| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
26 July 2010 : Column 768W—continued
Departmental Training
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee awaydays in each year since 1997. [7318]
Chris Grayling:
The Department for Work and Pensions, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies does not have a separate or identifiable account code in
departmental finance records to distinguish expenditure on staff away days. Details of such expenditure could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Spending on staff away days is incurred in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which is based on the principles set out in Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on employee training in each year since 1997. [7648]
Chris Grayling: Until 2006-07 the Department and its Agencies did not report training expenditure separately.
Annual expenditure for subsequent years is as follows:
| £ million | |
The figures shown include expenditure for the Department and its Agencies as follows:
2006-07: DWP, Jobcentre Plus, Pension Service, Disability and Carers Service and Child Support Agency
2007-08: DWP, Jobcentre Plus, Pension Service, Disability and Carers Service Child Support Agency
2008-09: DWP, Jobcentre Plus, Pension Disability and Carers Service
2009-10: DWP, Jobcentre Plus, Pension Disability and Carers Service
No data is available for the Rent Service, the Health and Safety Executive, Directgov and the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. Increased expenditure in 2009-10 was largely due to the need to provide training to some 16,000 additional staff recruited by Jobcentre Plus to manage increased workloads caused by the economic downturn.
Departmental Travel
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his (a) Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies has spent on travel for employees in each year since 1997. [7425]
Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions has spent the following on business travel, inclusive of air, rail, ferry, hotels, conference venues, vehicles, car parking, taxis and coach travel invoices by various suppliers:
| Expenditure (£ million) | |
Please note no figures are available prior to 2005-06, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The figures above exclude reimbursement of staff expense claims related to travel.
Travel spend for non-departmental public bodies and arms length bodies are as follows:
| £000 | |||||||
| Body | 1997-2004 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
| (1) Indicates a brace. | |||||||
The following bodies were sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and its predecessors during the period for which information is requested. These bodies have either been closed or replaced by a successor body shown as follows:
Pensions Compensation Board was replaced by the Pension Protection Fund in April 2005;
Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority ceased on 5 April 2005, its work is now done by the Pensions Regulator;
The Appeals Service moved to the Department of Constitutional Affairs (now the Ministry of Justice) on 1 April 2006;
Disability Rights Commissioner was subsumed into the Commission for Equality and Human Rights in September 2007;
National Employment Panel ceased on 31 March 2008. Its functions have been incorporated into the UK Commission for Employment and Skills from 1 April 2008;
Working Ventures UK closed down on 30 September 2009.
I will let the hon. Member have information in relation to the Pensions Protection Fund as soon as possible.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have been driven by the Government Car Service since the Government took office; and how much each of these persons has received in expenses for use of taxis, buses and underground trains in that period. [7989]
Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer which I gave to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) on 21 June 2010, Official Report, column 70W.
DWP Ministers and the Permanent Secretary make use of the Government Car Service within the normal rules set out in the Ministerial Code and the Department's rules on official travel. Other senior officials may use the Government Car Service from time to time for official travel in accordance with departmental rules. Details of other expenditure on official travel senior officials, is published on a quarterly basis.
I used the Department's contracted taxi service, Addison Lee, for an official journey on 19 May when no Government car was available. The charge to the Department, including VAT, was £64.33. Information relating to June is not yet available.
In addition I have a £10.00 Oyster card purchased for official journeys by public transport.
Departmental Utilities
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on (i) electricity, (ii) water, (iii) heating and (iv) telephone services in each year since 1997. [7588]
Chris Grayling: The following table gives cost details of utilities and telephone services for the Department (including its agencies, and the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission), since its first full operational year in 2001-02, and for its predecessors.
Utilities (electricity, water, heating) cost information for the former Department of Social Security and the former Employment Service for 1998-99 and previous years is no longer maintained centrally. Cost data for water prior to 2001-02, and telephone service information prior to 2005-06 are also unavailable.
Telephony costs are for DWP and all its agencies and covers all telephony services, and advanced telephony, contact centre telephony, IP telephony, data services, equipment room management, cable management, video conferencing and mobile phones.
| £000 | |||||
| (i) Electricity | (ii)Water | (iii) Heating | (iv) Telephone services | ||
| Gas | Oil | ||||
The following table provides information for the Health and Safety Executive (including the Health and Safety laboratory) since the beginning of DWP's sponsorship in 2002-03.
| £000 | ||||
| (i) Electricity | (ii)Water | (iii) Heating | (iv) Telephone services | |
The following table provides information for The Pensions Regulator-information is only available for the past five years.
| £000 | ||||
| (i) Electricity | (ii)Water | (iii) Heating | (iv) Telephone services | |
The following table provides information on costs for utilities for PADA-the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority-since 2007-08.
| £000 | ||||
| (i) Electricity | (ii) Water | (iii) Heating | (iv) Telephone services | |
The following table provides information on costs for telephone services attributable directly to the NDPBs listed. Costs for electricity, water and heating are included within the overall figures for DWP (as they are based as minor occupiers of main DWP buildings).
| £ | ||||
| Equality 2025 | Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman | The Pensions Advisory Service | Independent Living Fund | |
I will let the hon. Member have information on the utilities and telephony service costs for the Pensions Protection Fund as soon as possible.
Disability Living Allowance
Phil Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing his proposal to introduce a medical assessment for the disability living allowance; [8647]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost of assessing eligibility for disability living allowance on the basis of a medical assessment; and what his most recent estimate is of the cost of the current form-based system. [8648]
Maria Miller: The emergency Budget made the commitment to reform disability living allowance to ensure it supports those people who are most in need and remains financially sustainable. As part of these reforms, we will introduce a more objective assessment from 2013-14, and will consider carefully how this could improve the existing process for customers and the impact on administrative costs.
With reference to the cost of administering the current disability living allowance system, such information that is available is presented in the following.
| 2009-10 March YTD expenditure (£ million) | |
| Notes: 1. The table of costs for DLA includes the total costs for administering DLA new claims and maintenance of existing claims, including any share of the corporate DWP costs. 2. The costs include any further requests for medical evidence, including from GPs or from the contracted medical services provider. 3. Figures are rounded to one decimal point. Source: Department for Work and Pensions-Activity Based Management System-PDCS Management Information Statistics | |
Disability Living Allowance: Fraud
Phil Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) fraud and (b) incorrect payments relating to disability living allowance in each of the last 10 years. [8750]
Chris Grayling: Consistent figures for overpayments due to fraud and error on disability living allowance are only available from 2004-05.
The information is shown in the following table.
Employers' Liability
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the response to the Government's consultation on the establishment of an employers' liability insurance bureau. [11189]
Chris Grayling: The public consultation closed on 5 May 2010. We are currently considering the replies we received and we will publish our response to the consultation in due course.
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to establish an employers' liability insurance bureau. [11278]
Chris Grayling: An employers' liability insurance bureau is one of the options set out in the DWP consultation document, 'Accessing Compensation-Supporting people who need to trace Employers' Liability Insurance'. We are currently considering all of the replies we received to the consultation, and we will publish our response in due course.
Employment Schemes
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to increase his Department's assistance for British citizens whose first language is not English to find employment. [10245]
Chris Grayling: For those seeking work, Jobcentre Plus can direct those where poor English language skills are a barrier to employment to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision through the Employability Skills Programme (ESP), where customers are referred to further education providers for further in-depth assessment and training if appropriate.
As we move to implement the new Work Programme, the effectiveness of the different ESOL models employed by providers will offer valuable lessons and help to shape future ESOL provision.
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to assist people who wish to move from part-time to full-time employment. [10842]
Chris Grayling:
The Government's objective is to encourage a dynamic and flexible labour market in which more people can find employment, whether full or part-time, that meets their particular needs and circumstances. Key to this will be the measures set out in the Budget to secure a sustained, private sector-led,
recovery in the economy and employment, through tackling the deficit, improving competitiveness and supporting business by cutting regulation and taxes. The Government are also exploring ways to ensure that people on benefit keep more of their earnings when they move into work or increase the hours they work.
In addition, the Next Step service (our new universal integrated adult careers service which starts from August) will offer advice to individuals on how to progress in their careers. This would include helping them overcome barriers to working full-time, such as accessing child care, or where their skills were a barrier to gaining full-time work, how they could get the necessary skills through training or development activities.
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps he plans to take to assist people who are on benefits back into employment; [11018]
(2) what steps he plans to take to assist long-term unemployed people back into employment. [11019]
Chris Grayling: We have announced plans for radical reforms of the welfare to work system and the implementation of the Work Programme. The Work Programme will be an integrated package of support providing people with personalised back-to-work help based on need and not the benefit they claim. No final decisions have been taken on which customers will be supported by the Work Programme but we expect long-term unemployed people to be among those eligible.
We are also looking to make radical changes to the benefit system to make it much simpler, and to make the financial gains from moving into work stronger and more transparent.
We are determined to move quickly and are aiming to have the Work Programme in place nationally by the summer of 2011. Alongside the core Work Programme a series of individual support measures will be introduced to get Britain working, including work clubs and help with moving into self-employment.
Employment: Wales
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to place jobseekers in employment in (a) Clwyd South and (b) Wales. [8663]
Chris Grayling: The Government have announced their plans for radical reforms of the welfare to work system and the implementation of the Work Programme. The Work Programme will be an integrated package of support providing personalised help for people on out of work benefits, based on need rather than benefit claimed.
Once implemented, the Work Programme will supersede much of the complicated raft of national programmes currently on offer and these will be phased out. The support currently provided by programmes such as flexible new deal will be folded into the Work Programme as soon as possible.
The core Work Programme will be delivered by contractors drawn from the private, public and voluntary sectors, as well as social enterprises. We will offer these providers stronger incentives to work with the harder to
help, paying them out of the additional benefits they realise as a result of placing people into work.
The scope and shape of the Work Programme, including details such as when customers move to the Work Programme, is still under discussion but we expect that the majority of benefit claimants will be able to access the Work Programme at some stage in their claim. We will make further announcements in due course.
We are determined to move quickly and are aiming to have the Work Programme in place nationally by the summer of 2011. We will announce further details to the design and implementation as the Work Programme progresses.
Alongside the core Work Programme, a series of individual support measures will be introduced to get Britain working such as:
Work for Yourself, giving access to business mentors and start-up loans;
work clubs, to give unemployed people a place to share skills and experiences;
service academies, which will offer specialised pre-employment training and work placements; and
Work Together, to encourage and facilitate volunteering.
Further support is also being planned for young people, including work experience opportunities with small businesses and sole traders, more apprenticeships and more further education places.
Until the Work Programme is implemented, the Government will ensure appropriate support is in place.
Employment: Young People
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to provide (a) training and (b) employment opportunities for young people unemployed for more than six months in the west midlands. [10071]
Chris Grayling: The Government have announced plans for the radical reform of the welfare to work system, and for the introduction of the Work Programme. The Work Programme will be an integrated package of support providing personalised help for people who find themselves out of work, based on need and not benefit claimed. The final shape and scope of the Work Programme has not yet been decided, but we expect that many young people will receive support through it at some stage in their benefit claim.
We aim to have the Work Programme in place nationally by the summer of 2011. Until the Work Programme is implemented, the Government will ensure support is in place.
We are also planning further support for young people, including intensive work experience, more apprenticeships and more further education places.
Energy
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when his Department expects to begin data-sharing with energy suppliers. [6948]
Steve Webb: The energy rebate scheme will deliver a one off £80 rebate this year on electricity bills to eligible persons.
The Department for Work and Pensions has carried out a data matching exercise to help the six major electricity suppliers identify which of their customers belong to the group of eligible people, so that they may receive a rebate on their electricity account.
A person will be eligible for a rebate if, on 26 March 2010, they or their partner were aged 70 or over and receiving the guarantee credit element of pension credit (not the savings credit) and were responsible for paying the electricity bill where they live and were not on a social or discounted tariff from their electricity supplier.
Electricity suppliers are currently adding the rebate to customers' accounts.
Funerals: West Midlands
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average monetary value of funeral payments made to applicants in (a) the west midlands and (b) Dudley borough has been since 2005. [9698]
Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 20 July 2010, Official Report, column 275W.
Future Jobs Fund
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) on which date his Department's evaluation of the Future Jobs Fund was commissioned; [10710]
(2) how many officials of his Department are employed in the evaluation of the Future Jobs Fund; and what the budget for the evaluation is. [10716]
Chris Grayling: We are currently planning an evaluation strategy for Young Person's Guarantee. This is likely to include qualitative research and estimates of impact of the programme. The evaluation will be commissioned in due course.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many bids his Department has received for assistance under the Future Jobs Fund since 24 May 2010. [10715]
Chris Grayling: The Department has received one bid since 24 May 2010.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2010, Official Report, column 161W, on the Future Jobs Fund, if he will take steps to collect information on the Future Jobs Fund at constituency level. [10822]
Chris Grayling: The constituency data have not been collected as they are not essential to the smooth running or evaluation of the Future Jobs Fund. As such this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We are currently considering alternative data sources which may allow constituency level breakdowns subject to data quality and large enough volumes.
Gordon Banks:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have secured
Future Jobs Fund employment in (a) Perth and Kinross local authority area, (b) Clackmannanshire and (c) Ochil and South Perthshire. [11356]
Chris Grayling: This information is not available.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2010 to the hon. Member for Glasgow South West, Official Report, column 278W, on the Future Jobs Fund, what representations he has received on his proposals for the Future Jobs Fund since the date of that answer. [11446]
Chris Grayling: Since 14 June I have not received a significant number of representations to continue the Future Jobs Fund.
Future Jobs Fund: Scotland
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of dependants participants in the Future Jobs Fund in Scotland have; and if he will make a statement. [8909]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available. No information is kept on the dependants of people who obtain jobs through funding from the Future Jobs Fund.
Housing Benefit
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of proposed changes to housing benefit on homelessness in Sunderland. [7921]
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has made an assessment of the likely effects of reductions in levels of housing benefit on the incidence of homelessness levels in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [7948]
Steve Webb: We are working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the devolved Administrations to assess the impacts of the proposed changes to housing benefit, including looking at ways to minimise any risk of adverse impacts on local authorities' homelessness prevention strategies.
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the extent of over-occupation in social sector housing in City of Durham constituency in households where the main tenant is in receipt of housing benefit. [8464]
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the extent of over-occupation in social sector housing in Liverpool, Wavertree constituency where the main tenant is in receipt of housing benefit. [9795]
Steve Webb: The information is not available. The Department for Work and Pensions does not collect information on dwelling size for all housing benefit recipients.
The English Housing Survey in 2008-09 showed that 258,000 (6.7%) of all social rented households and 164,000 (5.4%) of all private rented households in England were over-occupied as measured by the bedroom standard.
The "bedroom standard" is essentially the difference between the number of bedrooms needed to avoid undesirable sharing (given the number and ages of household members and their relationships to each other) and the number of bedrooms actually available to the household.
Source:
Figures on over-occupation are taken from 'Table 6: Overcrowding and under-occupation by tenure' from the English Housing Survey, 2008-09
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of housing benefit recipients in (a) England and (b) Doncaster receive a higher sum in benefit payments than the level of rent they pay; and what estimate he has made of the average level of excess weekly benefit received by such people in the latest period for which figures are available. [9207]
Steve Webb: The information requested is not available at sub-national level.
In August 2009 in Great Britain, among customers receiving housing benefit under the local housing allowance arrangements, 44% had an excess of £11 per week on average. This relates to excesses caused by a customer's contractual rent being lower than the appropriate local housing allowance rate.
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families are living in properties where housing benefit payments exceed (a) £1,000 per week and (b) £2,000 per week in (i) the London borough of Camden, (ii) the London borough of Brent, (iii) the Greater London area and (iv) the UK. [10201]
Steve Webb: At April 2010, for all families in receipt of housing benefit, living in properties in both the private and social rented sectors, our records show that:
In the London borough of Camden, there were:
Fewer than five customers in receipt of housing benefit over £1,000 per week; and no customers in receipt of housing benefit over £2,000 per week.
In the London borough of Brent, there were:
No customers in receipt of housing benefit over £1,000 per week; and no customers in receipt of housing benefit over £2,000 per week.
In the Greater London area, there were:
90 customers in receipt of housing benefit over £1,000 per week; and no customers in receipt of housing benefit over £2,000 per week.
In the UK, there were:
90 customers in receipt of housing benefit over £1,000 per week; and no customers in receipt of housing benefit over £2,000 per week.
Note:
All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 recipients.
Source:
Single Housing Benefit Extract.
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) public and (b) private sector organisations were consulted on proposed reductions to housing benefit before those proposals were announced. [10248]
Steve Webb: The Department has not consulted on these specific changes although it has consulted on proposals to reform the housing benefit system to make it fairer, more affordable, and to improve work incentives. The consultation commenced on 15 December 2009 and concluded on 22 February 2010. 381 responses were received to the consultation.
Of these respondents, 147 were public sector organisations (central and local government or parliamentary bodies) and 208 were from private rented sector organisations or individuals.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Moray constituency received housing benefit overpayments between 2007-08 and 2009-10; and how much on average was required to be paid back. [10443]
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency received housing benefit overpayments between 2007-08 and 2009-10; and what the average overpayment was. [10522]
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Angus constituency received housing benefit overpayments between 2007-08 and 2009-10; and what the average overpayment was. [10527]
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Dundee East constituency received housing benefit overpayments between 2007-08 and 2009-10; and what the average overpayment was. [10530]
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Perth and North Perthshire constituency received housing benefit overpayments between 2007-08 and 2009-10; and what the average overpayment was. [10537]
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Banff and Buchan constituency received housing benefit overpayments between 2007-08 and 2009-10; and what the average overpayment was. [10541]
Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
Housing Benefit: Disability
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the implementation of his proposals for housing benefit reform on people with disabilities. [10273]
Steve Webb: We published an impact assessment for the housing benefit changes that will affect the calculation of local housing allowance rates on 23 July 2010.
We are developing the detailed policy design of the other housing benefit changes announced in the Budget. We shall publish impact assessments to accompany the relevant legislation when introduced in Parliament and are investigating the scope for publishing sooner.
Housing Benefit: Greater London
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of non-dependants living in households where the main occupier is in receipt of housing benefit in Hornchurch and Upminster constituency. [10031]
Steve Webb: The information is not available.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the extent of over-occupation in social sector housing in Hornchurch and Upminster constituency where the main tenant is in receipt of housing benefit. [10042]
Steve Webb: The information is not available. The Department for Work and Pensions does not collect information on dwelling size for all housing benefit recipients.
The English Housing Survey in 2008-09 showed that 258,000 (6.7%) of all social rented households and 164,000 (5.4%) of all private rented households in England were over-occupied as measured by the bedroom standard.
The "bedroom standard" is essentially the difference between the number of bedrooms needed to avoid undesirable sharing (given the number and ages of household members and their relationships to each other) and the number of bedrooms actually available to the household.
Source:
Figures on over-occupation are taken from Table 6: Overcrowding and under-occupation by tenure from the English Housing Survey, 2008-09.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Hornchurch and Upminster constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the impact of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect on new build in the social sector. [10043]
Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for West Lancashire, (Rosie Cooper), on 8 July, Official Report, columns 435-437W.
Housing Benefit: Liverpool
Luciana Berger:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) pensioners, (b) people of working age in work, (c) unemployed people
of working age, (d) social sector tenants and (e) private sector tenants resident in Liverpool, Wavertree constituency are in receipt of housing benefit. [9783]
Steve Webb: The information is not available at the constituency level.
The available information on housing benefit recipients is published at:
An exercise is being undertaken to add other geographical areas to the housing benefit data: this will include parliamentary constituencies. It is hoped this exercise will be completed by early 2011.
Housing Benefit: Worcestershire
Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals resident in West Worcestershire and in receipt of housing benefits (a) are on the housing waiting list for accommodation with more bedrooms than their current accommodation and (b) occupy accommodation with more bedrooms than residents. [4449]
Steve Webb: Information on housing waiting lists and occupancy rates in West Worcestershire is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
Incapacity Benefit: Scotland
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of claimants of (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance in Scotland at the end of (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013. [8908]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available: DWP only forecasts claimant numbers for Great Britain, and not at devolved Administration or regional level.
Industrial Health and Safety: Death
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the probability of a person being killed at work. [10442]
Chris Grayling: The provisional figure for the number of workers fatally injured in the workplace in 2009-10 is 151, which is a record low. This equates to a probability of 0.000005.
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deaths there were of members of the public from workplace accidents in each year from 2005-06 to 2009-10. [10514]
Chris Grayling:
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 place a legal duty on employers and duty holders to report fatal injuries to members of the public that are killed as a result of an accident that is connected to a work activity, i.e. the deceased person was not at work
themselves. The reports are made to the relevant enforcing authority: HSE, local authorities, and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
The following table provides the figures from RIDDOR regarding fatal injuries to members of the public for the period 2005-06 to 2009-10. On average about three- quarters of such incidents in each of the last five years relate to deaths resulting from suicides and trespass on railways that are reported to ORR. These figures have remained reasonably constant since the requirement to report such incidents was introduced under RIDDOR '95 in 1996-97.
| Fatal injuries to members of the public reported to all enforcing authorities under RIDDOR, 2005-06 to 2009/10( 1) | ||||
| Fatal injuries reported to HSE and local authorities | Suicides/trespass reported to ORR | Other fatal injuries reported to ORR | Total number of fatal injuries | |
| (1 )Provisional. | ||||
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deaths from occupational illnesses there were in each year from 1997 to 2009. [10517]
Chris Grayling: No single source of information provides a count of the total number of people that have died each year from an occupational illness. For some causes of death, occupational cases are clinically indistinguishable from those due to other factors. For these causes numbers have to be estimated rather than counted, and year-on-year figures are not available.
Research commissioned by HSE-the Health and Safety Executive-estimates that 8,019 cancer deaths in Great Britain in 2005 were attributable to exposures to carcinogens at work, and it is likely that a similar number would have occurred in each of the other years from 1997. This estimate includes deaths from the asbestos related cancer mesothelioma.
Using other international research, it is also estimated that there are currently approximately 4,000 deaths in Great Britain each year from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) due to past occupational exposures to dusts, gases, vapours and fumes. Again, it is likely that a similar number would have occurred in each of the other years from 1997.
Numbers of deaths each year in Great Britain from 1997 to 2007 (the latest year for which data are available) due to the small group of diseases that can be regarded as occupational on the basis of the cause of death alone are provided in the following table.
Most of the occupational diseases that cause death usually take many years to develop following occupational exposures. Estimates of current deaths therefore largely reflect past industrial conditions.
| Deaths due to occupational lung diseases, 1997 to 2007 | |||||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| (1 )Death certificates that mention mesothelioma. (2) Provisional. (3 )Death certificates that mention asbestosis excluding those that also mention mesothelioma. | |||||||||||
Industrial Injuries
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) fatalities, (b) major accidents and (c) major injuries were reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 in (i) Wansbeck constituency, (ii) Northumberland and (iii) the UK in the last 12 months. [10211]
Chris Grayling: The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 places a legal duty on employers and duty holders to report fatal and defined major injuries arising from work activity. There is no legal requirement under RIDDOR for the reporting of major accidents. The data collected under RIDDOR for non-fatal injuries are subject to the drawback that there is considerable underreporting.
It is not possible to accurately identify incidents reported under RIDDOR within parliamentary boundaries. Injury notifications received under RIDDOR are routinely allocated to the local authority (LA) administrative boundary of where the incident occurred. Statistics that HSE produce on a geographic basis are thus based according to this allocation, and not by parliamentary constituency.
The only way to identify incidents by parliamentary constituency is via the postcode of where the incident happened; unfortunately, data may not be fully accurate at such level of detail. An examination of those records within the constituency of Wansbeck where a valid postcode exists shows that, in general, about 75% are within the former LA of Wansbeck and 25% within the former LA of Castle Morpeth.
The most recent full-year for which geographical figures are available from RIDDOR for fatal injuries and reported major injuries is 2008-09. The following table provides the figures within the former local authorities of Wansbeck and Castle Morpeth, the county of Northumberland, and Great Britain.
| Fatal injuries to workers and members of the public, and reported major injuries to workers, 2008-09( 1) | ||||
| Wansbeck | Castle Morpeth | Northumberland | Great Britain | |
| (1) Provisional | ||||
Industrial Injuries: Deaths
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many workplace fatalities there have been in each year since 2006. [11232]
Chris Grayling: The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 places a legal duty on employers and duty holders to report all fatal injuries arising out of or in connection with work. The reports are made to the relevant enforcing authority; HSE, local authorities, and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
The following table provides the figures from RIDDOR for the period 2005-06 to 2009-10. On average about three-quarters of fatal injuries to members of the public in each of the last five years relate to deaths resulting from suicides and trespass on railways that are reported to ORR. These figures have remained reasonably constant since the requirement to report such incidents was introduced under RIDDOR 1995 in 1996-97.
| Fatal injuries reported to all enforcing authorities under RIDDOR, 2005-06 to 2009-10 | |||||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10( 1) | |
| (1) Provisional. (2) The term 'workers' includes employees and the self-employed combined. | |||||
Local Housing Allowance: Greater London
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of private sector tenants in Hornchurch and Upminster constituency whose local housing allowance will be reduced from its current level in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; and what his estimate is of the average amount of reduction per week for such a tenant in each of those years. [9988]
Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper) on 12 July 2010, Official Report, columns 519-20W.
Lone Parents
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Government's proposals for requiring lone parents to seek work when their youngest child reaches school age will apply to parents of children with disabilities. [10252]
Maria Miller: We recognise the difficulties that lone parents caring for disabled children may encounter if they were required to seek work.
Regulations provide that lone parents on income support with a child aged seven to 15 who have a child receiving the middle or higher care component of disability living allowance are exempt from the lone parent changes and are not required to claim jobseeker's allowance or seek work.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to respond to the letter of 16 June 2010 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on his constituent Mr D. Randall. [11342]
Steve Webb: As the issues raised are for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the hon. Member's letter has been passed to HM Treasury for reply. I apologise for the delay in doing so.
Mesothelioma: Death
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deaths from mesothelioma there have been in Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency in the last five years. [10422]
Chris Grayling: The total number of mesothelioma deaths where the last residence of the deceased is recorded as being within the parliamentary constituency of Mid Dorset and North Poole between 2003 and 2007 (the latest year for which data are available) is 15.
Source:
HSE, British Mesothelioma Register.
Occupational Pensions
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to help reinvigorate occupational pensions and to encourage companies to offer high-quality pensions to all their employees; and if he will make a statement. [10840]
Steve Webb: We plan to reinvigorate pension saving by introducing automatic enrolment into work place pensions from 2012. We have initiated a thorough and speedy review of auto-enrolment to make sure we get the details right. In addition, we shall take suitable opportunities to simplify the rules and regulations relating to pensions, as promised in the coalition agreement.
Pension Service
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases were raised with the Pensions Service by each hon. Member between May 2005 and May 2010. [3269]
Steve Webb: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table. The table has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
The information available covers the period 1 October 2009 to 31 May 2010.
Pensioners: Poverty
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to reduce the level of pensioner poverty in Bexleyheath and Crayford. [6236]
Steve Webb: We will restore the earnings link for the basic state pension from April 2011, with a 'triple guarantee' that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of earnings, prices or 2.5%. In 2011, if the basic state pension is increased by more than earnings under the triple guarantee we intend that, as a minimum, all single pension credit recipients will benefit from the full cash value of this increase.
We will also protect key benefits for older people such as the winter fuel payment, free television licences, free bus travel, and free eye tests and prescriptions.
We want to ensure that older people receive the help that they are entitled to. We aim to simplify the benefit system and as a first step we will be looking to conduct a research study into the feasibility of using existing data to help to improve the take-up of pension credit.
We will help prevent people from falling into poverty in later life by simplifying the rules and regulations relating to pensions to help reinvigorate occupational pensions. We will encourage companies to offer high-quality pensions to all employees and will work with businesses and the industry to support auto enrolment.
Pensions: Consumer Price Index
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received on the use of the consumer price index to calculate final salary pensions. [10795]
Steve Webb: I would refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 118W.
Pregnant Women: Grants
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households were in receipt of the Sure Start maternity grant for a second child in (a) Stockport and (b) Tameside in the latest year for which figures are available. [4998]
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Sure State maternity grants were made to mothers for their second or subsequent child in (a) Bishop Auckland and (b) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency in 2009-10. [5232]
Steve Webb: A total of 274,000 Sure Start maternity grants were awarded in Great Britain in 2009-10. The exact number of awards for a second or subsequent maternity is not available, but is estimated to be 52% of all awards, around 143,000.
The number of awards made in 2009-10 is available by Government Office Region or Jobcentre Plus Social Fund budget area only, not by local authority or constituency.
Both numbers have been rounded to the nearest 1,000.
Source for total number of awards:
Department for Work and Pensions Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Peterborough constituency receive (a) incapacity benefit and (b) employment and support allowance. [11293]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows:
| Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and employment support allowance claimants in Peterborough parliamentary constituency: November 2009 | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 4. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'. Source: Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data. | |
State Retirement Pensions
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects on pensioners of his Department's recent decision to link state pensions to earnings. [7232]
Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 July 2010, Official Report, column 257W.
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he made of the level of the basic state pension under the Government's triple guarantee in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15. [8121]
Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 July 2010, Official Report, column 257W.
Vocational Guidance
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to assist education leavers to obtain work. [9567]
Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 July 2010, Official Report, column 11, to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr Burrowes).
Wearside First Credit
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the funding provided by his Department to Wearside First Credit Union will be renewed after October 2010; and if he will make a statement. [10437]
Steve Webb: Wearside First Credit Union has a growth fund contract with the Department for Work and Pensions that is due to end on 31 March 2011. There are no current plans to change this arrangement.
Work Capability Assessment: Autism
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of the work capability assessment (WCA) for people with autism and (b) the effects of implementation of the proposals in the recent internal review of WCA on people with autism. [11489]
Chris Grayling: The WCA is function-based rather than condition-based. The medical assessment is based on the severity of functional limitation caused by a condition; not on the basis of the condition itself, because different people may be affected in different ways by the same condition.
The WCA was developed in close consultation with experts and specialist disability groups, including the National Autistic Society. The National Autistic Society was also involved in a recent department-led review of the operation of the WCA, on whose recommendation we are implementing changes to the WCA. As part of the review, experts analysed a randomly chosen sample of cases, covering a wide range of conditions.
The review reported in March 2010 and concluded that, generally, the WCA is accurately identifying individuals for the correct benefit.
Their conclusions and recommendations were based on expert analysis of a range of cases, considering the impact of revising the descriptors. The main effect of these changes is to take greater account of the way in which individuals use aids of adaptation to mitigate the functional effects of a health condition or disability.
The changes will also widen the support group for individuals with certain communication problems and severe disability due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder.
Transport
Accidents: Finance
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding has been allocated by his Department for in-depth accident investigation studies in 2010-11. [10834]
Mr Philip Hammond: The Department for Transport has three dedicated accident investigation branches for air, maritime and rail safety incidents.
Each of these branches exist solely for the purposes of accident investigations within their respective transport modes and therefore their entire 10-11 budget (which includes pay costs for staff, office running costs and capital investment costs) is £18.338 million is allocated for these purposes.
In addition, the Department plays a major role in reporting on road accident investigations. There is no central Department for Transport funding allocated to in-depth road accident investigations in 2010-11. However all fatal accidents are investigated by specialist police accident investigators.
Barking-Gospel Oak Railway Line: Electrification
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the inclusion of the Barking to Gospel Oak line in the railway electrification programme; and if he will make a statement. [9770]
Mrs Villiers: This scheme was one of a number assessed in Network Rail's Network Route Utilisation Strategy concerning electrification which was published in October 2009. This can be found at:
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browseDirectory.aspx?dir=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20 Utilisation%20Strategies\Network\Working%20Group%204%20-% 20Electrification%20Strategy&pageid=4449&root=\RUS%20 Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies
Government support rail electrification as it helps to reduce carbon emission and cut running costs. It is keeping the case for further electrification under review subject to rolling stock considerations, value for money and affordability. However, our priority is tackling the fiscal deficit and Ministers will consider the full range of proposed transport projects in parallel with the spending review process to ascertain what is affordable.
Biofuels
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment his Department has made of the contribution to the Government's environmental objectives of waste-derived biofuels produced using recycled methanol. [10391]
Norman Baker: The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) collects information on the origins and sustainable performance of biofuels supplied under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). Currently methanol is used in the UK in the production process for Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) Biodiesel. However the RFA does not hold information on the proportion of this methanol that is recycled.
More generally, work within Government is looking at the potential renewable energy production and greenhouse gas consequences derived from treating a variety of waste streams with different technologies. This includes the production of transport fuels from waste.
Blue Badge Scheme
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on alleged (a) abuse and (b) misuse of the Blue Badge scheme for disabled drivers. [10065]
Norman Baker: The previous Government published a consultation document on 22 March 2010 that proposed detailed amendments to legislation to tackle abuse and deal with misuse. The Department for Transport has received 240 responses to the consultation from local authorities, members of the public, and groups representing disabled people and parking enforcement agencies. We are presently analysing the responses to the consultation exercise before deciding how to take matters forward. The Department has also received correspondence from members of the public who are concerned about misuse and I have met with the chair of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee to discuss these issues.
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many blue badges were issued by each local authority in (a) 1996-97, (b) 2001-02, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2008-09. [10066]
Norman Baker: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Bus Services: Concessions
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) senior officials in his Department have had discussions with Ministers or officials of the Treasury on savings to be derived from the concessionary local bus travel scheme. [10574]
Norman Baker [holding answer 22 July 2010]: A number of discussions have taken place between senior officials and Ministers of the Department for Transport and HM Treasury in respect of the spending review about all areas of the Department's spending.
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on the provision of free travel for pensioners. [11000]
Norman Baker: Department for Transport Ministers regularly meet local authorities-including the Local Government Association and the Passenger Transport Executive Group-to discuss transport issues, including the concessionary travel scheme.
Cars: Households
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many households own (a) one and (b) more than one car. [11273]
Mike Penning: The following table gives estimated car ownership figures for households in Great Britain in 2008 based on data from the National Travel Survey.
| Household car availability: Great Britain, 2008 | |
| Number of cars | % |
These data and those for earlier years can be found in Table 2.2 of the Transport Statistics Bulletin - National Travel Survey 2008 at the following link:
Data for 2009 will be published on the Department for Transport website on 29 July 2010.
Crossrail: Finance
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what private sector funding was provided towards the cost of Crossrail in 2009-10. [11768]
Mrs Villiers: The Crossrail funding package includes contributions from business with specific agreements in place with Canary Wharf Group (for £150 million), City of London (for £350 million), BAA (for £230 million), and Berkeley Homes Group (to construct the Woolwich Station box) as well as wider contributions being made through Business Rate Supplements, the planned Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 developer contributions.
Construction of the Canary Wharf Crossrail station is currently under way and good progress is being made. It is envisaged, on the current rate of construction, that the £150 million Canary Wharf Group contribution to Crossrail will have been put in to the project by June 2011. The other contributions are subject to conditions being met which are set out in the specific agreements. The detailed profile of expenditure by private sector contributors is commercially confidential.
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing
Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles used the Dartford-Thurrock crossing between 2100 on Friday (a) 25 June and 0500 on Monday 28 June, (b) 2 July and 0500 on Monday 5 July, (c) 9 July and 0500 on Monday 12 July and (d) 16 July and 0500 on Monday 19 July 2010. [11235]
Mike Penning: The numbers of vehicles using the Dartford-Thurrock crossing between 9 pm Friday and 5 am Monday on the weekends of 25-28 June, 2-5 July, 9-12 July and 16-19 July 2010 are as follows:
| Northbound | Southbound | |
Departmental Civil Servants
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees of his Department attended Civil Service Live in (a) 2008, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010; and what estimate he has made of the (i) employee working hours taken up by and (ii) cost to his Department of such attendance in each such year. [9048]
Norman Baker: Civil Service Live events are owned and managed by the private company Dods (the publishers of Civil Service World), who bear all of the financial risks.
The overall delegate numbers for Civil Service Live in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were approximately 6,000, 8,000 and 7,700 respectively. Delegate registration is managed centrally by Dods. Departments do not keep a detailed record of every member of staff that attends and so we are unable to estimate the number of working hours taken up.
Civil servants do not pay to attend Civil Service Live events. There will have been some travel and subsistence costs for delegates, which will be paid for by individual departments. Civil servants attending the event will have followed the travel and subsistence guidelines set by their departments.
Departmental Contracts
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the monetary value is of his Department's contracts with its suppliers which (a) are under review and (b) have been cancelled under his Department's plans to achieve cost savings. [11408]
Mr Philip Hammond: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 21 July 2010, Official Report, column 339W.
Departmental Internet
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on website design in each year since 1997. [7606]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has measured website design and build costs in line with the guidance issued by the Central Office of Information (COI), "Measuring website costs (TG128)" since the 2009-10 financial year. These design and build costs were reported in the COI 2009-10 web performance management framework (web PMF) and are listed as follows.
| Department for Transport website design and build costs 2009-10 | |
| Website | Cost (£) |
| (1) Includes the cost of DDA compliance (2) Includes the cost of technical testing | |
In line with TG128, Transport executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are currently measuring their website design and build costs for reporting in the 2010-11 web PMF.
The itemised cost for website design and build for the Department, executive agencies and NDPBs for the period between 1997 and 2009-10 are not available centrally and can not be calculated without incurring disproportionate costs.
Going forward, the Department is seeking to reduce website design costs by increasingly designing websites in-house. Where it is necessary to outsource website design, the Department will be seeking the best value for money and, where possible, collaborating or negotiating to achieve savings.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Sadiq Khan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has passed to the
Treasury its submission detailing proposals for departmental spending cuts of (a) 25% and (b) 40%; and whether he plans to publish such submissions. [10573]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 22 July 2010]: My Department has made a submission to the Treasury in response to its request for illustrative scenarios of a 25% reduction and of further possible reductions beyond 25% in departmental budgets. I do not intend to publish details of these scenarios as they are subject to the spending review, due to conclude in the autumn.
Departmental Stationery
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on stationery in each year since 1997. [7462]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002. The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency was formed in April 2003. The British Transport Police Authority was established in July 2004 as an executive non-departmental public body of the Department. Passenger Focus was formed in July 2005. The Renewable Fuels Agency was fully operational from February 2008.
The figures provided by the Department and each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies for stationery spend in each year since the formation of the Department are as follows:
| £ | ||||||||
| 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| Key: DFT(c)-Department for Transport (Centre) DSA-Driving Standards Agency DVLA-Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency GCDA-Government Car and Despatch Agency HA-Highways Agency MCA-Maritime and Coastguard Agency VCA-Vehicle Certification Agency VOSA-Vehicle and Operator Services Agency BTP-British Transport Police NLB-Northern Lighthouse Board PF-Passenger Focus RFA-Renewable Fuels Agency RH-Railway Heritage THLS-Trinity House Lighthouse Service | ||||||||
The Department for Transport (Centre) has only been able to provide a partial answer for the year 2002-03, because of a move to a new accounting system following machinery of government changes in May 2002. The Driving Standards Agency is currently experiencing a problem with its accounting software,
and cannot provide figures for the years prior to 2007-08. The Highways Agency holds financial information for the seven previous complete financial years in accordance with statutory retention periods. Railway Heritage has provided estimated figures.
In 2007 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency changed to a new accounting system which accumulated the items which were previously accounted for separately as stationery and printed forms. An analysis of these accounts suggests that the difference in levels of expenditure year on year was caused by this accumulation. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency estimates the current spend on the initial stationery definition at between £275,000 and £325,000. To extract this data in the required format would involve interrogating numerous line items within these accounts and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Trinity House is funded from the General Lighthouse Fund, and therefore does not rely on government funding for its operations.
The Department for Transport branch that sponsor Cycling England have said that this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost so figures for Cycling England are not included in the table.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |