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15 Jun 2010 : Column 361W—continued
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Departmental Internet
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the URL is of each website managed by (a) his Department and (b) each non-departmental public body and agency for which his Department is responsible. [2359]
Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
(a) The following URLs are for the websites currently being managed by DWP:
| URL | Website |
(b) The following URLs are for the websites of the non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which DWP are currently responsible:
| URL | Website |
Directgov is a cross-government website, the URL is
Like all Government Departments, DWP publishes content onto
although this URL is managed by Directgov.
DWP are currently implementing the Sir David Varney Transformational Government recommendations for Website Rationalisation. 20 websites have already closed including the Pension Service website which closed September 2009 and Jobcentre Plus which closed March 2010. Content and online services for these websites have moved to
simplifying access to DWP information.
Departmental Mobile Phones
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Ministers in his Department have been issued with (a) a Blackberry, (b) an iPhone, (c) another make of mobile telephone and (d) a personal digital assistant supplied by the Department. [1420]
Chris Grayling: The following Ministers have been allocated a departmental BlackBerry;
Chris Grayling
Maria Miller
Steve Webb
No iphones or PDAs have been issued to Ministers.
Departmental Official Cars
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Government (a) cars and (b) drivers are allocated to Ministers in his Department. [305]
Chris Grayling: The DWP has introduced new arrangements with the Government Car Service to run a pool of four cars for use by the Department's five Ministers. Where necessary this is supplemented with additional Green Car Services. This will be reviewed over the forthcoming months to ensure value for money.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the use by Ministers in his Department of cars allocated from (a) his Department's pool and (b) the Government car pool which are manufactured in the UK; whether Ministers in his Department are entitled to request the use of a car manufactured in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [2400]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
(a) The DWP has arranged with the Government Car Service (GCS) to run a pool of four cars and four drivers for use by the Department's five Ministers and the Permanent Secretary. This will be reviewed over the forthcoming months to ensure value for money.
(b) Ministers may make use of the GCS under the terms of the recently announced Ministerial Code. This states that
"the number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service pool as needed."
For reasons of efficient and economic fleet management, it is not practical for Ministers to specify a UK manufactured vehicle for a journey in a pool service car. The proportion of UK manufactured vehicles in the GCS fleet used by DWP is 25%, with the remainder being Japanese hybrid models.
Departmental Public Appointments
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) political appointments and (b) other personal appointments he has made since his appointment; and at what estimated annual cost to the public purse. [361]
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many special advisers (a) he and (b) each other Minister in his Department (i) has appointed to date and (ii) plans to appoint. [314]
Chris Grayling: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 3 June 2010, Official Report, column 99W, and the subsequent publication of the list of special adviser appointments on 10 June 2010.
Since my appointment the following expert advisers have been seconded to my Department:
Charlotte Pickles, from the Centre for Social Justice Reform, for a period of six months;
Stephen Brien (part-time) and Jon Tippell from Oliver Wyman, for a period of three months.
Financial Services: Education
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government is taking to increase levels of financial capability of members of the public. [1904]
Mr Hoban: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are committed to ensuring people have the advice they need to look after their finances and save for the future.
The Government's coalition agreement announced plans for a free national financial advice service, funded by a social responsibility levy on the financial services industry. This will include a free annual financial healthcheck.
Under the requirements of the Financial Services Act 2010, the Financial Services Authority established a new independent Consumer Financial Education Body in April 2010. This body has responsibility for raising levels of financial capability across the UK.
Future Jobs Fund
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of young people who have been placed in training, employment or work experience through the Future Jobs Fund in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (a) are disabled, (b) are women, (c) are from ethnic minorities, (d) have mental health problems and (e) were brought up in care. [1969]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding has been allocated from the Future Jobs Fund to organisations in Chesterfield constituency. [2122]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
Future Jobs Fund: North East
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent assessment is of the effect on levels of employment in (a) the North East and (b) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland of ending the Future Jobs Fund. [1970]
Chris Grayling: At up to £6,500 per placement, the Future Jobs Fund is five times more expensive than other aspects of the Young Persons Guarantee, making it poorer value for money. As we emerge from a recession with a huge budget deficit, it is right that the Government take decisive steps to secure long lasting benefits rather than temporary changes to unemployment. Next year we will introduce our new Work Programme, which will bring better targeted and more effective support to young people and the unemployed.
Future Jobs Fund: Wales
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been employed in Wales through the Future Jobs Fund. [1720]
Chris Grayling: The latest Official Statistics, covering the period October 2009 to January 2010, show that 690 people in Wales started jobs created through the Future Jobs Fund.
Incapacity Benefit
Kevin Brennan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedure is followed when more than one error is discovered in a targeted audit of a medical report carried out by medical services on
behalf of his Department for the purpose of determining a claimant's eligibility for incapacity benefit; and if he will make a statement. [2544]
Chris Grayling: A medical report that fails to meet medical services standards is amended before it is returned to the decision maker. Subsequent action is determined by the nature of the errors. Minor errors may be corrected by making changes to the original report. More serious errors may require a further examination of the customer.
Feedback is given to the healthcare professional by a mentor. The timescale for the feedback is determined by the nature of the errors. Serious errors may require immediate feedback. Corrective action is determined by the mentor and medical manager in consultation with the healthcare professional and may include supervised sessions, retraining or further targeted audit.
Whilst engaging as many as possible in work related activity, and prioritising an active work regime, we are determined to make sure those that need it get the right support.
Poverty: Children
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to reduce levels of child poverty. [2210]
Maria Miller: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 14 June 2010, Official Report, column 587W, to my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Stephen Mosley).
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce the level of financial exclusion of the most vulnerable families. [2212]
Steve Webb: DWP are developing the capacity of third sector financial service providers, such as credit unions, so that people on low incomes, traditionally not well served by mainstream financial institutions, have access to savings products, affordable credit, basic banking and help with budgeting.
DWP Financial Inclusion Champions are also working with local authorities, social landlords, the third sector, and intermediary groups to co-ordinate local partnerships, developing financial inclusion at the heart of local communities.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve levels of access to public services for deaf children. [2213]
Maria Miller: The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 places a duty on providers of services in the public sector [as well as those in the private and voluntary sectors] to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, which includes deaf children and the duty to make reasonable adjustments has been carried forward in the Equality Act. My Department is working with the Government Equalities Office to ensure that service providers are provided with appropriate advice and guidance on how to fulfil their duties under the Equality Act when it is implemented
The Disability Equality Duty (DED) requires public authorities to have due regard to disability issues when carrying out their functions and delivering their services. The DED applies across the full range of public sector activity and it means that public authorities should consider the impact of their work on disabled people, and take action to promote equality.
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