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26 Oct 2009 : Column 151W—continued
Jim Knight [holding answer 21 October 2009]: The information is not available in the form requested. However, statistics published last week showed that between October 2008 and February 2009 38 per cent. of new claimants to employment and support allowance stopped claiming benefit before the work capability assessment in their case was completed.
Employment Schemes
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the eligibility criteria are for individuals seeking to be referred to (a) Workstep, (b) the Job Introduction Scheme and (c) Work Preparation. [295028]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 22 October 2009]: To be eligible for Workstep an individual must be disabled, as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This Act defines a disabled person as someone who has 'a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to day activities'. In addition, Workstep customers must also fall within one of the Workstep eligibility codes. This information is in the following table:
Disability employment advisers also have the discretion to refer a disabled person to a suitable provider if they are satisfied that all other options have been considered and that Workstep is the most appropriate option.
The Job Introduction Scheme is available in cases where an employer or their prospective employee has genuine concerns about the individual's ability to manage the job due to their disability. For the Job Introduction Scheme to be considered, the applicant must be 'disabled' as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The job can be full or part-time, must be expected to last for at least six months (including the Job Introduction Scheme period) and must be a genuine job (not specifically created to take advantage of the Job Introduction Scheme). Applicants do not need to be in receipt of any eligible benefits to apply.
In order to benefit from Work Preparation programmes, customers must be unemployed and:
be on the disability employment adviser's caseload, regardless of employment or benefit status;
have a defined job goal;
have disability-related needs when making a final choice of occupation or looking for work effectively;
be likely to be capable of working or undertaking training by the end of the programme;
be at least 16 years old.
The programme may also be able to help customers to retain their current work, where there is a real risk of the customer losing their job and Work Preparation will significantly help them to retain the same job or move to a more suitable alternative job.
Financial Assistance Scheme: Fraud
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many convictions for offences of fraud in relation to (a) the Financial Assistance Scheme and (b) the Pension Protection Fund there have been in (i) England and Wales, (ii) the East of England, (iii) Essex and (iv) Castle Point constituency in each year since the inception of each scheme. [295670]
Angela Eagle: There have been no convictions relating to fraud committed in relation to the Financial Assistance Scheme or the Pensions Protection Fund since their inception.
Future Jobs Fund: Brighton
Ms Barlow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people in Brighton and Hove she expects to receive assistance from the Future Jobs Fund. [291436]
Jim Knight:
Successful bids to the Future Jobs Fund to date will create around 130 jobs in the Brighton and Hove area. This includes jobs to be created via successful
bids from the National Skills Academy for Sports and the Football League Trust. As the bidding process is ongoing, we may receive other bids to create jobs in the Brighton and Hove Area.
Source:
Future Jobs Fund Management Information.
Future Jobs Fund: West Midlands
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs she expects to be created under the Future Jobs Fund in (a) Tamworth, (b) Staffordshire and (c) the West Midlands in the next 12 months; and what types of job she expects to be created. [294066]
Jim Knight: The first round of awards for the Future Jobs Fund are initially for delivery over a six-month period.
There are no specific bids for Tamworth, as yet.
The joint bid for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent is currently creating 524 jobs between October 2009 and March 2010. National bids may also create jobs in this area.
The following table has the number of jobs expected to be created in the West Midlands:
| Jobs created under the Future Jobs Fund | |
| First round bidders in West Midlands | October 2009-March 2010 |
| Notes: 1. The first round of awards are initially for delivery over a six-month period. 2. The types of jobs that are being created include: Green Jobs/Environmental Improvement/Sustainability Health/Social Care/Education/Children's Care Youth work Arts/Enterprise Housing/Construction - low carbon economy Administration/Business/Enterprise Community/Voluntary Leisure/Tourism/Hospitality | |
Fylde
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were employed in each section of her Department in the Borough of Fylde in each of the last five years. [291946]
Jim Knight: The number of people employed in each of the Department's business areas in the Borough of Fylde at 31 March of each year from 2005 to 2009 is shown in the following table.
Housing Benefit
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many housing benefit claimants there were in each year since 1997. [295094]
Helen Goodman: The available information is in the following tables.
| Number of housing benefit recipients in Great Britain : May 1997 to May 2007 | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated. 4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. taken in May 1997 to May 2007 | |
| Number of housing benefit recipients in Great Britain November 2008 and May 2009 | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Figures for any non-responding authorities have been estimated. 4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) for November 2008 and May 2009 taken from Table 2 of publication at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/hb_ctb/HBCTB19082009.xls | |
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of completed work capability assessments have involved former claimants of incapacity benefit; and if she will make a statement. [294742]
Jonathan Shaw [holding answer 21 October 2009]: National level statistics on the Work Capability Assessment covering Great Britain were published on 13 October 2009 and are available via the Office for National Statistics Publication Hub. A copy of the publication has been placed in the Library and can be accessed directly on the following website:
Full benefit information for completed Work Capability Assessments is not available as some assessments cannot yet be linked to an Employment and Support Allowance claim. The volume and percentage of all Employment and Support Allowance new claims from October 2008 to February 2009 that have completed the Work Capability Assessment with an incapacity benefit claim in the previous two years are provided in the following table.
| Number and percentage of employment and support allowance new claims from October 2008 to February 2009 completing the work capability assessment with an incapacity benefit claim in the two years prior to the employment and support allowance claim | ||
| Number | Percentage | |
| Notes: 1. These data are based on recorded advice from ATOS, rather than the Decision Maker's final determination. The final outcomes of cases may change. This will be further compounded by reconsiderations following additional medical evidence and the outcomes of appeals. Full guidance on the national figures is included in the published statistics referred to in the table. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. | ||
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