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14 July 2009 : Column 288W—continued
Disability living allowance is a standard payment which, beside the qualifying criteria, i.e. the nature of the disability, takes no account of a person's financial circumstances; it is only the nature of the disability that
is a factor and it is specifically designed to enable someone to cope with the extra expense that disability imposes on them. It would not therefore be appropriate to include such payments within the child maintenance calculation.
Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) court cases and (b) convictions there have been for benefit fraud in each of the last five years. [272721]
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been (a) interviewed on suspicion, (b) charged with and (c) convicted of benefit fraud offences in each of the last five years. [273049]
Helen Goodman: Information relating to how many people have been (a) interviewed on suspicion and (b) charged with benefit fraud offences is not available.
The available information on the number of people interviewed under caution (for DWP administered benefits) and the number of people that DWP has presented to court for prosecution for benefit fraud offences is detailed in the following tables. Information on local authority prosecutions and convictions is not yet available for 2008-09.
| DWP administered benefits | |||
| Number of interviews held under caution | Number prosecuted for benefit fraud | Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences | |
| Notes: 1. 2008-09 is the first year in which interview under caution data have been collected. 2. The figure provided on the number of interviews held under caution may include the same person more than once. This is because the same person may have been interviewed under caution more than once. Sources: 1. Interviews under caution data are taken from Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS). 2. Prosecution and Conviction data for England and Wales are provided by DWP/DH Legal Group. 3. Prosecution and Conviction data for Scotland are taken from Fraud Information by Sector (FIBS) and FRAIMS. | |||
| Local authority administered benefits | ||
| Number prosecuted for benefit fraud | Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences | |
| Notes: 1. The decision to prosecute is taken by the appropriate local authority 2. Figures from HOBOD are subject to revision when new or revised data are received from local authorities and uploaded by the Department. 3. Data on the number of interviews held under caution have not been included in this table because 2008-09 is the first year in which interview under caution data have been collected and information on local authority prosecutions and convictions is not yet available for 2008-09. Source: Housing Benefits Operational Database (HOBOD) using local authority housing benefit administrative returns. | ||
Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the amount wrongly paid in benefits to UK nationals resident abroad in the last 12 months. [276150]
Helen Goodman: Between October 2007 and September 2008 an estimated £45 million was wrongly paid to customers who continued to claim benefits to which they were not entitled while they were abroad.
In order to qualify for DWP means tested benefits, the customer must be habitually resident in the UK. The benefit rules, for some benefits, allow customers to travel abroad for a certain period of time without it affecting their benefit entitlement. The estimates used in this PQ relate to customers that have exceeded this period of time abroad.
We do not capture customer nationality as part of the claims process and are therefore unable to provide specific figures for UK nationals.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate she has made of the amount of benefits wrongly claimed by UK nationals resident abroad in each of the last five years. [277838]
(2) how much was reclaimed from UK nationals resident abroad for benefits wrongly claimed in each of the last five years; [277839]
(3) what the administrative costs of reclaiming benefits wrongly claimed by UK nationals resident abroad were in each of the last five years. [277840]
Helen Goodman: We do not capture customer nationality as part of the claims process and are therefore unable to provide specific figures for UK nationals.
The only available information on the amounts wrongly paid to customers who continued to claim benefits to which they were not entitled while they were abroad is provided for each of the last five years in the following table.
| Amount wrongly paid (£ million) | |
| Notes: In order to qualify for DWP means tested benefits, the customer must be habitually resident in the UK. The benefit rules, for some benefits, allow customers to travel abroad for a certain period of time without it affecting their benefit entitlement. The estimates used in this PQ relate to customers that have exceeded this period of time abroad. The information about how much was reclaimed from UK nationals resident abroad for benefits wrongly claimed in each of the last five years and the administrative costs of reclaiming those benefits is not available. Source: National Statistics | |
Social Security Benefits: Research
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research her Department is undertaking into the effects of consumer debt on the benefits system. [284731]
Jim Knight: My Department part funds the Wealth and Assets Survey. The survey is a longitudinal survey that collects information about the economic well-being of households and individuals including their assets and debts, pension provision, how wealth is distributed and factors that may affect financial planning. The survey panel is made up of 32,000 households who are interviewed once every two years. The first full wave findings are due to be released at the end of 2009, with the second wave currently being undertaken.
In relation to debt, the Wealth and Assets Survey collects information on household non-mortgage debt and on respondents' attitudes to debt. The survey also collects information on the benefits and tax credits that respondents are in receipt of.
The Office for National Statistics is conducting the survey which is partly funded by my Department along with several other Government Departments such as BIS, HMT, HMRC, CLG, the Scottish Government and the Cabinet Office.
Winter Fuel Payments
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to announce the dates of the qualifying week for the Winter Fuel Payment; and if she will make a statement. [285201]
Angela Eagle: The qualifying week is set by regulations as the week beginning on the third Monday in September. So, for winter 2009-10, it is the week commencing 21 September 2009.
Pollution: Fines
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been levied in fines by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) against (a) companies, (b) local authorities and (c) individuals for offences committed in relation to pollution of each type (i) in total and (ii) in each region in each year since 1997; and what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of fines levied by the HSE on polluters in preventing further incidences of pollution on the part of (A) those upon whom fines have been imposed and (B) others. [286466]
Jim Fitzpatrick [holding answer 13 July 2009]: I have been asked to reply.
This matter falls within the remit of the Environment Agency; the Health and Safety Executive does not levy pollution-related fines.
The relevant Environment Agency national enforcement database reports have been placed in the Library of the House. The national enforcement database came online in April 1999. Data are therefore not available for 1997, 1998 and the first three months of 1999.
The national enforcement database has categories for individuals and companies, but local authorities are classified with "other legal entities". The reports provided here titled "other" therefore include local authorities along with other non-commercial corporate entities.
The Environment Agency will prosecute a serious pollution offence only when prosecution is considered to be in the public interest. The level of fine imposed is a
matter for the sentencing court. All aggravating and mitigating factors and the defendant's ability to pay will be taken into account.
Prosecution is only one of a number of interventions that the Environment Agency employs and other enforcement tools will also have some effect. The Environment Agency publishes an annual Spotlight report which provides details of the performance of regulated industry sectors and the relevant enforcement action taken. The 2008 report can be viewed at:
Children, Schools and Families
Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill
John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the evidential basis was for the statement that, Costs to existing recognised Awarding Bodies are expected to be neutral, on average, in the Impact Assessment of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill relating to the creation of the awarding body regulator, Ofqual and the QCDA. [285500]
Mr. Iain Wright: The provisions in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill to create Ofqual have been widely welcomed by awarding bodies and others. The costs of the reforms will depend in large part on how awarding bodies respond to the new regulatory regime. The move to a more strategic approach to regulation-so that Ofqual will not need to accredit every qualification-should reduce awarding body costs. But Ofqual's market regulation role, with its strong powers to ensure value for money in the provision of qualifications, may increase the demands on awarding bodies; and awarding bodies may also have to develop relationships with the new Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, which will support the development of qualifications. Overall, our best assessment is therefore that the impact of the plans on existing awarding bodies will be cost-neutral.
Children: Day Care
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many registered childcare places for children under eight years old there were in Tamworth constituency in each year since 1997. [286335]
Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available below local authority level.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to his answer of 23 June 2009, Official Report, column 819W, on children: day care, what his definition is of the term philosophical convictions contained in the Early Years Foundation Stage exemption document. [286841]
Dawn Primarolo:
Parents may apply to their early years provider for an exemption in respect of their child, where they consider that the Early Years Foundation
Stage learning and development requirements, or some element of them, cannot be reconciled with their religious or philosophical convictions.
The term 'religious and philosophical convictions' is a concept that is understood in legal terms and appears in case law, such as that on the European convention on human rights. It refers to a cogent and serious belief-set or conviction worthy of respect in a democratic society.
Children: Protection
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to improve child protection services in (a) Hemel Hempstead constituency, (b) Dacorum and (c) Hertfordshire. [284739]
Dawn Primarolo: Ofsted's 2007 Joint Area Review of Hertfordshire county council's children's services judged services for safeguarding and looked after children to be inadequate. An external support team worked with the council to improve performance management and safe staffing arrangements. The Department for Children, Schools and Families also part-funded an interim head of fieldwork services for a period of six months. After close monitoring, the council exited intervention following the 2008 annual performance assessment, in which Hertfordshire was judged to be adequate for 'Staying Safe'. The Government Office for the East of England is continuing to work closely with Hertfordshire county council, as Children's Safeguarding Authority, and partner organisations and agencies to strengthen child protection services in the area.
The Government have made clear its determination to make sure that child protection services in every area meet the needs of the vulnerable children they serve. That is why we asked Lord Laming to prepare an urgent report of progress across the country in implementing effective arrangements for safeguarding children.
The Government have accepted all of Lord Laming's recommendations and published a detailed action plan on 6 May 2009.
Children's Play: Finance
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what funding his Department has provided for the enhancement of public play facilities in the London Borough of (a) Redbridge and (b) Waltham Forest in the last 12 months. [284449]
Dawn Primarolo: Following the commitments made in the Children's Plan in 2007 and the national Play strategy in 2008, every top tier local authority in England will receive either play pathfinder or playbuilder funding between 2008-11 through the play capital investment programme.
On average all play pathfinder authorities will receive around £2 million capital funding and £500,000 revenue funding, while playbuilder authorities will receive around £1 million capital and £45,000 revenue funding. Play pathfinder authorities will use their allocated funding to deliver a minimum of 28 play areas plus a new staffed adventure playground, while playbuilder authorities will deliver a minimum of 22 play areas by 2011. The play
areas that are delivered can be either completely new areas or existing areas which are significantly refurbished.
Redbridge is one of 43 playbuilder authorities across England who began receiving play funding from April 2008, as part of the first wave of the play capital investment.
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