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29 Jun 2009 : Column 27W—continued
Planning: Travelling People
John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which regional spatial strategies are being reviewed in relation to provision for sites for Gypsies and Travellers; and when he expects each such review to be completed. [282927]
Mr. Ian Austin: The following regional spatial strategies are being reviewed to address the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers.
North-west, Regional car parking standards, Gypsy and Travellers and Travelling Show people, review scheduled to be completed by 2010;
Yorkshire and Humber, review scheduled to be completed by 2011; West Midlands phase 3, review scheduled to be completed by 2011;
East of England, Gypsy and Travellers alterations, review scheduled to be completed by 2009;
South-east, Gypsy and Travellers alterations, review scheduled to be completed by 2010;
South-west, full review, date of completion to be confirmed: and
London, full review scheduled to be completed by 2011.
John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the 2006 baseline requirement for Gypsy and Traveller pitches is in each region; and what requirement for such pitches for the period 2006 to 2016 has been included in each (a) finalised and (b) draft regional spatial strategy. [282928]
Mr. Ian Austin: There is no baseline requirement for Gypsy and Traveller pitches.
The pitch figures included in RSSs are informed by Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessments (GTAA)
which are prepared by local authorities and fed upwards to the regional planning body which drafts the RSS.
The timescale for the delivery of pitch numbers contained in RSSs varies from region to region, but they typically reflect a need over a five year period.
The pitch numbers contained in each draft and finalised regional spatial strategy are set out as follows:
Draft Regional Spatial Strategies
North-west, partial review, pitch figures being worked up.
Yorkshire and Humber, full review, pitch figures being worked up.
West Midlands, phase 3, pitch figures being worked up.
East of England, partial review, 1,237 pitches.
South-east, partial review, 1,064 pitches.
South-west, full review, 1,672 pitches.
London, full review, 768 pitches.
Finalised Regional Spatial Strategies
North-east, full review, 166 pitches.
North-west, full review, no pitch figures.
Yorkshire and Humber, full review, 255 pitches.
East Midlands, full review, 883 pitches.
East of England, full review, no pitch figures.
South-east, full review, no pitch figures.
London, full review, no pitch figures.
Working Neighbourhoods Fund
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make it his policy to distribute the Working Neighbourhoods Fund to those super output areas within the highest 10 per cent. of deprivation. [282632]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Working Neighbourhoods Fund is distributed to local authorities that:
have 20 per cent. or more of their lower super output areas in the most deprived 10 per cent. on the employment domain of the index of multiple deprivation 2007; and/or
have 20 per cent. or more of their lower super output areas in the most deprived 10 per cent. on the overall index of multiple deprivation 2007; and/or
are ranked among the top 50 districts with the highest combined benefit/non-employment rate.
The eligibility criteria were the subject of consultation and were carefully developed to ensure that the available funds provided sufficient resource to make a difference in deprived communities with problems of worklessness.
There are no current plans to change the distribution, and we have announced indicative funding for the 2008-09 to 2010-11 spending period.
Work and Pensions
Jobseeker’s Allowance: Construction Industry
15. Ms Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment she has made of entitlement to jobseeker's allowance of construction industry workers during periods of temporary unemployment; and if she will make a statement. [282362]
Jim Knight: A construction industry worker or anyone else who has been temporary laid-off work, or who is on short-time working, may be entitled to JSA provided they meet certain conditions.
There are no plans to review this policy.
Employment Support Allowance
16. Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment she has made of the merits of exempting terminally and chronically-ill employment support allowance claimants from back-to-work interview requirements. [282363]
Jonathan Shaw: In establishing employment and support allowance, we recognised that there are people whom it would be unreasonable to expect to engage in work-related activity.
These individuals are identified through the work capability assessment and are placed in the support group. They do not have to take part in work-focused interviews. People who are terminally ill are also placed in the support group. Whether or not those who are chronically ill have to attend interviews would depend on the outcome of the work capability assessment.
Customers in the support group may access appropriate support provision voluntarily. I believe that this continues to be the right approach and have no plans for placing conditionality requirements upon them.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
19. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants there were in Kettering constituency (a) in May 1997 and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available. [282366]
Jim Knight: There were 1,498 jobseeker’s allowance claimants in May 1997 and 2,729 in May 2009 in Kettering constituency.
21. Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants there were in (a) the UK and (b) East Devon constituency on the latest date for which figures are available. [282368]
Jim Knight: In May 2009, there were 1,516,921 jobseeker’s allowance claimants in Great Britain and 1,063 in Devon East constituency.
Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants there were in (a) the UK and (b) Upminster constituency on the latest date for which figures are available. [282358]
Jim Knight: In May 2009, there were 1,516,921 jobseeker's allowance claimants in Great Britain and 1,730 in Upminster constituency.
Employment: Learning Disabilities
20. Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps she is taking to assist people with a learning disability to secure employment. [282367]
Angela Eagle: ‘Valuing Employment Now: Real Jobs for People with Learning Disabilities’ was launched jointly by this Department and the Department for Health on 24 June 2009.
‘Valuing Employment Now’ is based on the Government’s belief that all people with learning disabilities, like all other people, can and should have the chance to work. To deny people that opportunity is a waste of talent for the individuals, employers, society, and the wider economy.
‘Valuing Employment Now’ therefore sets out the Government’s goal to increase radically the number of people with moderate and severe learning disabilities in employment by 2025.
This is a challenging goal, but one we are committed to.
Older People: Recession
22. Mr. Joyce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to assist older people during the recession. [282369]
Angela Eagle: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 22 June 2009, Official R eport , column 683W.
Long-term Incapacity Benefit
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance the Government are providing to long-term incapacity benefit claimants. [282360]
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.
Disabled People
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to assist disabled people to live independently. [282364]
Jonathan Shaw: Independent living is at the heart of the Government’s strategy for disabled people and the Office for Disability Issues is leading on two major cross-Government initiatives.
The Independent Living Strategy published in 2008 sets out a five-year plan for making progress on delivering choice and control for all disabled people.
The new Welfare Reform Bill will further empower disabled people by creating a new right giving them greater choice and control over certain state funding streams known as the “Right to Control”.
Apprenticeships
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the relationship between the level of unemployment and the number of apprenticeships available. [282365]
Jim Knight: My Department and that of my hon. Friend the Minister for Further Education, Skills, Apprenticeships and Consumer Affairs, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills remain in close contact on a wide range of matters relating to unemployment. Apprentices who lose their placements and become unemployed and claim benefit will have access to all the targeted support offered by Jobcentre Plus to help them move into work as quickly as possible.
Departmental Press
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) newspapers and (b) periodicals are delivered to the private office of each Minister in her Department; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures are available. [279425]
Jonathan Shaw: The following newspapers and periodicals were delivered to the ministerial private offices for the financial year 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009:
Economist
Time magazine
Newsweek
Financial Times
Times
Daily Telegraph
Guardian
Independent
Daily Mail
Daily Express
Daily Mirror
Sun
Spectator
Evening Standard
New Statesman
Private Eye
Tribune
Birmingham Post
Yorkshire Post
Glasgow Herald
Daily Record
Scotsman
Voice Weekly
Eastern Eye
Asian Women
Gay Times
Womens Health
Community Care
Total cost: £13,128.35
The DWP Library delivers (a) newspapers (b) periodicals to the various Private Offices. Private Offices also receive other publications, such as trade publications and charity magazines direct from other organisations. Information on these is not held centrally so not possible to provide. Some of the publications listed were cancelled during the course of the financial year 2008-09.
Pensions: Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations she has received on the supply by individual pension providers of updated information to customers under pension simplification regulations. [282349]
Angela Eagle: I am not aware of any specific representations.
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