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13 Jan 2010 : Column 1035W—continued
Social Security Benefits
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will ensure that applications for health care costs grants sent mistakenly to Jobcentre Plus offices are forwarded immediately to the correct office for processing; and if she will make a statement. [309525]
Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking if she will ensure that applications for health care costs sent mistakenly to Jobcentre Plus Offices are forwarded immediately to the correct office for processing. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Claims for health care costs are the responsibility of the Department of Health. Claims are made on a form HC1 and include a prepaid envelope for its return. If a claim form is mistakenly sent to Jobcentre Plus it is automatically forwarded on to the Department of Health for action. If a customer presents a completed HC1 personally at a Jobcentre Plus office, they are advised where the form needs to be sent and if required will be given a duplicate prepaid envelope.
Social Security Benefits: Advisory Services
Mr. Harper:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding her Department has made available for providers on independent advice services on benefits in each year since 2004; and what
steps she plans to take to ensure that disabled people have access to expert independent advice and assistance on all Government benefits and support. [307681]
Jim Knight: My Department do not fund independent advice services to offer advice to our customers. The Government, through the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, support the Citizens Advice service in England, Scotland and Wales.
Jobcentre Plus and PDCS have dedicated staff who deal with customers on all benefits and support. In particular disabled customers have the support of Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres. Additionally help is available via the internet from Directgov.
Social Security Benefits: Drugs Misuse
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the number of people addicted to illegal drugs who are in receipt of benefits from her Department. [309853]
Helen Goodman: Information on the number of people addicted to illegal drugs and who are in receipt of benefits is not available.
Unemployment
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living in (a) Herefordshire and (b) the UK receiving services from Jobcentre Plus were aged (i) under 21, (ii) 22 to 25, (iii) 26 to 30, (iv) 31 to 35, (v) 36 to 40, (vi) 41 to 45, (vii) 46 to 50, (viii) 51 to 55, (ix) 56 to 60 and (x) over 60 years old in each month since January 2005; and if she will make a statement. [307153]
Jim Knight: The information requested is not available as figures are not kept on the number of people who access Jobcentre Plus through the various methods available, such as online, by telephone or at the Jobcentre.
Unemployment: Young People
Chloe Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people under 25 years old were not in employment, education or training in (a) 1997, (b) 2007 and (c) during 2008-09 in (i) Norwich North constituency and (ii) each region. [301698]
Jim Knight: The information is not available in the precise format requested. The Labour Force Survey does not provide consistent information on participation in part time education and training prior to the year 2000. Information on participation in full time education is available on a consistent basis from 1992 onwards. The following table provides the number and proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds who are not in employment or full time education. This definition is consistent with table 14 of the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Labour Market Statistical Bulletin.
| 16 to 24-year-olds not in employment or full time education( 1) | ||||||||
| 1997 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |||||
| Number ( thousand ) | Proportion (percentage) | Number ( thousand ) | Proportion (percentage) | Number ( thousand ) | Proportion (percentage) | Number ( thousand ) | Proportion (percentage) | |
| (1) Latest available data are for July-September 2009, data are not seasonally adjusted so the table includes data for July-September in each year. Source: Labour Force Survey (individual datasets), National Statistics. | ||||||||
Data at parliamentary constituency area level are only available from the Annual Population Survey from 2004 onwards. The sample sizes for Norwich North constituency are not sufficient to provide reliable estimates.
Culture, Media and Sport
Amusement Arcades: Coastal Areas
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the regulatory burden on seaside amusement arcades; and what steps are being taken to reduce that burden. [310135]
Mr. Sutcliffe: My Department has not made a specific assessment of the regulatory burden on seaside amusement arcades. However, we have assessed the administrative burden imposed by the Gambling Act 2005 on the gambling industry as a whole to be £17.4 million per annum: £56.6 million less than the administrative costs imposed by the previous regime. The Government remain committed to reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens and will continue to work with the industry, including those representing the seaside arcade sector, to identify simplification measures.
Arts Council England
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much was spent by each (a) senior manager and (b) board member of Arts Council England in providing hospitality in each of the last three years; [310422]
(2) whether Arts Council England has purchased any flat screen televisions in each of the last five years; [310423]
(3) whether Arts Council England has investigated any thefts of its property in each of the last three years; [310442]
(4) for how many capital building projects Arts Council England has provided funding in the last 12 months; [310454]
(5) what role Arts Council England has in respect of the Government Art Collection; and if he will make a statement. [310456]
Margaret Hodge: The issues raised are the responsibility of Arts Council England. The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Arts Council England to write direct to my hon. Friend. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to whom the administration of Arts Council England is accountable for the operational exercise of the Council's functions; and if he will make a statement. [310449]
Margaret Hodge: The Chief Executive of Arts Council England is ultimately responsible for the operational exercise of the Arts Council's functions. As the accounting officer, he is responsible for safeguarding the public funds for which he has charge, for ensuring propriety and regularity in the handling of public funds and for the day-to-day operations and management of Arts Council England.
As principal accounting officer, the permanent secretary must be satisfied that the framework of internal controls applied by the Arts Council conforms to the requirements of regularity, propriety and good financial management.
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost to the public purse has been of each restructuring of Arts Council England in each year since 1994; and if he will make a statement. [301896]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 26 November 2009]: Since 1994, Arts Council England restructuring has resulted in a total saving of £50,464,000 with further savings of £6,500,000 per annum from 2010-11 resulting from the current organisational review.
The table shows a breakdown of the cost of each restructure. These figures include the provisions made for the costs of staff redundancies and other direct costs associated with those proposals.
| Period of restructuring | Total cost (£) | |
|
Merging of 10 Regional Arts Boards to form Arts Council England | ||
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