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19 Jan 2010 : Column 210W—continued
Jim Knight: Under the current tax and benefit systems, the combination of the minimum wage, tax credits and other targeted support such as the in work credit and return to work credit provide gains to work in excess of £40 a week for the vast majority of individuals.
As a consequence, when the better off in work credit (BWC) is rolled out nationally, of those who move from benefits to work in each year, we expect only a small minority-no more than around 100,000 a year-to qualify for the BWC.
Most recipients of BWC are likely to be under the age of 50 and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance. Some customers will also be in receipt of support for mortgage interest payments.
A copy of the White Paper, Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment, is in the Library. The impact assessment for the White Paper explains the fiscal and economic costs and benefits of introducing the BWC. A copy of the impact assessment has been placed in the Library.
Carer's Allowance
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of recipients of carer's allowance likely to be affected by an increase in the earnings limit; and when she expects to implement this policy. [311933]
Jonathan Shaw: The carer's allowance earnings limit will be increased from £95 to £100 in April 2010. In the impact assessment published alongside the Employment White Paper 'Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment', we estimated that up to 40,000 carer's allowance recipients could benefit.
Council Tax Benefits: Automated Credit Transfer
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what timetable has been set for implementation of the recommendations of the Lyons Inquiry into Local Government on an automated system of payment of council tax benefit to pensioners. [311479]
Helen Goodman: In the longer term, we want to ensure that council tax benefit is delivered as accessibly, simply and securely as possible. We are continuing to research how better use could be made of data to identify those who are eligible for council tax benefit, and deliver their entitlement more proactively. This includes assessing the feasibility of using data shared with local authorities in order to build up profiles of people likely to be entitled to council tax benefit but not claiming.
Incapacity Benefit
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance claimants there were in Lewes constituency on the latest date for which figures are available. [311173]
Jonathan Shaw: The available information is in the following table.
| The number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance and employment and support allowance claimants in Lewes parliamentary constituency-May 2009 | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Caseload has been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data published at www.nomisweb.co.uk (incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance) and http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp (incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and employment and support allowance). 3. Employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | |
Incapacity Benefit: Bexleyheath
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance claimants there were resident in (i) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (ii) the London borough of Bexley on the latest date for which figures are available. [311565]
Jonathan Shaw: The available information is in the following table.
| The number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance and employment and support allowance claimants in Bexley local authority and Bexleyheath and Crayford parliamentary constituency-May 2009 | ||
| Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance | Employment and support allowance | |
| Notes: 1. Caseload has been rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data published at www.nomisweb.co.uk (incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance) and http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp (incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and employment and support allowance). 3. Employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. | ||
Jobcentre Plus: Manpower
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, what estimate she has made of the number of full-time equivalent mental health co-ordinators who will need to be recruited as part of the national network in Jobcentre Plus; when she expects such recruitment to commence; and when she expects the national network to be fully operational nationwide. [311936]
Jonathan Shaw:
Each of the 48 Jobcentre Plus districts currently has a mental health co-ordinator in post. The posts were launched on 7 December 2009, and provide
a tangible example of "Working our way to better mental health: a framework for action and realising ambitions: Better employment support for people with a mental health condition" in action.
The recent White Paper made a commitment to doubling the capacity of the mental health co-ordinators, providing one full-time equivalent co-ordinator in each district. This will further extend and embed the role of the co-ordinators. The extended role is expected to be in place across the network from April.
Pathways to Work
Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what continuing support will be provided for employment and support allowance claimants who do not move into work after participating in Pathways to Work. [310623]
Jonathan Shaw: Pathways to Work is a flexible menu of different support options tailored to the needs of the individual. It includes a series of work-focused interviews, participation in which is mandatory for most new employment and support allowance claimants. Further, and continuing, employment support from Pathways to Work can be accessed on a voluntary basis, at any time, by all employment and support allowance and incapacity benefits claimants. Employment and support allowance customers can also get continuing support from our range of specialist disability programmes such as Access to Work.
Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance her Department issues on medical assessments of benefit claimants. [311064]
Jonathan Shaw: Atos Healthcare, the DWP Medical Services contractor, when issuing the medical assessment appointment letter send an information leaflet AL1C covering:
About the medical assessment
How to contact Atos Healthcare
What to bring to the assessment
Claiming expenses
Bringing people with you
When to arrive
Length of the assessment
What happens at the assessment
How to obtain a copy of the report
What happens next
What to expect from Atos Healthcare and how to complain.
Unemployment: Disabled
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps she has taken to reduce the level of unemployment amongst disabled people resident in Lewes constituency since 2001; and if she will make a statement. [311171]
Jonathan Shaw: A number of steps have been taken to reduce levels of unemployment among disabled people since 2001.
In July 2001 the new deal for disabled people was launched. This is a programme of advice and practical support, which helps people move from disability and health-related benefits into paid employment. The programme is delivered through a network of 'Job Brokers' offering different services, which can be tailored to a customer's individual needs.
April 2008 saw the introduction of Pathways to Work in Surrey and Sussex, which includes the Lewes constituency. This programme helps claimants of incapacity benefits or employment and support allowance get work by offering individual support and access to a wide range of help, including work-focused interviews.
The public consultation 'Helping people achieve their full potential: Improving Specialist Disability Employment Services' was launched on 3 December 2007 to help shape the future of specialist disability employment provision. The new programme, Work Choice, which replaces existing specialist disability employment programmes, will be introduced in October 2010.
Employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefits for new customers nationally on 27 October 2008. Employment and support allowance has a greater work-focus than its predecessors. It also has a more modern and robust medical assessment, which helps to identify the help that people need to ensure they can fulfil their potential.
Access to Work is a specialist disability programme that helps disabled people overcome work-related obstacles. It is flexible, easy to access and shows high levels of satisfaction from disabled people and their employers. The Access to Work base budget has been increased from £15 million in 1994-95 to £81 million in 2009-10 and will continue to grow to £138 million by 2013-14. We are also working to improve the programme to ensure it helps people with mental health conditions more effectively.
The refreshed jobseeker's allowance regime and flexible new deal went live in Surrey and Sussex in October 2009. This is designed to offer personalised and more intensive support to customers, including those with disabilities, to help overcome barriers to work.
More generally, all jobseekers have full access to Jobcentre Plus vacancy services to enhance their employment opportunities. We recognise that some disabled customers may have a more limited availability and scope to find and carry out certain types of work. Therefore, at the start of their claim customers are asked to tell their adviser about any disabilities that might have such an impact, and can restrict their work search activity and availability for work if those restrictions are reasonable, given their condition.
Customers with a disability can volunteer to be fast-tracked to the six month stage of jobseeker's allowance, subject to the Jobcentre Plus personal advisers' agreement. This allows disabled people to access additional intensive support earlier in their claim.
Disability employment advisers are available to provide specialist support to people facing employment barriers because of a disability. They can advise customers about a range of specialised support available, and provide advice on job retention if a person is concerned about losing their job because of their disability. They are supported by work psychologists and various external disability specialists.
Winter Fuel Payments
Dr. Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in (a) the UK and (b) Milton Keynes received the winter fuel allowance in 2008-09. [311095]
Angela Eagle: In winter 2008-09 12.3 million people received a winter fuel payment in Great Britain (information regarding Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office). Some 17,350 people received payments in Milton Keynes South-West constituency and 16,810 people received payments in Milton Keynes North-East constituency.
Notes:
1. Payment figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
Work Choice and Access to Work schemes
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on "Building Britain's Recovery", what steps her Department is taking to expand the Work Choice and Access to Work schemes; what additional funding her Department is making available for this purpose; and what estimate she has made of the number of people expected to participate as a consequence of the expansion of the schemes. [311935]
Jonathan Shaw: As stated in Chapter 4 of the White Paper, "Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment" (December 2009),
"we will increase funding for our specialist disability employment programmes supporting those with the greatest needs into work."
We will set out further details in due course.
Wales
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many iPODs have been bought by his Department since 2005; and at what cost. [311899]
Industrial Health and Safety
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether written health and safety advice is issued to each new employee in his Department. [311373]
Mr. Hain: Each new member of staff receives an induction pack which includes guidance on health and safety issues.
House of Commons Commission
Committees: Costs
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost to the public purse has been of Regional (a) Select and (b) Grand Committees since their appointment. [311582]
Nick Harvey: The cost to the end of December 2009 is estimated to have been:
| £000 | |
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