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4 Feb 2009 : Column 1266W—continued
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of (a) employment vacancies and (b) persons claiming jobseeker's allowance in each parliamentary constituency. [251975]
Mr. McNulty: Information on the number of employment vacancies and persons claiming jobseeker’s allowance in each parliamentary constituency has been placed in the Library.
Mentally Ill: Discrimination
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent steps he has taken to reduce levels of discrimination on grounds of mental health; and if he will make a statement. [252447]
Jonathan Shaw: The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, which this Government have improved and strengthened, particularly through the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, provides a comprehensive set of enforceable rights for disabled people, including those with mental health conditions (who meet the DDA's definition of a disabled person.)
To improve our support for disabled people we have recently been working with MIND (the mental health charity) to pilot flexible Access to Work support for people with fluctuating mental health conditions. Our Employ ability campaign challenges preconceptions and offers practical information and support to help make employing disabled people (including people with poor mental health) as easy as possible.
In addition to this, ‘Improving health and work: changing lives’, the Government's response to Dame Carol Black's review of the health of Britain's working age population, set out a number of measures the Government intend to take to help reduce the stigma and discrimination often associated with poor mental health.
The most prominent current initiative is the development of the first ever cross-Government National Mental Health and Employment Strategy which will specifically focus on issues such as stigma and discrimination. We expect that this strategy will be published in the spring.
Pensioners: Poverty
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of pensioners in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow and (c) the UK who are living in poverty. [248536]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Poverty is a complex and multidimensional issue and, as such, there are many possible measures of poverty.
Our public service agreement “Tackle poverty and promote greater independence and wellbeing in later life” includes a range of indicators related to low income for pensioners. These are relative low income (below 50 and 60 per cent. contemporary median household income), and absolute low income (below 60 per cent. of 1998-99 median income uprated in line with prices), all measured after housing costs have been taken into account.
Latest information for Scotland and the UK on the percentage of pensioners below each of these thresholds is given in the following table. The data source does not allow us to provide robust numbers for estimates below the level of Scotland as a whole.
Sight Impaired
Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidelines his Department follows in respect of making printed materials and forms accessible to people suffering red/green colour blindness. [245724]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department considers it vitally important that we respect all people by ensuring that our communications are inclusive, legible and accessible. Our corporate branding guidelines have been carefully designed to consider the language, colours and imagery we use, as well as the way we lay out our communications.
The most common form of colour blindness is red/green followed by yellow/blue. Our core colours are green, purple and grey with a palette of secondary colours.
These colours help anchor our visual identity, give consistency to our communications and are accessible.
Social Security Benefits: Advisory Services
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding his Department is making available for (a) voluntary sector organisations and (b) local authorities to provide advice on the availability of and eligibility for benefits in 2008-09. [244368]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department provides local authorities with housing benefit/council tax benefit (HB/CTB) administration subsidy. It is a targeted DWP specific grant paid to all 408 local authorities in Great Britain which helps meet the cost of administering HB/CTB. The overall administration subsidy allocation is £541 million for 2008-09. This subsidy covers the provision of advice on eligibility for benefits to potential claimants.
The Department and its agencies work in close partnership with voluntary sector organisations and local authorities to help people access the services and benefits to which they are entitled.
The Department itself does not provide any other regular sources of funding to either voluntary sector organisations or local authorities to provide advice on the availability of and eligibility for benefits.
Working Conditions: Temperature
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department has had with the Health and Safety Executive on the introduction of a legal maximum workplace temperature. [249055]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 19 January 2009]: The Secretary of State has written recently to the chair of the Health and Safety Executive, asking them to revisit the reasons for and against a maximum workplace temperature. He has asked the Executive to ensure that trade unions, and other key stakeholders, are fully engaged in this exercise.
Treasury
Banks: Fees and Charges
Mr. Leech: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information (a) his Department and (b) UK Financial Investments holds on revenue generated in unauthorised overdraft charges by banks which are (i) wholly and (ii) partly in temporary public ownership in each month since June 2008. [251028]
Ian Pearson: Neither the HM Treasury nor UKFI collect or hold such information.
Banks: Housing Associations
Mr. Swire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage banks to lend to housing associations. [244912]
Ian Pearson: On 8 October the Government announced a comprehensive package of measures to support stability of the financial system, protect ordinary savers, depositors, businesses and borrowers, and to safeguard the interests of the taxpayer.
As part of its investment, the Government have agreed with the banks supported by the recapitalisation scheme a range of commitments. Details are available at:
Banks: Iceland
Mr. Steen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Services Compensation Scheme will compensate Mr. Simon Dunne Barker of Marlborough, Devon for the losses he incurred following the collapse of the Icelandic banking sector. [250421]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 2009]: The FSCS is an independent organisation set up under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
The FSCS confirmed on 25 November that it is has sent out compensation claim forms to all the savers that they have records for at Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander (KSF) who did not transfer to ING Direct. On 12 December the FSCS announced that their claims teams have been processing the application forms received back from savers.
The FSCS's priority is to pay eligible retail depositors their compensation as quickly as possible. Claimants can contact the FSCS directly if they would like more information about their claim.
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in his Department were disciplined for (a) bullying and (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years. [254094]
Angela Eagle: In each of the last three years fewer than five staff have been disciplined for both (a) bullying and (b) harassment.
Departmental Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much was spent by his Department and bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants and companies in each year from 2001-02; [250432]
(2) how much his Department and its agencies have spent on external public relations firms outside the Central Office of Information's Public Relations Framework in the last 36 months. [250477]
Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. and learned hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) on 26 Nov 2008, Official Report, column 1894W and the answer given by the former Financial Secretary my right hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey), to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 11 Jun 2007, Official Report, column 828W.
Equitable Life
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken in respect of the officials in (a) his Department, (b) the Financial Services Authority and (c) the Government Actuary's Department criticised by the parliamentary ombudsman for maladministration over Equitable Life. [252139]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 28 January 2009]: The parliamentary ombudsman, who considered events in the period preceding 1 December 2001, did not direct any criticisms at individual officials.
EU Budget
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the monetary value in sterling of the reduction in the UK's rebate to its contribution to the EU budget negotiated in December 2005. [251283]
Ian Pearson: The December 2005 Budget agreement sets a cap on the disapplication of the UK abatement in 2004 prices in the current Budget period. The sterling value of this cap will depend upon changes in the exchange rate against the Euro within the Budget period.
Fines
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies. [253602]
Angela Eagle: No financial penalties are levied by the Treasury or any of its agencies.
Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander
Sir John Butterfill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to lift the administration order on Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander UK; and if he will make a statement. [251618]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 27 January 2009]: On 8 October Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander (KSF UK) was, following due legal process, put into administration. The application for an administration order was made by the Financial Services Authority. The order was made by the court. The administration process of KSF UK is a matter for the administrators of KSF UK.
Landsbanki: Guernsey
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2009, Official Report, column 1636, on Landsbanki Guernsey, what estimate he has made of the cost incurred by depositors in the UK as a consequence of the collapse of Landsbanki Guernsey. [252508]
Ian Pearson [holding answer 28 January 2009]: The UK Government and the Financial Services Authority do not hold such information.
Arrangements for depositors in banks in Guernsey are a matter for the Government of Guernsey.
Licensed Premises: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) Section 720 (night clubs and discotheques), (b) Section 210 (casinos and gambling clubs) and (c) Section 825 (public houses, licensed restaurants and wine bars), including their appendices and associated documents, of the Valuation Office Agency’s Rating Manual, were last updated. [252731]
Mr. Timms: The information requested is as follows:
(a) Section 720 (night clubs and discotheques)—all parts last updated October 2002.
(b) Section 210 (casinos and gambling clubs)—main section last updated January 2007, Practice Note for 2010 Revaluation added December 2008.
(c) Section 825 (public houses, licensed restaurants and wine bars)—main section last updated January 2000, Practice Notes for 2010 Revaluation including Approved Guide to Valuation added October 2003.
Members: Correspondence
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 18 October 2008 from the hon. Member for Romsey on provisions for the banking sector. [253511]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Financial Services Secretary hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Northavon of 15 October 2008 on savings in Isle of Man banks on behalf of a constituent, Mr Harris. [254295]
Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Financial Services Secretary hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.
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