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29 Oct 2008 : Column 1069W—continued
Colombia: Armed Conflict
Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on (i) the level of paramilitary activity and (ii) the number of internally displaced people in Colombia; and if he will publish the results of such research. [227542]
Gillian Merron: We have not commissioned specific research or evaluation on either issue. However we closely monitor these issues, alongside other human rights issues in Colombia.
Figures vary on the numbers of internally displaced persons in Colombia, but it is clear there is a large number—in excess of three million. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees global appeal report 2008-09 contains more details (http://unhcr.org/home/PUBL/474ac8e8l4.pdf).
Departmental Pay
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Department in the last 12 months; and at what total cost. [226419]
Gillian Merron:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) uses non-consolidated, non-pensionable bonuses to encourage high performance. We pay annual bonuses to staff in the delegated grades (i.e. all except senior managers) based on appraisal evidence of annual
performance. The highest rating and bonus award is given only where performance has significantly exceeded challenging objectives and may have radically transformed delivery of policy and/or services.
We have not yet determined pay or bonus awards for the delegated grades for performance in 2007-08. These will depend on the outcome of negotiations on a new pay settlement for staff in the delegated grades for the period 2008-11.
Variable pay (bonus) arrangements for staff in the Senior Management Structure/Senior Civil Service (SMS/SCS) of the FCO follow a framework set centrally for Whitehall departments by the Cabinet Office. We use variable pay for SMS/SCS staff to reward excellent individual performance and achievement during the year. Variable pay decisions are based on a judgement by pay committees of what an individual has achieved in comparison with peers. Those who have delivered the best results, and shown real leadership in doing so, receive the biggest bonuses. Those who have delivered least receive nothing. Departments are authorised to spend a sum equivalent to 8.6 per cent. of their SMS/SCS pay budget on bonuses to reward performance in 2007-08.
The FCO and FCO Services, a trading fund of the FCO, have so far spent £2,264,250 on 266 bonus payments to SMS/SCS staff for performance in 2007-08. The average size of individual bonuses has been £8,512. 30.5 per cent. of staff have not received a bonus in 2008.
Departmental Security
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many departmental identity cards or departmental passes have been reported lost or stolen by staff in (a) his Department and (b) each of its executive agencies in the last 24 months. [222205]
Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), or its agencies, have kept no records, prior to January 2007 of passes reported to have been lost or stolen. Details of reports since this date are as follows:
2007—52 passes
2008—33 passes (figure accurate to 24 October 2008)
FCO guidance for staff makes clear that all lost passes should be immediately reported to the police. A replacement pass cannot be issued without a crime reference number. All lost passes are deactivated immediately, to ensure they cannot be used to gain access to FCO buildings.
Sudan: Armed Conflict
Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports of the alleged radicalisation and militarisation of refugees in camps in Darfur by rebel groups; and if he will make a statement. [226088]
Gillian Merron:
We assess that there is a threat of violent extremism and radicalisation in the camps in Darfur given the humanitarian and security situation. We are calling on all parties to end the violence; to allow full humanitarian access; to ensure respect for international humanitarian law including the protection
of civilians; and to facilitate deployment of the UN-African Union peacekeeping force. The Government continue to work closely with the UN and others to achieve these aims and to improve the humanitarian situation in Darfur.
Sudan: Peace Negotiations
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to monitor the potential for renewed conflict in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan; and what steps he is taking to seek to promote peace in the region. [227646]
Gillian Merron: The UK monitors the Nuba mountains and the rest of the "transitional areas" (the Blue Nile, Abeyi and the other parts of the Southern Kordofan) through the UN Mission in Sudan and the Security Working Group of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission which we chair.
We remain concerned about the need to promote peace and reduce the potential for conflict in the Nuba mountains. The UK led a security assessment of the transitional areas, including the Nuba mountains, earlier this year and has established a steering group to address key stability priorities. In 2009-10 we will spend up to £4 million on community security and peace-building in southern Sudan, with much of this money going to the transitional areas.
Thailand: Borders
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government has taken to encourage a peaceful resolution of the situation on the Thailand-Cambodia border. [229343]
Bill Rammell: We are closely following the situation on the Thai/Cambodia border. I issued a statement on 16 October urging both sides to exercise restraint and take immediate steps to ease tension and find a peaceful solution to their dispute. Our embassies in Bangkok and Phnom Penh are in regular contact with the Thai and Cambodian Governments, encouraging both sides to resolve this dispute peacefully.
Work and Pensions
Departmental Older Workers
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits. [228787]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department for Work and Pensions recruited 6,393 people between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008. Of these new recruits, 344 (5.4 per cent.) were aged between 55 and 59 and 117 (1.8 per cent.) were aged over 60.
Employee Assistance Programme
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff his Department employs to deliver his Department’s Employee Assistance Programme, broken down by (a) region and (b) pay band. [230093]
Jonathan Shaw: The DWP Employee Assistance Programme contract is administered centrally from the Leeds headquarter office by 0.2 pay band F, 0.2 pay band E and 0.5 pay band D, with a senior civil service pay band 1 providing an oversight.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many counsellors there are in his Department’s Employee Assistance Programme, broken down by region. [230094]
Jonathan Shaw: There are 19 counsellors delivering the DWP Employee Assistance Programme, with each Government Office Region having at least one counsellor allocated. Additional support from up to 1,200 accredited counsellors spread across the United Kingdom is also available as and when required.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the counselling service offered by his Department’s Employee Assistance Programme is delivered to staff in Jobcentre Plus offices who request it. [230095]
Jonathan Shaw: The counselling service offered across DWP, including Jobcentre Plus, provided by the Employee Assistance Programme provider is delivered by the most appropriate means, depending on circumstances, usually by face to face or by telephone.
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether requests by staff for services offered by his Department’s Employee Assistance Programme are recorded. [230096]
Jonathan Shaw: All requests are recorded and reported in anonymous form to the DWP contract management team by the Employee Assistance Programme service provider.
Incapacity Benefit: Bexley
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in the London Borough of Bexley are dependent on parents or guardians whose main income source is incapacity benefit. [228240]
Jonathan Shaw: At April 2007, 1,380 children aged 0 to 15 were dependent on a parent or guardian who was claiming incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance.
Notes:
1. Data represents a snapshot in time of claimants on the computer system, and will therefore exclude a very small number of cases that are held clerically.
2. Data represents children dependent on a parent or guardian claiming incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance as their main benefit.
3. The Department does not have complete information on child dependents on the benefit computer systems. Therefore children have been merged onto incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claims from child benefit records with permission from HMRC.
Source:
DWP Information Directorate
Jobseekers Allowance
Chris Grayling:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2008, Official Report, column 1232W, on jobseekers allowance, how many of those jobseeker's allowance claimants aged 16 to 24 years who
terminated their claim more than five but less than six months after making an initial claim, moved onto (a) incapacity benefit and (b) income support after (i) one week, (ii) one month, (iii) three months, (iv) six months and (v) one year of termination. [221726]
James Purnell: The available information is in the following tables.
| Number of jobseeker's allowance terminations aged 16 to 24, who terminate their claim between 5 and 6 months, then flow on to incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance | ||||||||
| Flowed on to incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance | ||||||||
| Quarter ending | Number of jobseeker's allowance terminations | All | Within 1 week | More than a week but less than 1 month | More than a month but less than 3 months | More than 3 months but less than 6 months | More than 6 months but less than a year | More than 1 year |
| Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Data commence in 2005 to ensure capture of information on people flowing on to incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance up to 12 months after the termination of their claim. 3. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. Figures for previous quarters may also be subject to revisions in future quarters. Source: DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample and 5 per cent. terminations dataset. | ||||||||
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