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29 Sep 2008 : Column 2360W—continued

Video Games: Young People

Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of retailers selling video games or DVDs to underage customers were recorded in each police force area in England and Wales in each year since 1997; how many (a) cautions and (b) fines were issued to such retailers in each year; and what the average fine imposed was in each year. [223525]


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Mr. Coaker [holding answer 15 September 2008]: Information on the number of recorded offences of retailers selling video games or DVDs to underage customers is not collected centrally. This is a summary offence and is not included in the police recorded crime statistics.

Statistics on the number of police cautions issued, the number of fines imposed and the average fine have been provided by the Ministry of Justice and are given in the following table for 1997-2006.

Offenders( 1) cautioned( 2) and fined for supplying video recording of classified work in breach of classification( 3) , England and Wales

Number of police cautions issued Number of fines imposed Average fine amount (£)

1997

1

15

519

1998

18

440

1999

33

798

2000

16

1,028

2001

9

1,378

2002

12

1,079

2003

1

14

921

2004

6

775

2005

8

489

2006

8

1,244

(1) Companies, public bodies, etc. (2) These data are on a principal offence basis. (3) Video Recording Act 1984 S.11 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 S.88 (4). Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

Written Questions

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer Question 162680, tabled by the hon. Member for Hertsmere on 6 November, on English language requirements. [171146]

Mr. Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 September 2008, Official Report, column 1562W.

Work and Pensions

Car Allowances

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mileage allowance is provided to each category of entitled worker by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [218480]

Mrs. McGuire: The Department ensures that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel and that they are reimbursed only for expenses which they actually and necessarily incur in the course of their official business. All members of staff in the Department for Work and Pensions are entitled to the same rates of mileage allowance, regardless of grade.

The rates differ according to the type of journey and type of vehicle used.

Staff driving their own vehicles are entitled to the following rates:


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Rate per mile (pence)

Standard rate higher (up to 6,000 miles per annum(1))

40

Standard rate lower (over 6,000 miles per annum(1))

25

Motor cycle

24

Pedal cycle

20

(1 )Reimbursement of expenses incurred on mileage in excess of 1,000 miles per annum is subject to approval of a satisfactory business case.

Staff driving private user scheme vehicles are entitled to the following rates:

Rate per mile (pence)

Petrol vehicles

15

Diesel vehicles

13

Liquid petroleum gas vehicles

9


Child Support Agency: Manpower

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff worked for the Child Support Agency (a) at the latest date for which figures are available and (b) in 1997. [220621]

Mr. Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is the matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Children: Maintenance

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals’ postal addresses have been disclosed by the Child Support Agency to their former partners; and if he will make a statement. [213819]

Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 30 June 2008]: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty:


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Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps are taken when child support payments are wrongly awarded because of faults in computer systems; and if he will make a statement; [221194]

(2) how many child support overpayments there have been due to computer errors in (a) England, (b) Wakefield District and (c) Hemsworth constituency; [221214]

(3) what account is taken of the financial situation of the families involved when Child Support Agency overpayments are collected. [221215]

Mr. Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Stephen Geraghty, 29 September 2008:

Commercial Directorate

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) organisational charts for the structure of the Commercial Directorate below divisional level, (b) organisational charts showing the relationships between the Commercial Directorate and the Provision Delivery and Performance Division (WWEG—Work, Welfare and Equality Group—Delivery Directorate) and (c) a sample role description of a (i) Field Financial Appraisal and Monitoring (FAM) team member, (ii) Third Party Provision Manager, as
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referred to in chapter 2, paragraph 37 of DWP Provider Guidance and (iii) Contract Manager, as referred to in q.206, Flexible New Deal Question and Answer Log. [219495]

Mrs. McGuire: An organisational chart for the structure of the Commercial Directorate has been placed in the Library.

The relationships between the Commercial Directorate and the Provision Delivery and Performance Division (Work, Welfare and Equality Group Delivery Directorate) cannot be explained through an organisational chart. However, the Provision Delivery and Performance Division is the primary link to the Commercial Directorate for the sourcing and management of commercially delivered employment programmes.

The Provision Delivery and Performance Division has responsibility for:

Within the Commercial Directorate, the relationship with the Work, Welfare and Equality Group is led by the Commercial Employment Provision team. This has the role of:

Sample role descriptions for the following posts have been placed in the Library:

Council Tax Benefit

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was received in council tax benefit on average by claimant families with a child (a) claiming and (b) not claiming disability living allowance in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [216549]

Mr. Plaskitt: As at May 2004, the most recent available information, the average amount of council tax benefit paid to families with one or more children, where disability living allowance was in payment to a member of the family was £15.23. For families with one or more children where nobody in the family received disability living allowance, the average amount of council tax benefit was £13.27.


29 Sep 2008 : Column 2365W

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion and number of council tax benefit recipients receive less than 100 per cent. council tax benefit. [224088]

Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 16 September 2008]: The available information is in the table.

Number and proportion of council tax benefit recipients in receipt of less than 100 per cent. benefit: Great Britain May 2004
Number/proportion

All recipients

4,759,000

In receipt of 100 per cent. benefit

3,826,000

In receipt of less than 100 per cent. benefit

933,000

Proportion of those receiving less than 100 per cent. benefit

19.61

Notes :
1. The figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
2. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.
3. The figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand and may not sum due to rounding.
4. Council tax benefit figures exclude any single adult rebate cases.
5. This is the latest available data containing the necessary breakdown.
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Annual 1 per cent. sample taken in May 2004.

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