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22 Feb 2010 : Column 88W—continued
| Proportion of employed people with a Disability Discrimination Act disability in full and part-time employment in the public and private sector as a percentage | ||||
| Private sector | Public sector | |||
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time | Part-time | |
| Note: Percentages do not add up to 100 per cent. because a small number of cases have missing values for either the full-time/part-time or the private sector/public sector variables. Source: Labour Force Survey, quarter 3, 1998 to 2009. | ||||
European Regional Development Fund
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much employment-related funding she expects each region to receive from the European Regional Development Programmes on a per capita basis in the period 2007 to 2013; and what information her Department holds on the distribution of such funds on a per capita basis to other EU member States in that period for benchmarking purposes. [315671]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
As a general rule, employment-related measures are supported through the European Social Fund (ESF), although a small amount of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes may also be spent on employment-related measures. However, figures for ERDF employment-related measures for the regions and counties of the UK and the other member states are not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
ERDF expenditure is focused on research, innovation, business development, environmental protection and infrastructure investment.
Feltham
Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Feltham and Heston constituency, the effects on that constituency of changes to her Department's policies since 1997. [316677]
Jonathan Shaw:
DWP leads the Government's response to some of the biggest issues facing the country-welfare and pension reform-and are a key player in tackling child poverty(1). As the biggest delivery Department in the UK, DWP makes a difference to millions of people every day, helping them to lead safer, fairer and more rewarding lives that are free from poverty. We want to give people more choice and control over their lives and
are committed to providing greater choice and personalised support to everyone who needs it so they have the opportunity to get into and remain in work. We believe that work works. Even in economically challenging times we know that work works for the most vulnerable and the disadvantaged.
Through Jobcentre Plus, we are promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age. Since 1997, although the number of people unemployed in Feltham and Heston has increased by 32 per cent. to 2,832, the number unemployed for more than one year has decreased by 86 per cent. to 75. From May 1997 to May 2009 the number of lone parents claiming income support in Feltham and Heston has decreased by 23 per cent. to 2,230.
Our New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over 50s and partners of unemployed people to move from benefit into work. Since their inception over 2.2 million people in Great Britain have found work with the support of the New Deal, and 3,730 have been helped in Feltham and Heston.
We introduced a target to halve child poverty by 2010-11 on the way to eradicating it by 2020. Poverty is measured using a headline indicator of the proportion of children in households with an income below 60 per cent. of contemporary household median income before housing costs. This is in line with international best practice.
Statistics on the numbers of children living in poverty are not available at the constituency level, but the latest information for the outer London area shows that the proportion of children in poverty is the same now, at 20 per cent. as it was in 1997.(2)
Since 1997 our strategy has been to target help on the poorest pensioners while providing a solid foundation of support for all.
This year we will be spending over£13 billion more on pensioners than if we had continued with the policies that were in place in 1997. Around half of that money will go to the poorest third of pensioners.
In 1997 the poorest pensioners, who received income support, lived on £69 a week (£98 in today's prices). Today pension credit, which was introduced in 2003, means no pensioner needs to live on less than £130 a week, £198.45 for couples. As of May 2009, 5,180 pensioners in Feltham and Heston are benefiting from pension credit.
In 2007-08 there were 900,000 fewer pensioners living in relative poverty in UK compared to 1998-99 (measured as below 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income after housing costs).
Statistics on the proportion of pensioners living in relative poverty are not available at the constituency level. But the latest data for the outer London area Government office region show that the number of pensioners in poverty (measured as below 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income after housing costs) fell from 26 per cent. to 19 per cent. since 1997(3).
Pensioners in the UK also benefit from a range of additional support such as the winter fuel payment which this winter is worth £250 for households with someone aged between 60-79 and £400 for households with someone aged 80 or over. These payments provide vital reassurance to older people that they can afford to turn up their heating during cold weather. Prior to winter 1997-98 less than £60 million was spent helping pensioners meet their fuel bills-this year we will be spending around £2.7 billion on winter fuel payments alone. In 2008-09, 15,490 people aged 60 and over benefited from winter fuel payments in Feltham and Heston.
We have also taken steps to strengthen and protect the private pensions system to ensure people can continue to have confidence to save for their future through the establishment of the Pensions Protection Fund, the Financial Assistance Scheme and a more powerful and proactive pensions regulator.
The protection system ensures that, unlike in 1997, people aren't left without a pension even in the event that their employer becomes insolvent.
In total 473 people in the London region are receiving compensation from the Pension Protection Fund (data not available at constituency level).(4)
We have also taken forward a radical package of pension reforms in the Pensions Acts of 2007 and 2008 which will deliver a fairer and more generous state pension and extend the opportunity of workplace pension saving to millions, many for the first time.
The state pension reforms begin to come into effect from 2010 and will mean around three quarters of women reaching state pension age in 2010 are expected to qualify for a full basic state pension compared to half without reform.
Support for disabled people and carers
Since 2001, we have significantly extended and improved civil rights for disabled people in areas such as employment, education, access to goods and services and transport. Disabled people in Feltham and Heston will have benefited from these improvements. The Welfare Reform Act 2009 contains powers to increase choice and control for disabled adults, including disabled parents who are entitled to state support, enabling them to choose how certain state support is used to meet their individual needs. This will be trailblazed in up to eight local authority areas from late 2010. Older and less well off carers have gained extra help through the provisions within the National Carers Strategy.
(1) The Department for Work and Pensions was created in 2001 and so information relates to the Department and its predecessors.
(2) Based on three-year averages, and changes are rounded to the nearest percentage point or 100,000 children between 1997-98 to 1999-2000 and 2005-06 to 2007-08.
(3 )Based on three-year averages, and changes are rounded to the nearest percentage point or 100,000 pensioners between 1997-98 to 1999-2000 and 2005-06 to 2007-08.
(4) Regional information about assistance payments received by members from the Financial Assistance Scheme could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Future Jobs Fund
Margaret Moran:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which local authorities have taken on more staff under the Future Jobs Fund; how many
such staff have been employed by each such local authority; and how many such staff each local authority plans to employ in the next three years. [315106]
Jim Knight: We cannot comment publicly on job starts ahead of publication of the confirmed official statistical data, which is due in spring 2010. It is not possible to estimate how many staff each local authority plans to employ in the next three years as this is not information we require as part of the Future Jobs Fund bid process.
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on the role of social enterprises in the Future Jobs Fund. [315109]
Jim Knight: The future jobs fund provides an excellent opportunity for social enterprises and the third sector to create jobs for young people, and this is reflected in the guidance available on the website available to all potential bidders. While my Department does not provide specific guidance to local authorities on the role of social enterprises in the future jobs fund, there are many examples of authorities working closely with social enterprises to create new jobs.
Hemsworth
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to Hemsworth constituency, the effects on Hemsworth of her Department's policies and actions since 2000. [316303]
Jonathan Shaw: DWP leads the Government's response to some of the biggest issues facing the country-welfare and pension reform-and are a key player in tackling child poverty(1). As the biggest delivery Department in the UK, DWP makes a difference to millions of people every day, helping them to lead safer, fairer and more rewarding lives that are free from poverty. We want to give people more choice and control over their lives and are committed to providing greater choice and personalised support to everyone who needs it so they have the opportunity to get into and remain in work. We believe that work works. Even in economically challenging times we know that work works for the most vulnerable and the disadvantaged.
Through Jobcentre Plus, we are promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age. Since 2000, although the number of people unemployed in Hemsworth has increased by 42 per cent. to 2,164, the number unemployed for more than one year has decreased by 10 per cent. to 220. From May 2000 to May 2009 the number of lone parents claiming income support in Hemsworth has decreased by 29 per cent. to 1,130.
Our New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, disabled people, the over 50s and partners of unemployed people to move from benefit into work. Since their inception over 2.2 million people in Great Britain have found work with the support of the New Deal, and 3,420 have been helped in Hemsworth.
We introduced a target to halve child poverty by 2010-11 on the way to eradicating it by 2020. Poverty is measured using a headline indicator of the proportion of children in households with an income below 60 per cent. of contemporary household median income before housing costs. This is in line with international best practice.
Statistics on the numbers of children living in poverty are not available at the constituency level, but the latest information for the Yorkshire and Humber area shows that the proportion of children in poverty fell from 27 per cent. to 26 per cent. since 2000.
Figures from 2000 relating to support for older people could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, figures are available from 1997 and these are as follows.
Since 1997 our strategy has been to target help on the poorest pensioners while providing a solid foundation of support for all.
This year we will be spending over£13 billion more on pensioners than if we had continued with the policies that were in place in 1997. Around half of that money will go to the poorest third of pensioners.
In 1997 the poorest pensioners, who received income support, lived on £69 a week (£98 in today's prices). Today pension credit, which was introduced in 2003, means no pensioner needs to live on less than £130 a week, £198.45 for couples. As of May 2009 5,760 pensioners in Hemsworth are benefiting from pension credit.
In 2007-08 there were 900,000 fewer pensioners living in relative poverty in UK compared to 1998-99 (measured as below 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income after housing costs).
Statistics on the proportion of pensioners living in relative poverty are not available at the constituency level. But the latest data for the Yorkshire and Humber Government office region show that the number of pensioners in poverty has fallen from 26 per cent. in 2000 to 18 per cent(2).
Pensioners in the UK also benefit from a range of additional support such as the winter fuel payment which this winter is worth £250 for households with someone aged between 60-79 and £400 for households with someone aged 80 or over. These payments provide vital reassurance to older people so that they can afford to turn up their heating during cold weather. Prior to winter 1997-98 less than £60 million was spent helping pensioners meet their fuel bills-this year we will be spending around £2.7 billion on winter fuel payments alone. In 2008-09 19,740 people aged 60 and over benefited from winter fuel payments in Hemsworth.
We have also taken steps to strengthen and protect the private pensions system to ensure people can continue to have confidence to save for their future through the establishment of the Pensions Protection Fund, the Financial Assistance Scheme and a more powerful and proactive pensions regulator.
The protection system ensures that, unlike in 1997, people are not left without a pension even in the event that their employer becomes insolvent.
In total 2,296 people in the Yorkshire and Humber region are receiving compensation from the Pension Protection Fund (data not available at constituency level)(3).
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