit. Consequently any increases in council tax would usually be met by council tax benefit.

The standard minimum guarantee in pension credit has been increased by 4.2 per cent. in line with the Budget 2007 announcement, more than keeping pace with earnings and prices.

The inflation figures are based on a year-on-year comparison of prices. Therefore any recent fluctuations in inflation will be taken into account in the benefit increases that will take effect from April 2009.


21 Apr 2008 : Column 1850W

Social Security Benefits: Disabled

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 3 April 2008, Official Report, columns 83-84WS, on disability benefits (European Court of Justice), on what date and at what time the information was posted on (a) his Departmental website and (b) direct.gov website. [200153]

Mrs. McGuire: The information is as follows:

Social Security Benefits: Lost Property

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many birth certificates his Department received for proof of identity for benefit claimants, including winter fuel payment claimants, in each of the last five years; and how many were subsequently reported (a) by his Department and (b) by the claimant as lost or stolen. [198997]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Overpayments

David Heyes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) in how many cases overpayments of benefit have been reclaimed following the death of a claimant where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation in each of the last five years, broken down by benefit type; [197871]

(2) in how many cases his Department has not pursued requests for repayment for overpayments following the death of a claimant in circumstances where the repayment was challenged by family members and where the repayment was not mandatory under social security legislation in each of the last five years; [197875]

(3) in how many cases where his Department requested repayments of overpayments following the death of a claimant, and where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation, such requests were not challenged by family members in each of the last five years; [197886]

(4) what the value was of repayments of overpayments requested by his Department following the death of a claimant, in circumstances where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation and where the family members of the deceased claimants challenged the requests and did not subsequently make the repayments; [197888]

(5) what the value was of repayments of overpayments of benefits following the death of a claimant, where such repayments were not mandatory under social security legislation in each of the last five years, broken down by benefit type. [197899]


21 Apr 2008 : Column 1851W

Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 31 March 2008]: Unfortunately, through no fault of any individual, overpayments of benefit can arise following the death of a benefit recipient. Such overpayments normally arise as a result of the Department being notified of the death too late to stop an automated payment being made into the deceased's account.

We are doing all we can to improve the current process. We are in the process of preparing to receive electronic notifications of death from the Office of National Statistics on a daily basis. This will assist in enabling a prompt cessation of payments following death and reduce the number of these overpayments occurring.


21 Apr 2008 : Column 1852W

The Department has a duty to seek recovery of all overpaid funds where it is reasonable and cost effective to do so. However, we seek to do this as sensitively as possible, taking account of the fact that this will be a stressful time, particularly if the person contacted is a close friend or family member. Overpayments are written off if the deceased has no estate or there are insufficient funds in the estate.

The following table details how many of these overpayments have been recovered, and their value. We have only been collecting this information since 2005.

The other information requested is not available.

DPAD recoveries on debt manager, OpRec and ORCS—value of recoveries
£
2005-06( 1) 2006-07 2007-08( 2) Total

Attendance Allowance

2,978,730

4,707,183

7,267,515

14,953,428

Carers Allowances

13,468

3,828

19,898

37,194

Constant Attendance Allowance

0

153

1,344

1,497

Disability Living Allowance - Care / Mob

1,734,359

1,557,216

2,254,046

5,545,621

Incapacity Benefits

122,389

302,169

431,798

856,357

Income Support

49,887

47,923

87,662

185,471

Invalid Care Allowances

84,926.36

609

0

85,536

Industrial Injuries Benefits

129,433

83,822

24,761

238,016

Industrial Death Benefits

52,661

28,033

35,107

115,800

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefits

819

148,451

312,632

461,903

Invalidity Benefit

6,357

1,626

3,675

11,658

Jobseeker's Allowance

406

235

146

787

Mobility Allowance

5,269

2,447

506

8,222

Pension Credit

1,519,458

3,677,487

4,555,584

9,752,530

Retirement/State Pensions

13,793,186

27,372,631

30,201,062

71,366,878

Severe Disablement Allowance

19,419

36,254

46,959

102,632

Widows Benefits Widows Pension

11,467.42

12,020

8,020

31,507

Widows Pension

0

3,671

11,122

14,793

Other

7,089

17,647

49,474

74,211

Total

20,529,323

38,003,406

45,311,310

103,844,039

(1) Data for 2005-06 are for the period June 2005 to March 2006 only.
(2) Date for 2007-08 are up to 29 March 2008.

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