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17 Sep 2008 : Column 2218W—continued
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new applications for jobseeker’s allowance there were in each region in each month since January 2005; and if he will make a statement. [214965]
Mr. Plaskitt: The information has been placed in the Library.
National Insurance: Immigrants
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2008, Official Report, column 325W, on National Insurance: Immigrants, how many of the 3,275 cases in which the names or national insurance numbers (NINOs) given to the Security Industry Authority appeared to be false were cases in which a NINO was issued after the introduction of the right to work test in July 2006; how many of the 3,275 cased involved (a) a false name and (b) a false NINO; and what steps have been taken to prevent the issuing of NINOs on the basis of a false name since July 2006. [221208]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 22 July 2008]: None of the national insurance numbers provided to the SIA had been issued by the Department for Work and Pensions to the 3,275 individuals concerned. In 1,873 cases the NINO provided did exist on the Department’s Customer Information System (CIS) but was registered to a different name. In 1,402 cases the number did not exist on CIS at all. Where a potential criminal offence has been committed, details have been passed to the Department for Work and Pensions Fraud Investigation Service for investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution.
It remains the legal responsibility of the employer to check that all their employees have the right to work in the United Kingdom. Employers have clear guidance on the documents they can accept as evidence of the right to work, and this does not include SIA licences or, in the absence of other specified documents, a national insurance number.
Since 2001, the Department for Work and Pensions has had in place rigorous identity checking and verification procedures for all national insurance number applicants. In 2007-08, 759 applications were refused owing to suspect documentation and led to 181 successful prosecutions. Over the same period, a further 5,114 refusals were made on the basis of the applicant’s failing to provide sufficient evidence of identity.
New Deal for Long-Term Unemployed
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of New Deal participants went into the 25 plus categories (a) employment, (b) employment and benefits, (c) benefits—jobseeker’s allowance, (d) benefits—income support, (e) benefits—incapacity benefit, (f) benefits—income support and incapacity benefit, (g) benefits—other/unknown benefits, (h) other known destination and (i) off benefits unknown destination within (i) two weeks, (ii) three months, (iii) six months and (iv) one year of leaving the programme in each year since 1997, broken down by Jobcentre Plus district. [205475]
Mr. Timms: New deal has been a success helping nearly 2 million people in to work. However, the characteristics of job seekers and the labour market have changed since the introduction of the new deal 10 years ago. That is why we are introducing a new flexible new deal which will offer a personalised approach to its customers. It will tailor the support available to them to their particular needs and to that of the local labour market enabling them to increase their chances of gaining not only employment but sustainable employment in which they can progress.
The information has been placed in the Library.
New Deal for Young People
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of New Deal for Young People participants went into the categories (a) employment, (b) employment and benefits, (c) benefits—jobseeker's allowance, (d) benefits—income support, (e) benefits—incapacity benefit, (f) benefits—income support and incapacity benefit, (g) benefits—other/unknown benefits, (h) other known destination and (i) off benefits unknown destination within (i) two weeks, (ii) three months, (iii) six months and (iv) one year of leaving the programme in each year since 1997, broken down by Jobcentre Plus district. [205474]
Mr. Timms: New deal has been a success helping nearly two million people in to work. However, the characteristics of job seekers and the labour market have changed since the introduction of the new deal 10 years ago. That is why we are introducing a new flexible new deal which will offer a personalised approach to its customers. It will tailor the support available to them to their particular needs and to that of the local labour market enabling them to increase their chances of gaining not only employment but sustainable employment in which they can progress.
The information has been placed in the Library.
New Deal Schemes
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many and what proportion of (a) New Deal for Young People leavers, (b) New Deal for 25 plus leavers and (c) leavers of all New Deals moved into sustained employment in each year since 1997, broken down by Jobcentre Plus district; [205472]
(2) how many and what proportion of leavers of all his Department's employment programmes moved into sustained employment in each year since 1997, broken down by Jobcentre Plus district. [205473]
Mr. Timms: New deal has been a success helping nearly 2 million people in to work. However, the characteristics of job seekers and the labour market have changed since the introduction of the new deal 10 years ago. That is why we are introducing a new flexible new deal which will offer a personalised approach to its customers. It will tailor the support available to them to their particular needs and to that of the local labour market enabling them to increase their chances of gaining not only employment but sustainable employment in which they can progress.
The information requested on all new deals and all employment programmes is not available.
The information on new deal for young people and new deal 25 plus has been placed in the Library.
Occupational Health: Waste Management
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of the research report WR0217—Assessment of Occupational Health and Safety Risks of Waste Collection and Handling Systems, commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive. [219074]
Mrs. McGuire: This research report,
“Collecting, transfer, treatment and processing household waste and recyclables. Assessment of the occupational health and safety risks of systems to provide HSE, local authorities, waste/recycling companies and others with data that will assist in the selection of the most appropriate system whilst meeting environmental targets”
was published in January 2008 and is available via the Health and Safety Executives website:
where it is accompanied by an electronic database. A copy of the report has been forwarded to the House of Commons Library.
Pension Credit
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent by his Department on backdated annual payments of pension credit (a) in total and (b) broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [219212]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: Precise information on the time customers take to claim pension credit (known as backdating) is not routinely collected, nor therefore is expenditure on backdating. Expenditure on backdating has been estimated using information on average awards and backdating periods. Backdating periods have been estimated by comparing information on the date entitlement starts and the date pension credit is put into payment. In some cases where payment starts after entitlement the delay will be due to processing times, evidence gathering and verification work which routinely accompanies claims for pension credit. In 2006-07 around 60 per cent. of all successful new claims were backdated for three months or less (this includes cases with zero backdating). The information that is available is in the following table.
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