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21 Oct 2009 : Column 1463W—continued
Work and Pensions
Employment: Autism
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the number of adults with autism in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) London Borough of Bexley that are in (i) part-time and (ii) full-time employment. [294260]
Jonathan Shaw: The information requested is not available.
Employment and Support Allowance
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of claims for employment and support allowance took (a) fewer than 11 days, (b) between 11 and 40 days and (c) over 40 days to process in each month since the scheme came into operation. [291004]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 14 September 2009]: We are currently exploring whether we can develop some official statistics on processing times for Employment and Support Allowance new claims in the near future.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of people leaving incapacity benefit began claiming (a) incapacity benefit again and (b) employment and support allowance within a year of leaving the benefit in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and of those people what percentage were aged (i) 18 to 24, (ii) 25 to 49 and (iii) 50 years and over in each year. [291005]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 14 September 2009]: The available information has been placed in the Library.
Pension Funds: Trustees
Mr. Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research she has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned on the (i) costs, (ii) feasibility and (iii) effects on pension schemes of implementation proposals to require a minimum 50 per cent. member nominated trustees on the boards of pension funds. [294311]
Angela Eagle:
The Department has commissioned a qualitative research study into the costs, feasibility and effects of any potential move to require pension scheme
trustee boards to have 50 per cent. member-nominated trustees. The research contractor (BMRB) has now completed interviews with employers, scheme representatives and trade union representatives and is preparing a research report. This is expected to be published in the spring of 2010.
Social Security Benefits: Disabled
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of claimants of (a) incapacity benefit, (b) employment and support allowance, (c) severe disablement allowance and (d) income support for incapacity undertook permitted work in each of the last 10 years as applicable. [291279]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 16 September 2009]: The available information is in the following table.
Prime Minister
Serious Fraud Office
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has received representations in respect of the current investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into BAE Systems. [293889]
The Prime Minister: This is a matter for the Serious Fraud Office.
Cabinet Office
Advertising Advisory Committee
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2009, Official Report, column 624W, on the Advertising Advisory Committee, if she will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board meeting in the last 12 months, redacting commercially confidential elements. [291053]
Angela E. Smith [holding answer 14 September 2009]: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not the normal practice of government to disclose detailed information in respect of such discussions.
Damian McBride
Mr. Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she last met Mr. Damian McBride in the course of her official duties. [287399]
Tessa Jowell: I have not met Damian McBride in the course of my ministerial duties since his resignation on 11 April 2009.
Forfeiture Committee
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on which dates the Forfeiture Committee has met since 1 January 2009. [287855]
Tessa Jowell: The Forfeiture Committee conducts most of its business in correspondence, but plans to meet on an annual basis to review the year's cases and discuss matters of policy. The Committee has met once in 2009, on 23 September. The subjects discussed by the Committee remain confidential.
Former Ministers: Pay
Mr. Meacher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information her Department holds on the level of remuneration made to former Ministers given permission to take private sector jobs within two years of leaving office. [293486]
Tessa Jowell: The Ministerial Code requires that former Ministers must seek advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments about any appointments or employment they wish to take up within two years of leaving office, apart from unpaid appointments in non-commercial organisations. There is no requirement for former Ministers to reveal details of their proposed remuneration packages.
Government Departments: Power of Information Taskforce
Margaret Moran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance she has issued to Government departments on the implementation of the fee recommendations of the final report of the Power of Information Taskforce published on 2 March 2009. [292791]
Tessa Jowell: Following recommendation 10 of the Power of Information Taskforce report, the National Archives drafted new, tighter criteria for the application of fees for the provision of public sector information. This draft was published on 28 July 2009 on their blog "PSI Perspectives"
for public comment. The National Archives has also written to Departments drawing their attention to these draft criteria.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what mechanism is in place to track progress made by Government departments in implementing the recommendations of the final report of the Power of Information Taskforce, published on 2 March 2009. [292792]
Tessa Jowell: The Power of Information Taskforce sets out the strategic actions needed to harness the power of Web 2.0 technologies to improve the way Government communicates with citizens, with the aim of making policy making more collaborative and open.
The Director for Digital Engagement within the Cabinet Office works across Government Departments to encourage, support and challenge Departments in moving from
communicating to citizens on the web, to conversing and collaborating with them through digital technology to improve the delivery of public services. As part of this role he is responsible for tracking the implementation of the Power of Information Taskforce report.
Scotland
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether her Department plans to make a submission to the Scottish Executive's National Conversation consultation on Scotland's constitutional future. [288952]
Tessa Jowell: The Cabinet Office has not submitted evidence to the Scottish Government's National Conversation.
The Commission on Scottish Devolution was established by majority vote in the Scottish Parliament and with the full support of the UK Government. UK Departments submitted evidence to the Commission during its first phase of evidence gathering.
The Commission recently published its final report, which can be found here:
A steering group has been established under the chairmanship of the Secretary of State for Scotland to help the UK Government and the Scottish Parliament plan how to take forward the Calman recommendations and deliver stronger devolution within a stronger United Kingdom.
Suicide
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what suicide rates in each local authority area were in each of the last four years. [294309]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply to the hon. Member. A copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Defence
Armed Forces Day
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Merchant Navy Association on its involvement in Armed Forces Day 2010. [294704]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: While I have not had direct discussions, I can confirm that the Merchant Navy Association are part of the Armed Forces Day 2010 Steering Group, and were in attendance at the first meeting held in Cardiff on 22 September 2009.
I can also confirm that an invitation will be extended to the Merchant Navy Association to attend and participate in Armed Forces Day events across the United Kingdom, including the National Event in Cardiff.
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