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25 Mar 2009 : Column 464W—continued
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of young people in (a) the London Borough of Bexley and (b) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency claimed jobseeker’s allowance in each year since 2005. [262212]
Mr. McNulty: The information for the London Borough of Bexley is in the following table.
| Percentage of young people age 18 to 24 in Bexley claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance | |
| Notes: 1. Number of claimants rounded to nearest five. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place. 2. Data are published at https://www.nomisweb.co.uk. 3. Figures exclude clerical cases. 4. Population estimates are taken from the ONS mid year population statistics for the relevant year except the years 2008 and 2009 which are based on the 2007 estimate. The information for Bexleyheath and Crayford Constituency is not available. Source: 100 per cent. count of claimants of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre Plus computer systems (computer held cases only). | |
New Deal Schemes
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in which areas he expects flexible new deal providers will start delivery in October 2009. [263075]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 12 March 2009]: The Government remain committed to bringing in the flexible new deal phase 1 from October 2009. The Jobcentre Plus districts in which flexible new deal phase 1 will be implemented are listed as follows.
Birmingham and Solihull
North and East Yorkshire and Humber
Tees Valley
South Yorkshire
Derbyshire
Surrey and Sussex
Kent
Leicestershire and Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Central London
Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth
Devon and Cornwall
South Wales Valleys
South East Wales
South West Wales
North and Mid Wales
Black Country
Greater Manchester Central
Greater Manchester East and West
Coventry and Warwickshire
The Marches
Staffordshire
Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire
Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders
Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde
Cambridgeshire and Suffolk
Norfolk
Lincolnshire and Rutland
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the budget for the flexible new deal is in each of the 14 areas in phase one of the project. [263076]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 12 March 2009]: The budgets included in the Invitation to Tender for flexible new deal phase 1 by region are in the table. Revised budgets and annual profiles are subject to on going commercial negotiation and review.
Poverty: Children
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children who were (a) in relative poverty and (b) in single parent households in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [263460]
Kitty Ussher: The available information on the number of children living in relative low income since 1979 is given in the Households Below Average Income publication, published in June 2008, which is available in the Library.
Estimates of the number of dependent children in lone parent households or dependent children in lone parent families are readily available from different sources. Dependent children in lone parent families include children who may not be included in lone parent households, usually because they live in a multiple family household. Figures for England and Wales taken from the 2001 Census show that there were 2.4 million dependent children living in lone parent households, while there were 2.7 million dependent children living in lone parent families. Historic time series data are only readily available for children in lone parent families, not households.
Historic estimates of the number of dependent children living in lone parent families in Great Britain are available in past issues of Population Trends. The relevant issues are 109 (autumn 2002): “One parent families and the dependent children living in them in Great Britain” and 91 (spring 1998): “One parent families and their dependent children.” These are collated in the following table.
| Dependent children living in lone parent families in Great Britain | |
| Number of dependent children (million) | |
| Source: Best estimates using trends and combined survey sources (see Population Trends 91 and 109—articles on lone parents for details of the methodology) | |
Estimates are not readily available for all years.
More recent estimates for the UK are available from the Labour Force Survey and shown in the following table for all years between 1997 and 2008.
| Dependent children living in lone parent families in the UK | |
| Number of dependent children (million) | |
| Source: Labour Force Survey household data, April to June quarters, not seasonally adjusted. | |
Notes:
1. Given the different geography and different methods and sources used to prepare the estimates in these tables, they are not directly comparable.
2. All estimates are based on survey data and therefore subject to uncertainty.
3. Dependent children are children under 16, or those under 19 who are in full-time education. In addition, children cease to be dependent when they form their own family (ie they have children, marry or cohabit).
Social Fund
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund loans were not repaid in the last five years for which figures are available. [261425]
Kitty Ussher: The number of loans outstanding as at 31 March 2008 for loans awarded in each of the last five years is as follows:
| Year of original award | Number of loans outstanding |
Standard repayment terms for Social Fund Loans are 104 weeks, and in exceptional circumstances this can be extended to 130 weeks. Accordingly loans issued in both 2006-07 and 2007-08 would not necessarily have reached term.
Overall around £8 billion in loans has been awarded since 1988 with only £38 million (0.5 per cent.) being written off to date and recoveries continue to be pursued for both on and off benefit customers.
Social Security Benefits: Arrears
Mr. Gale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effect on claimants of (a) income support, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) jobseeker's allowance, (d) severe disablement
allowance and (e) widow's benefit of the introduction of fortnightly payments in arrears; what steps have been taken to publicise this change; and if he will make a statement. [256869]
Mr. McNulty [holding answer 23 February 2009]: The changes are being introduced as they will simplify the process of paying the working age benefits listed above and will make it easier for customers to move between these benefits.
Customers receiving these benefits will not lose money when these changes come in as entitlement to benefit will be continuous. The change in pay periods may result in a perceived “gap” during the transition from weekly to fortnightly payments and customers who are unable to manage this gap will be able to apply for a repayable loan.
Jobcentre Plus has arranged a comprehensive communication campaign about the changes. Each customer will receive an initial letter or interview up to six months before they are moved to the new system. Further information will also be available from the Information Line advertised in the letter and on the Jobcentre Plus or Directgov websites. Four weeks before any changes are due to occur customers will also receive an individual detailed notification explaining exactly how and when the changes will be made and what help is available.
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