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16 Mar 2009 : Column 858W—continued
Economic and Monetary Union
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent edition of HM Revenue and Customs' Euro Handbook. [250519]
Ian Pearson: Copies are available in the Library.
Mr. Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) the HM Revenue and Customs' and (b) the Valuation Office Agency's euro changeover plan was last updated; and if he will place a copy of each in the Library. [250522]
Ian Pearson: The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Valuation Office Agency's Euro Changeover Plans were last updated in 2006. Copies are available in the Library.
Equitable Life: Compensation
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the planned timetable is for establishing the ex-gratia payment scheme for older people who have lost money with Equitable Life. [263139]
Ian Pearson: The Government intend to set up an ex-gratia payment scheme for those who have suffered a disproportionate impact that can pay out as swiftly as possible. The Government will work on the practical issues in parallel with the work that it has asked Sir John Chadwick to undertake. Until the work is complete, it will not possible to make an estimate of how long it will take to make payments under the scheme. The Government will keep the House updated and report back on progress at regular intervals.
Income Tax
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the minimum level of (a) weekly and (b) annual household income is at which income tax first becomes payable for (i) a single pensioner, (ii) a pensioner couple, (iii) a working-age single person, (iv) a working-age couple, (v) a lone parent with one child and (vi) two parents with one child. [262019]
Mr. Timms:
Net tax liability, and the effective tax rate paid, is calculated by setting the tax credits and child benefit payments a family might receive against any income tax and national insurance contributions paid
by them. As a result of the financial support provided by tax credits four out of 10 families in the whole population now pay no net tax.
Tax credits mean that, including national insurance contributions, from January 2009:
a single pensioner pays no net tax until they are earning at least £9,030 if they are aged 65 to 74 or £9,180 if they are aged 75 and over;
a pensioner couple pays no net tax until one partner is earning at least £9,030 if they are aged 65 to 74 or £9,180 if they are aged 75 and over;
a working-age single person, aged over 25 and working full-time pays no net tax until they are earning at least £9,780;
a working-age single-earner couple, with the earner aged over 25 and working full-time pays no net tax until they are earning at least £12,300; and
a lone parent with one child or a single-earner family of two parents with one child pays no net tax until they are earning at least £17,550.
Lehman Brothers
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of UK citizens who held Lehman Brothers-backed securities at the time of the bank's collapse; whether he has commissioned research on the ways in which such products were marketed in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [260299]
Ian Pearson: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) estimates that around 6,000 people in the UK hold retail investment products fully backed by securities issued by Lehman Brothers, based on data provided by the firms involved in marketing them. FSA rules require firms marketing such products to explain fully all the risks involved. Investors who believe risks were not properly explained to them have the right to complain, first to the firm which sold the product and, if they are not satisfied with the firm's response, to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Quantitative Easing
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the Government implemented its policy on quantitative easing; and how much funding has been provided through using quantitative easing to date. [264041]
Ian Pearson: In an exchange of letters between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England on 3 March 2009, the Chancellor of the Exchequer authorised the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to use the Asset Purchase Facility for monetary policy purposes. The Monetary Policy Committee announced a programme of asset purchases financed by the issuance of central bank reserves on 5 March. This is set out at:
Work and Pensions
Jobseeker’s Allowance
15. Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker’s allowance claimants there were in (a) the UK and (b) Wimbledon constituency on the latest date for which figures are available. [263328]
Mr. McNulty: In January 2009 there were 1,282,645 jobseeker’s allowance claimants in the UK and 906 in Wimbledon constituency. These are based on seasonally unadjusted figures.
21. Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants there were in (a) the UK and (b) West Chelmsford constituency on the latest date for which figures are available. [263334]
Mr. McNulty: In January 2009 there were 1,282,645 jobseeker’s allowance claimants in the UK and 1,544 in West Chelmsford constituency. These numbers are based on seasonally unadjusted figures.
24. Mr. Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the change in the number of jobseeker's allowance claimants resident in (a) Scarborough and Whitby constituency and (b) the UK was between 2007 and 2008. [263337]
Mr. McNulty: In December 2008 there were 362,960 more people claiming jobseeker’s allowance in the UK than in December 2007, and 600 more in Scarborough and Whitby. These numbers are based on seasonally unadjusted figures.
This is the seasonally unadjusted figure for the UK and has been used for comparison purposes as seasonally adjusted figures are not available for parliamentary constituencies. The headline change reported for the UK is 351,500.
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who will have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in October 2009. [263322]
Mr. McNulty: While we do not predict future levels of unemployment, or of people unemployed for over a year, we are planning for the impact of higher numbers of long-term unemployed in the coming months.
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants there were in (a) the UK and (b) Banbury constituency on the latest date for which figures are available. [263324]
Mr. McNulty: In January 2009 there were 1,282,645 jobseeker’s allowance claimants in the UK and 1,505 in Banbury constituency. These are based on seasonally unadjusted figures.
Incapacity Benefit
16. Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance the Government is making available to existing long-term incapacity benefit claimants. [263329]
Jonathan Shaw: We have already invested heavily to support existing incapacity benefit customers into work, by ensuring they can volunteer for any appropriate back to work support available in Pathways to Work. Our recent White Paper announced a strong package of new initiatives to provide further support to this group, including pilots of new innovative approaches such as the ‘invest to save’ pathfinders recommended by David Freud.
Child Maintenance
17. Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the appropriateness of the range of allowable deductions from non-resident parents’ income on which child maintenance is calculated. [263330]
Kitty Ussher: The current child maintenance scheme, which applies to maintenance applications effective on or after 3 March 2003, is designed to be simple for parents to understand and straightforward to administer. It is intended to strike a fair balance between the needs of children and the reasonable expectation that non-resident parents are left with sufficient money to live on.
To that end, the range of allowable deductions that either parent can ask to be taken into account when calculating the maintenance liability is necessarily limited and there are no plans to revisit the range of allowable deductions in the current scheme.
New Deal
18. John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the contracting process for the flexible new deal. [263331]
Mr. McNulty: For the procurement of flexible New Deal in the 14 Phase 1 contract packages, DWP will let contracts with a single lead entity. The ‘Lead’ entity will be accountable for overall delivery but may choose to subcontract out all, part or none of the provision. For Flexible New Deal a two stage tendering process was adopted.
The use of a two-stage ‘restricted' procedure, involves an initial Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) stage and then the issue of Invitation to Tenders (ItT) to those short-listed at PQQ stage. This helps to keep the amount of work, both for DWP and for potential suppliers within manageable limits, as we have a high level of interest. The two-stage process brings the dual benefits of maintaining competition and excluding (either voluntarily or directly) those organisations that have no realistic capacity to deliver a contract. This process includes a separate financial capability assessment at both stages of the evaluation process.
The PQQ stage includes a number of questions to assess which bidders appear to have the strongest capacity to proceed to tender. The second stage tenders are evaluated based on the optimum combination of quality and price.
Phase One FND procurement is now proceeding to a revised schedule and has taken account of the current economic climate and potential for volume increase. Short listed organisations have been given time to impact these changes on their tenders. We expect to identify preferred bidders during April and announce contracts by the end of May 2009. We still aim to begin delivery in October 2009. We plan for FND Phase Two to commence in spring 2009 and details will be published on the DWP website.
Medical Assistance
19. Mr. David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance his Department makes available to those with a medical condition which requires them to incur extra costs to maintain a temperature level in their homes. [263332]
Jonathan Shaw: Some people with a medical condition will qualify for help through disability benefits and the disability premium in income-related benefits. These are awarded in recognition of the extra costs, which can include heating, which disabled people may incur. Those entitled to disability premiums will also receive additional payments during periods of very cold weather.
Just over half of all people with a limiting long-standing illness, impairment or disability in Britain are over 60 years of age, and will qualify for winter fuel payments which provide a significant contribution to higher winter fuel costs.
Individual Budgets
20. Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in possession of an individual budget. [263333]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department of Health ran an Individual Budget Pilot Programme from December 2005 to December 2007 in 13 local authorities in England. Following the pilots, many of the people involved continue to use an individual budget and individual budgets are being increasingly implemented by councils.
The last figures collected (Commission for Social Care Inspection, Annual Report 2007-08) showed that as at March 2008, nearly 4,800 people held an individual budget, with just under half having a direct payment as part of the arrangement.
Jobcentre Plus
22. Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what further plans his Department has to reform Jobcentre Plus; and if he will make a statement. [263335]
Mr. McNulty: The Department has no current plans to reform the way that Jobcentre Plus is organised.
Disability Living Allowance
23. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to make blind people eligible for the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance. [263336]
Jonathan Shaw: The Government are supportive of the aim to extend the higher rate mobility component to severely sight impaired people. We have had extensive discussions with the Royal National Institute of Blind People, MPs and others on the issue and these continue.
Departmental Bank Services
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with which banks his Department has or has held contracts for the provision of financial advice, for the financial year 2008-09. [262754]
Jonathan Shaw: The Department's banking contracts for the financial year 2008-09 facilitate the payment of customers' benefits and pensions. On one occasion this year we have also commissioned specialist advice from Citibank.
Pension Credit
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Lancashire are in receipt of pension credit. [263319]
Ms Rosie Winterton: In Lancashire 55,320 households, 68,130 individuals are in receipt of Pension Credit.
Departmental Data Protection
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what auditing his Department undertakes to ensure that IT security policies are being followed; and on how many occasions (a) IT security policies have been breached by employees and (b) a member of staff has been sanctioned for a breach of such policies in the last 12 months; [259833]
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s IT security hierarchy; [259834]
(3) what scanning for vulnerabilities his Department conducts of each of its IT devices; what method is used for IT device scans; and how many vulnerabilities have been detected as a result of such scans in the last 12 months; [259835]
(4) what IT security policy his Department has; what procedures are in place to ensure the policy is being followed; what his Department’s policy is on encryption of data when it leaves departmental premises; and what sanctions are in place for failure to comply with this policy. [259846]
Jonathan Shaw: Information is a key asset to Government and its correct handling is vital to the delivery of public services and to the integrity of HM Government. The Security Policy Framework, the Data Handling Report and the National Information Assurance Strategy produced by the Cabinet Office provide a strategic framework for protecting information that Government handle and put in place a set of mandatory measures to which Departments must adhere.
This Department is compliant with the security policies contained in the Government Security Policy Framework including those for information security, assurance and the encryption of data.
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