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2 July 2008 : Column 896W—continued

Ex-gratia payments due to actual financial loss:

2 July 2008 : Column 897W

	Payments	Amount £	Average £
CSA
2007-08	4,725	3,400,600	720
2006-07	4,725	2,448,900	520
2005-06	5,925	3,096,900	520
2004-05	7,125	2,440,400	340
2003-04	4,900	1,362,500	280
2002-03	5,875	1,313,700	220
2001-02	6,325	1,633,500	260
2000-01	5,225	1,907,100	360
1999-2000	3,700	1,788,100	480
JCP
2007-08	1,000	145,200	140
2006-07	1,675	235,900	140
2005-06	1,800	206,500	110
2004-05	2,200	220,000	100
2003-04	725	242,800	330
2002-03	825	227,300	270
DCS
2007-08	150	14,700	100
2006-07	150	17,500	120
2005-06	150	32,200	220
2004-05	225	28,000	120
2003-04	325	35,400	110
2002-03	225	44,200	200
TPS
2007-08	550	153,700	280
2006-07	450	113,300	250
2005-06	525	84,700	160
2004-05	950	124,300	130
2003-04	550	90,500	160
2002-03	500	52,300	100
Notes: 1. DWP’s customers interact with the Department through its agencies/businesses and any ex- ratia payments due to delay and actual financial loss are made at the agency/business level, rather than centrally. 2. Delay: made for the loss of the use of money, arising where payments have been unreasonably delayed (payment is made in the form of interest on the arrears due). The percentage rate for calculating compensation is the same for all benefits. The Building Societies Commission provided the rate on a monthly basis until January 2008. Since then the rate is obtained from the Bank of England. 3. Actual financial loss: made in respect of losses incurred by customers as a direct result of agency error. 4. Number of payments rounded to the nearest 25. Amount rounded to the nearest £1,000 and the average rounded to the nearest £10. 5. Debt Management is not an Executive agency of DWP. A consolatory payment awarded because of error by Debt Management is paid by Jobcentre Plus. 6. The Rent Service (TRS) was formed in October 1999 as an Executive agency of the Department of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. TRS became an Executive agency of the Department for Work and Pensions in June 2001. The Rent Service has not made any consolatory payments. 7. The Pension Service, Jobcentre Plus and the Disability and Carers Service were formed in 2002, prior to this they were part of the Benefits Agency (BA).

Social Security Benefits: Part Time Employment

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who have had benefits withdrawn or reduced as a result of taking up part-time work in (a) Leeds West, (b) Leeds metropolitan district and (c) the UK in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [215397]

Mr. Plaskitt: The information is not available.

State Retirement Pensions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals are in receipt of a state pension. [214817]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: As at November 2007 there were around 11.98 million individuals receiving a state pension.

Note:

Amount has been rounded to the nearest 10,000

Source:

DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Wales

Youth Offending Teams

7. Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effectiveness of youth offending teams in Wales. [214280]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Our Welsh Youth Justice Teams are working hard to direct young people in trouble away from the formal youth justice system so that formal interventions are reserved for those who really need them.

GP Registration

8. Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Minister on patients resident in England of GPs registered in Wales. [214281]

2 July 2008 : Column 898W

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a range of issues, including the delivery of health care.

Hospital Waiting Times

9. Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on hospital waiting times for cross-border in-patients. [214283]

Huw Irranca-Davies: I regularly meet with the Assembly Minister for Health and Social Services, when we discuss a range of issues, including the significant fall in waiting times in Wales over the past 10 years.

Post Office Card Account

10. Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the future of the Post Office Card Account in Wales. [214284]

Huw Irranca-Davies: My right hon. Friend and I regularly meet ministerial colleagues to discuss a range of issues including the Post Office card account.

The Department for Work and Pensions is currently in the process of securing a successor to the current Post Office card account. I understand that an announcement will be made later this year.

Neighbourhood Policing

11. Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the operation of neighbourhood policing in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [214285]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I welcome the fact that since April Welsh communities have been fully covered with neighbourhood policing teams dedicated to tackling their local crime and antisocial behaviour priorities. This achievement follows three years of hard work by forces and police authorities.

Fuel Prices

12. Mr. Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with representatives of businesses in Wales on the economic impact of high fuel prices. [214286]

Huw Irranca-Davies: In May I met with representatives of the Freight Transport Association Wales to discuss various issues including fuel prices.

Cross-Border Health Provision

13. Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister on cross-border health issues. [214287]

Huw Irranca-Davies: My right hon. Friend has regular meetings with the First Minister when he discusses a range of issues, including health issues affecting cross border areas.

2 July 2008 : Column 899W

We welcome the work of the Welsh Affairs Committee on the delivery of health services in cross border areas, and look forward to seeing its report in due course.

Legislation

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on procedures for introducing legislation at its request in Westminster. [214288]

Mr. Paul Murphy: I have regular discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government on a range of issues, including procedures for introducing legislation to Parliament. I am also currently undertaking a review of scrutiny arrangements for Welsh legislation.

We are committed to giving the National Assembly for Wales new law-making powers. We brought forward the Government of Wales Act 2006 and we are working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government to implement its provisions.

Departmental Aviation

Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many individual domestic air flights were undertaken within Great Britain by representatives of his Department in the most recent year for which figures are available; and at what cost. [215558]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Ministers and Officials in the Wales Office made a total of 16 domestic flights in the financial year 2007-08 at a cost of £2,235.44.

Departmental ICT

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what IT contracts his Department has entered into in the last two years. [215135]

Mr. Paul Murphy: My Department’s main IT services are provided through the Ministry of Justice, but the Wales Office let a contract to host our website to Eduserv on 1 December 2007, at a cost of £4,659 initially and £6,936 per year for two years.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff have access to his Department's IT infrastructure at their home. [216383]

Mr. Paul Murphy: Eight members of staff have laptops and related equipment which enables them to work from home, and 11 members of staff have blackberry devices which give them limited access to some facilities only.

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