Immigrants: Human Rights
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he was consulted on the Positions on the rights of migrants in an irregular situation Position Paper (CommDH/PositionPaper(2010)5), from the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights in respect of the matters relating to employment and economic and social rights; and if he will make a statement. [41903]
Chris Grayling: The Position Paper mentioned is a short summary of the findings of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Thomas Hammarberg, acting in an independent capacity. There is no formal mechanism or requirement for Member Governments of the Council of Europe to be routinely consulted on such papers and I can confirm that the Secretary of State was not consulted on the Position Paper.
Independent Living Fund: Wrexham
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications have been (a) made to and (b) granted by the Independent Living Fund in Wrexham constituency in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [42423]
Maria Miller: The ILF does not record applications or awards made by parliamentary constituency. The application and acceptance levels for Wrexham Social Services Department for the last five years are as follows:
|
|
Number of applications made to the ILF | Number of applications that were accepted by the ILF |
Industrial Health and Safety: Prosecutions
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions have been brought by the Health and Safety Executive for breaches of health and safety law in each region in the last 10 years. [43000]
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Chris Grayling: HSE holds the information required for the period 2000-01 to 2009-10 and the figures are shown in table 1.
These represent prosecutions of individual breaches of health and safety legislation, heard in the relevant year, and where a result has been secured, i.e. the prosecution has been completed. A ‘year’ is from 1 April to 31 March.
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The following figures relate to prosecutions brought by HSE in England and Wales, and recommended to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) in Scotland. The COPFS may amend or decide not to proceed with some offences. It should be noted that not all offences recommended by HSE to COPFS result in a prosecution.
| Table 1: Health and safety offences prosecuted by enforcing authorities in Great Britain, by region (where known), 2000-01 to 2009-10 (1) | |||||||||||
| Offences prosecuted | |||||||||||
| Region/country | 2000-01 (2) | 2001-02 (2) | 2002-03 (2) | 2003-04 (2) | 2004-05 (2) | 2005-06 | 2006-07 (3) | 2007-08 (3) | 2008-09 (3) | 2009-10 (1, 3) | 2000-01 to 2009-10 (1) |
| (1) Provisional. (2) Up to 2005-06 only information for HSE’s field operations directorate (FOD) were available on a regional basis in England, and only total figures for hazardous installations directorate (HID) and nuclear directorate (ND). Thereafter, data for all HSE directorates are presented within English regional figures. (3) Figures from 2006-07 exclude ORR prosecutions. | |||||||||||
Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on its policy on the prosecution of firms in the construction industry alleged to be violating the provisions of health and safety legislation; and if he will make a statement. [43006]
Chris Grayling: Under the HSE’s enforcement policy statement, prosecution is the expected outcome where an investigation of an incident has collected sufficient information of a serious breach of health and safety law to provide a realistic prospect of conviction, and where it is in the public interest to prosecute. Individual decisions on prosecution are for HSE.
Jobcentre Plus: Scotland
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job centres in Scotland he expects to close in each of the next five years. [41134]
Chris Grayling: As the administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many job centres in Scotland he expects to close in each of the next five years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
I can confirm there are no plans presently to close any Jobcentres in Scotland. However, we will need to keep our network under review. Under the terms of the Spending Review, DWP is being asked to make significant efficiencies in its work and for Jobcentre Plus this will mean a transformation of our business, exploiting technology and using the experience of our own people to drive out inefficiencies in our processes. Our Jobcentre network is an asset and vital to deliver customer service, but it is also a high proportion of our budget.
To help achieve the level of efficiencies required we will be reviewing our Jobcentre network as part of an overall service delivery plan. That means looking at which locations we will deliver service from and how best to do so, working with local partners on opportunities for outreach or co-location. Once we have developed our plans we will share these with local stakeholders, including MPs, as part of our normal consultation arrangements for service delivery.
Jobcentre Plus: Voluntary Organisations
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for collaboration between job centres and voluntary organisations. [41738]
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Chris Grayling: As the collaboration between Jobcentres and voluntary organisations is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh, I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what plans he has for collaboration between Jobcentres and voluntary organisations. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
Jobcentre Plus has developed strong national and local links with the voluntary and community sector. Our aim is to ensure that unemployed people can access advice and support from voluntary and community organisations, including information about volunteering opportunities through the Government’s Work Together initiative.
On 7 February we announced a new partnership between Jobcentre Plus and the voluntary sector, which will help people get back to work. Prince’s Trust advisers and other local voluntary organisations will be co-located in a number of Jobcentres in the next few weeks, and around the country from April.
This will strengthen the support available to unemployed people to help them successfully move into employment.
Jobcentres: Closures
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job centres were closed during the 2008 job centre closure programme; and what the planned number of such closures was at the start of that programme. [41327]
Chris Grayling: As the administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh, I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many job centres were closed during the 2008 job centre closure programme and what the planned number of such closures was at the start of that programme. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
54 Jobcentre Plus offices were closed during 2008 that were previously open to the public.
These closures were as a result of local service delivery planning which took account of:
the merger of the former Benefits Agency and Employment Service and opportunities to rationalise the estate where the two organisations had offices which, in many instances, were geographically close to each other; and
a programme of modernising service delivery to our customers and planned future welfare reform changes. For example, the vast majority of our services, in common with most large, modern organisations, are now also delivered through the telephone and internet.
Marriage
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 February 2011, Official Report, columns 627-8W, on marriage, whether the steps taken to mark Marriage Week apply to same sex relationships as well as relationships between men and women. [42173]
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Chris Grayling: At the Marriage Week launch event my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions made a speech extolling the virtue of marriage in society. He made the point that, while marriage is unique, we should nonetheless be in favour of commitment in all forms of social engagement.
He was clear that stability is strengthened when two people make an active and open commitment to each other.
At the event the Secretary of State explained that:
“Commitment...is crucial, which is why the Coalition supports civil partnerships, another expression of that binding commitment.”
For more details the speech can be read in its entirety at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/ministers-speeches/2011/08-02-11.shtml
Members: Correspondence
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to respond to questions 34378, 34379 and 34380, on the work capability assessment, tabled on 13 January 2011 for answer on 17 January. [39908]
Chris Grayling: I replied to my hon. Friend's questions on 16 February 2011, Official Report, columns 816-7W.
Payroll
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employees were enrolled in payroll giving in each year of its operation; and how many payroll givers there were in each such year. [41037]
Chris Grayling: This information is not available for DWP covering all years of its operation. We only hold data from April 2007 until January 2011 inclusive. In each year the average number of employees enrolled in payroll giving each month was:
|
|
Per month |
The Department does not hold details of the number of payroll givers as payment are made through the Charities Trust.
Pensioners: Carer's Allowance
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2011, Official Report, column 148W, on Age UK, whether his Department is considering interim arrangements for the pensions credit and carer’s allowances, prior to the introduction of the universal credit; and if he will make a statement. [42023]
Steve Webb: The Government announced at the introduction of the Welfare Reform Bill that carer’s allowance will continue to exist as a universal benefit providing an independent income for carers and recognition of the important role they play.
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As carer's allowance will continue to exist as a separate benefit we will retain the link between its receipt and eligibility to the additional amount for caring in pension credit. However we have introduced a clause in the Welfare Reform Bill to amend the State Pension Credit Act 2002 which will give us the flexibility to set an alternative test which won't require a pension credit customer with caring responsibilities to first claim another benefit in order to receive the additional amount for caring.
The detailed test for the award of the additional amount will be set out in regulations and will make the process for accessing the additional support for carers through pension credit more straightforward. We are currently considering the timing for the introduction of these changes.
Remploy
Tom Greatrex:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department
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holds on the level of operating surplus or deficit in each of the factories operated by Remploy in 2010-11. [42802]
Maria Miller: The Department does not routinely monitor Remploy's operating surplus or deficit at the individual factory level. The Department does however agree and monitor the operating result of Remploy's enterprise business as a whole.
The following table, provided by Remploy, shows the operating result for each of Remploy's businesses for 2010-11 to date. Remploy do not monitor progress at factory level because it would not give an accurate picture of performance as some businesses account for sales centrally and have associated business office costs which are not apportioned at factory level.
Remploy: Pay
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received on the salaries of Remploy staff; and if he will make a statement. [41458]
Maria Miller: The proposed Remploy pay remit for 2010-11 has been received from the company. The Secretary of State has agreed the £250 increase for employees paid £21,000 or less. Agreement on the remaining elements is expected shortly.
The issue of pay was raised by trade union representatives at a meeting on 24 January.
This Government believe all Departments, including non-departmental public bodies, have to show restraint in the current economic climate. The approach to pay and bonuses for the current and previous years was negotiated by the previous Administration. Within the agreed remit, contractual arrangements between Remploy and individual staff, including the level of staff salaries, are a matter for the company. We are working with Remploy to ensure that appropriate pay restraint is applied in future years.
Remploy: Redundancy
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure discussions take place between his Department and the recognised trade unions prior to the issuing of any redundancy notices by the management of Remploy. [42801]
Maria Miller: Consultation on the voluntary redundancy scheme is a management matter for Remploy. I have met trade union representatives to discuss issues facing Remploy, most recently on 24 January. I have encouraged the company and the trade unions to continue discussions to provide the best outcome for disabled people.
Social Fund: Motherwell
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund (a) budgeting loans, (b) crisis loans and (c) community care grants for the purpose of buying television sets over the value of (i) £500 and (ii) £1,000 were made to residents of Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in each of the last five years. [41840]
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Steve Webb: In the case of budgeting loans, applicants are asked to tick which of seven categories they need help for, but are not asked to specify the items they require. Television sets would come under the category ‘to buy furniture or household equipment’. Data are not available on the number of awards for each category.
The number of crisis loans or community care grants initially awarded for the purpose of buying television sets over the value of (i) £500 or (ii) £1,000 to residents of Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in each of the financial years 2005-06 to 2009-10 was extremely low, being recorded as nil or negligible.
Notes:
1. The information provided is Management Information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using Official/National Statistics but in this case we only have Management Information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as Official/National statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, the information given does not include applications which were processed clerically and had not been entered on to the Social Fund Computer System by the end of the relevant financial year.
2. Data are available for initial awards only. No information is available on the number of awards of the type described which were made after review.
3. Exact numbers have not been given for data protection reasons. ‘Nil or negligible’ means less than five.
Source:
Department for Work and Pensions Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System
Social Security Benefits
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of tapering income for universal credit from (a) widows' pensions, (b) all private pensions and (c) spouse maintenance at the rate of 65 per cent. rather than the proposed 100 per cent. rate. [38671]
Chris Grayling: The following table gives the estimated long-run Exchequer costs of tapering income from (a) widows' pensions, (b) all private pensions and (c) spouse maintenance at 65% rather then the proposed 100%. Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that universal credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
| The annual costs to the Exchequer of changing the taper for certain income streams under universal credit | ||
|
|
Payments | Exchequer costs (£ million) |
| (1) Sample sizes are too small to provide a robust estimate | ||
The changes have been modelled using the Department's policy simulation model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available are for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take-up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the universal credit reform.
Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. However, all costs are presented in current (2010-11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
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Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Analysis is only for those of working age. This is defined as those who are not yet eligible for state pension or pension credit.
Exchequer costs include any change in overall universal credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the savings limit for the receipt of universal credit to £20,000. [38674]
Chris Grayling: The annual cost to the Exchequer of increasing the savings limit for those in receipt of Universal Credit from £16,000 to £20,000 is estimated to be approximately £30 million a year in steady state (2010-11 prices). Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that Universal Credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
This proposal has been modelled using the Department’s Policy Simulation Model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available is for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the Universal Credit reform.
Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. However, all costs are presented in current (2010-11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Exchequer costs include any change in overall Universal Credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the £16,000 saving limit for universal credit people who are (a) in work and (b) working for at least 16 hours per week. [38675]
Chris Grayling: The estimated annual cost to the Exchequer of exempting from the £16,000 savings limit for Universal Credit for people who (a) are in work is around £70 million and (b) exempting those who jointly work at least 16 hours per week is also around £70 million. Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that Universal Credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
This proposal has been modelled using the Department’s Policy Simulation Model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available is for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the Universal Credit reform.
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Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. However, all costs are presented in current (2010-11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Exchequer costs include any change in overall Universal Credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of introducing into universal credit an earnings disregard for second earners in a couple of (a) £500, (b) £1,000, (c) £1,500, (d) £2,000, (e) £2,500 and (f) £3,000 per year. [38676]
Chris Grayling: The following table gives the estimated long-run Exchequer costs for introducing various earnings disregards for second earners in a couple. It has been assumed that the disregard would be fixed at the stated level, without any reductions to reflect housing support, and would be available to couples where both are working any positive number of hours. Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that universal credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
| The annual costs to the Exchequer of introducing various disregard levels for second earners under universal credit | ||
|
|
Earnings disregards | Exchequer costs (1) (£ million) |
| (1) Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million. | ||
The disregards have been modelled using the Department's policy simulation model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available are for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take-up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the universal credit reform.
Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. However, all costs are presented in current (2010/11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Exchequer costs include any change in overall universal credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the (a) cost and (b) savings to the Exchequer of setting the universal credit taper at (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 55 per cent., (iii) 60 per cent. and (iv) 70 per cent. in each of the next five financial years. [38677]
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Chris Grayling: The following table gives an indicative estimate of the annual Exchequer cost (2010-11 prices) of alternative universal credit tapers. Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that universal credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
| The annual Exchequer costs of adjusting to alternative universal credit taper options | ||
|
|
Taper (percentage) | Exchequer cost (1) (£ billion) |
| (1) Costs are rounded to the nearest £0.1 billion | ||
Year by year estimates for the next five years are not available at present. After the introduction of universal credit there will be a number of years of transition as existing cases migrate to the new system. The Department is considering how best to phase this transition.
This proposal has been modelled using the Department's policy simulation model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available are for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take-up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the universal credit reform.
Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-150—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. However, all costs are presented in current (2010-11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Exchequer costs include any change in overall universal credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of introducing into the universal credit an earnings disregard for single people of (a) £520, (b) £780, (c) £1,040, (d) £1,300 and (e) £1,560 per year. [38678]
Chris Grayling: The following table gives an estimate of the Exchequer costs of introducing an earnings disregard for single people in the universal credit. For the purposes of analysis it has been assumed that the disregard would also have a disregard floor at the same level. It has been assumed that the disregard would be fixed at the stated level, without any reductions to reflect housing support, and would be available to couples where both are working any positive number of hours. Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that universal credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
| The annual costs to the Exchequer of various earnings disregards options for single people under universal credit | ||
|
|
Earnings Disregards | Exchequer costs (1) (£ million) |
28 Feb 2011 : Column 213W
| (1) Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million | ||
This proposal has been modelled using the Department's policy simulation model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available are for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take-up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the universal credit reform.
Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. However, all costs are presented in current (2010/11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Exchequer costs include any change in overall universal credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the household component of the couple disregard floor in universal credit from £520 to (a) £780, (b) £1,040 and (c) £1,560 per year. [38679]
Chris Grayling: Table 1 as follows gives the estimated Exchequer costs for increasing the couple disregard floor from £520 to (a) £780, (b) £1,040, (c) £1,560 per annum. Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that universal credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
| Table 1: The annual costs to the Exchequer of increasing the earnings disregard floors for couples under universal c redit | ||
|
|
Earnings disregards (£) | Exchequer costs (£) (1) |
| (1 )Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million. | ||
This proposal has been modelled using the Department's Policy Simulation Model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available are for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the universal credit reform.
Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. However, all costs are presented in current (2010-11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Exchequer costs include any change in overall universal credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
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Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the household component of the lone parent disregard floor of universal credit from £1,560 to (a) £1,820, (b) £2,080 and (c) £2,340 per year. [38680]
Chris Grayling: Table 1 as follows gives the estimated Exchequer costs from increasing the lone parent disregard floor in universal credit from £1,560 to (a) £1,820, (b) 2,080,and (c) £2,340 per annum. Analysis presents the long-run costs which assume that universal credit has been fully implemented and there is no longer any transitional protection in the system.
| Table 1: The annual costs to the Exchequer of changing the disregard floors for lone parents under universal credit | ||
|
|
Earnings disregards (£) | Exchequer costs (£ million) (1) |
| (1) Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million. | ||
This proposal has been modelled using the Department's Policy Simulation Model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS); the latest FRS data available are for 2008-09. Costs have been estimated on the basis of imperfect take up and reflect assumptions about take up behaviour pre and post the universal credit reform. Analysis is presented based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15—incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating.
However, all costs are presented in current (2010-11) prices so do not reflect inflation.
Analysis does not include any behavioural impacts (i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work).
Exchequer costs include any change in overall universal credit expenditure and any impact on income tax or national insurance. We have not assumed any impact on indirect taxation.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who are ineligible for benefits or tax credits who will be entitled to universal credit. [38681]
Chris Grayling: Departmental modelling estimates that, once universal credit is fully implemented, approximately 400,000 households (containing 600,000 adults and 100,000 children) who we would expect to be ineligible for tax credits and benefits under the current system will be entitled to universal credit.
This has been modelled using the Department's Policy Simulation Model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS). Analysis is based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15, incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. It does not include any behavioural impacts i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who are eligible to receive benefits or tax credits but are not claiming them who will claim and receive universal credit. [38682]
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Chris Grayling: Departmental modelling estimates that once Universal Credit is fully implemented, approximately 1.4 million households (containing 1.8 million adults and 1.3 million children) who we would not expect to claim their full entitlement to benefits and tax credits under the current system, will claim and receive Universal Credit.
This has been modelled using the Department’s Policy Simulation Model (PSM) based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS). Analysis is based on a projection of the FRS 2008-09 to 2014-15, incorporating forecast demographic change, announced policy changes and uprating. It assumes an improved rate of take-up of benefits under Universal Credit, but does not include any behavioural impacts i.e. movements into work or changing hours of work.
Social Security Benefits: Cumbernauld
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the change in the amount of benefit payments to individuals in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency arising from the change in benefits uprating from retail prices index to consumer prices index over the comprehensive spending review period. [42999]
Chris Grayling: Data on change in the amount of benefit payments on the constituency level are not available.
Benefits which were previously increased in line with the retail prices index (RPI) and are now linked to the consumer prices index (CPI) will receive a 3.1% increase in April 2011, rather than a 4.6% increase.
Constituency level data on DWP benefit expenditure are available here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/pc_expenditure.xls
The proposed rates of benefits for the 2011-12 tax year are available here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/home/topics/delivery/benefit_uprating/index.asp
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure employment for disabled persons no longer eligible for benefits under proposed changes to eligibility criteria. [38452]
Maria Miller: As part of the spending review announcement a time limit will, subject to parliamentary approval, be introduced of one year for those claiming contributory employment and support allowance and who are placed in the work related activity group. Individuals may be eligible for income related ESA after this one year period. The Government are committed to ensuring that disabled people have the same employment opportunities to find and stay in work, regardless of their disability or benefit status. Significant support is available to support disabled people into long-term sustainable employment.
Work Choice, which was launched in October last year, provides tailored support to help disabled people, who face the most complex barriers to employment, to find and stay in work, and ultimately help them progress
28 Feb 2011 : Column 216W
into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual. Work Choice is voluntary and available regardless of any benefits being claimed.
Access to Work provides practical advice and financial support to employed disabled people above and beyond what the employer could reasonably provide, to help them overcome obstacles resulting from disability and, thus, stay in work.
Remploy delivers a range of employment and development opportunities for disabled people under the Work Choice programme.
Residential training is available for unemployed disabled adults whose needs cannot be met through any other Government funded programmes.
The Work Programme will be introduced this year to provide more personalised back-to-work support for unemployed people, including disabled people. Contributory ESA customers will be able to volunteer for the Work Programme, and if they wish, remain on the programme after their benefit has come to an end, ensuring that they receive all the support they need to help them return to work.
I have also commissioned an independent review of the support the Government provide to disabled people who want to work. This review will be conducted by Liz Sayce, chief executive of the disability organisation RADAR.
Social Security Benefits: Hearing Impairment and Learning Disability
Mr McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of (a) profoundly deaf people and (b) people with learning difficulties who will be re-assessed to determine continued eligibility for disability living allowance and its successor benefit; [40879]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of re-assessing the work capability of people with learning difficulties in order to determine their continued eligibility for disability living allowance and its successor benefit; [40880]
(3) what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of re-assessing the work capability of profoundly deaf people in order to determine their continued eligibility for disability living allowance and its successor benefit; [40881]
(4) what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of re-assessing people with learning difficulties in order to determine their continued eligibility for disability living allowance and its successor benefit; [41483]
(5) what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of re-assessing profoundly deaf people in order to determine their continued eligibility for disability living allowance and its successor benefit. [41484]
Maria Miller:
The consultation document Disability Living Allowance reform, published on 6 December 2010, set out our proposals for disability living allowance reform. We will replace disability living allowance for people of working age with personal independence payment, a new, more transparent and sustainable benefit with an objective assessment of individual need. Personal independence payment will be available to disabled
28 Feb 2011 : Column 217W
people regardless of whether they are in or out of work and the assessment will not examine someone’s capacity to work; rather it will determine how their impairment affects their ability to carry out a range of activities key to everyday life.
From 2013 we will begin reassessing all existing working-age disability living allowance caseload and transferring people to personal independence payment where appropriate.
The consultation has closed and we are considering the responses received before we publish a formal response. However, the Welfare Reform Bill introducing the high level legislative changes necessary was introduced to the House on 16 February 2011. In the meantime we are continuing to work on the design of personal independence payment and the new assessment, which we are developing in collaboration with a group of independent specialists in health, disability and social care, including disabled people. I am, therefore, unable at this time to comment on how the new assessment will work, its likely costs or make estimates of its impact on people with specific health conditions or disabilities.
Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have had their benefit entitlements (a) withdrawn and (b) reduced during the trial of the reassessments of customers receiving incapacity benefit and income support in north east Scotland. [37626]
Maria Miller: The final information requested is not available as not all customers have completed their reassessment period. However, to date, a total of 1,166 decisions have been made for customers involved in the IB reassessment trial. Of these, 834 customers have been awarded employment and support allowance.
No one moving from their existing benefits to employment and support allowance will see a reduction in the level of their benefit entitlement at the point of change. A transitional addition payment will be awarded to protect the customer’s overall benefit income, this means that:
where people who are eligible for ESA receive more on existing incapacity benefits than the appropriate ESA rate, their existing rate of benefit will be protected at the point of conversion; and
where people who are eligible for ESA receive less on incapacity benefits than the appropriate ESA rate, their benefit will immediately be increased to the ESA rate on conversion.
State Retirement Pensions: Females
Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department rural-proofed its decision to raise the state pension age for women. [41188]
Steve Webb: Although the state pension age is not dependent on where a person lives, the differences in life expectancies between geographical areas in the UK was considered as part of our review.
We have published a full equality impact assessment, including an assessment of how women may be affected by the proposed changes, and consider the proposed changes will not have any specific impact on rural area.
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Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has assessed whether his revised timetable for the increase in the state pension age for women is compliant with the Equalities Act 2010. [42232]
Steve Webb: The proposed changes to state pension age contained in the Pensions Bill 2011 are compliant with the Equalities Act 2010.
An assessment is contained in the equality impact assessment which accompanied the Government's White Paper “A sustainable State Pension: when the State Pension age will increase to 66”.
Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has conducted an equality impact assessment of his revised timetable for the increase in the state pension age for women. [42233]
Steve Webb: An equality impact assessment accompanied the Government's White Paper “A sustainable State Pension: when the State Pension age will increase to 66”.
Unemployed People: Voluntary Work
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to provide co-ordinated volunteering opportunities for people who expect to become unemployed. [40989]
Chris Grayling: The Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service supports people at the risk of redundancy find alternative paid employment. Discussions can include the possibility of volunteering if this is seen as a helpful move towards achieving this end.
Local Jobcentre Plus offices are working with voluntary and community sector organisations to ensure that unemployed people have access to advice and information about volunteering and local opportunities, delivered through the Government’s Work Together initiative.
Jobcentre Plus announced on 7 February a new partnership with the voluntary sector which will help people get back to work. Prince’s Trust advisers and other local voluntary organisations will start to appear in Jobcentres wherever possible from April 2011, starting in a few locations over the coming weeks.
Unemployed People: Social Conditions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the happiness and well-being levels of (a) recently unemployed and (b) long-term unemployed people. [41831]
Chris Grayling: The DWP is very interested in wider measures of well-being and how these can be used to inform policy development. In that regard we are closely involved with the ONS activities on measuring subjective wellbeing and, as surveys to measure well-being are developed in 2011, we will be looking at the emerging evidence on the relationship between employment status and well-being.
An additional source of information which we are aware of is the Economic and Social Research Council led survey “Understanding Society”. This will also collect
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information on well-being (life satisfaction) by employment status so will provide some valuable insight. The Department is contributing funding towards this survey.
More specifically, DWP already has under way a detailed survey of JSA claimants and their job-search experiences which will include various measures of their physical and mental health as well as their wider wellbeing. We expect this to report by the end of 2011.
Unemployment Benefits: Sign Language
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of those claiming out-of-work benefits are British sign language users. [41113]
Maria Miller: The information requested is not available. Information on whether a claimant is a British Sign Language (BSL) user is not routinely recorded for all claimants.
However, in order to facilitate effective communication with its customers, the Department supplies face-to-face interpreting for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and who communicate using BSL. The Department provides around 100 BSL interpreters per month and also provides lip speakers, sign language communicators and note takers.
Universal Credit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of new claimants he expects to receive universal credit in October 2013. [41252]
Maria Miller: We will start to take new claims to universal credit from October 2013. The proportion of new claims receiving universal credit in that month will depend on more detailed transition plans, which have yet to be set out.
Cabinet Office
BBC: Central Office of Information
John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussion (a) he, (b) officials in his Department and (c) special advisers in his Department have had with the Director-General of the BBC on the assumption by the BBC of responsibility for material commissioned by the Central Office of Information. [32583]
Mr Maude: No Cabinet Office official or special adviser has held discussions with the Director General of the BBC on the assumption by the BBC of responsibility for material commissioned by the Central Office of Information.
John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to answer Question 32583, tabled on 20 December 2010, on discussions with the BBC on material commissioned by the Central Office of Information. [42714]
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Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today.
Big Society Bank
Richard Fuller: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will take steps to seek financial support from the financial services sectors in addition to dormant accounts to provide the initial capital base of the Big Society Bank. [39767]
Mr Hurd: The four main UK banks have agreed to provide £200 million of capital over two years to set up the Big Society Bank.
This is a very welcome gesture from the banks, and will significantly raise the amount of finance available to the Big Society Bank, helping to ensure the growth of a sustainable social investment market. These funds will be in addition to the English portion of dormant account funding.
Big Society Initiative
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what voluntary organisations the chief executive of the big society initiative has met as part of the development of that initiative. [39923]
Mr Hurd: Gareth Davies became executive director of the Office for Civil Society in November 2010.
He regularly meets members of voluntary sector organisations at roundtables and other stakeholder events. Most recently he has had meetings with Dame Elizabeth Hoodless, CSV, Dame Julia Cleverdon, BITC, and Dame Barbara Stocking, Oxfam.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what contact (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had with the Association of Chief Executives of voluntary organisations on the development of the big society initiative. [39924]
Mr Hurd: The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) is one of the Office for Civil Society’s current strategic partners, which involves it representing the views of chief executives of the voluntary sector to Government.
As such, my officials and I have frequent contact with ACEVO on many areas of policy relating to civil society and big society.
For example, ACEVO has actively engaged with the public service reform agenda and played a leading role in facilitating the consultation for the Modernising Commissioning Green Paper.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what research his Department undertook on the big society initiative prior to its launch. [40158]
Mr Hurd: The big society is not the result of research undertaken in Cabinet Office, it was developed outside Government. The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister set out their commitment to growing the big society at an event in Downing street on 18 May 2010, shortly after entering office.
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Charitable Donations
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the average charitable donation per head in each socio-economic group in each of the last 10 years. [40202]
Mr Hurd: Data referenced in the Giving Green Paper show that between 2005-06 and 2007-08 the proportion of individuals giving to charity in each income quartile remained stable. Between 2004-05 to 2006-07, the percentage of high level donors (those giving £100 or more a month) in the upper income quartile increased from 11% to 16%.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of funding received by UK charities was attributable to Government bodies in each of the last 10 years; and what estimate he has made of the likely proportion in each of the next four years. [40401]
Mr Hurd: The proportion of income received by UK charities from Government bodies is estimated in the National Council for Voluntary Organisation’s UK Civil Society Almanac 2010 as follows:
|
|
Percentage |
| (1 )Data not available as yet (2) Data not available | |
The likely proportion of funding to UK charities in each of the next four years is yet to be assessed.
Charities: Voluntary Organisations
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend charity law to allow greater support to local self-help groups staffed by volunteers. [41475]
Mr Hurd: The Government are committed to reducing the amount of regulation, monitoring and reporting that is imposed on charities, social enterprises and voluntary organisations. A Civil Society Red Tape Taskforce, chaired by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, has been set up to help the Government meet this commitment. Lord Hodgson expects to be able to report, with recommendations, to Cabinet Office and Business, Innovation and Skills Ministers in May.
A review of the Charities Act 2006 is due to take place later this year. This will provide an opportunity to consider changes to charity law that would help small volunteer-run charities, while maintaining high levels of public trust and confidence.
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Childbirth
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office in which 100 wards or Lower Super Output Areas the (a) highest and (b) lowest percentages of low birth weight babies occurred in the last period for which figures are available. [40400]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking in which 100 wards or Lower Super Output Areas the a) highest and b) lowest percentages of low birth weight babies occurred in the last period for which figures are available [40400].
The tables list the 100 Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs) that have the a) highest (Table 1) and b) lowest (Table 2) percentages of low birthweight (under 2,500 grams) live births for 2007-2009, the most recent years for which figures are available.
There were more than 100 Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) where there were no low birthweight births and it would not be possible to identify the lowest 100 of these. Therefore data have been provided at MSOA level.
A copy of the tables has been placed in the House of Commons library.
Information on live births is routinely published by different characteristics of birth and is available at:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14408
Citizenship
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent progress has been made on developing a National Citizen Service; and if he will make a statement. [41810]
Mr Hurd: 12 providers have been appointed to run National Citizen Service (NCS) pilots for 16-year-olds in summer 2011. Over 11,000 NCS places will be available in a wide range of locations in England, and those organisations are now in the process of attracting young people to join their pilot schemes. The Cabinet Office, in conjunction with the Department for Education and the Department for Communities and Local Government, continues to work closely with our 2011 pilot providers and to plan for the second year of NCS pilots in 2012.
Community Development: Leeds
Stuart Andrew: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made in the establishment of community organisers in Leeds to date. [40340]
Mr Hurd [holding answer 11 February 2011]: Cabinet Office is close to announcing and appointing the national partner for the management of the Community Organiser programme. The partner will train 5,000 Community Organisers over the lifetime of this Parliament, working primarily with communities with significant deprivation and low social capital. Initial areas expressing an interest include cities across England. More details will be available shortly.
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Departmental Carbon Emissions
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on carbon offsetting in each of the last three years; and to which companies payments for carbon offsetting were made in each such year. [40526]
Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change (Gregory Barker) on 16 February 2011, Official Report, column 853W.
“Giving” Green Paper
Hazel Blears: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to implement proposals to support charitable giving in the “Giving” Green Paper. [39847]
Mr Hurd: The “Giving” Green Paper sets out a number of proposals to support giving and the consultation on the “Giving” Green Paper is still ongoing. The consultation will close on 9 March 2011. Following this the Cabinet Office will publish the “Giving” White Paper which will set out the proposals to be taken forward and how they will be implemented.
Investment: Israel
Mr Amess: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the monetary value was of foreign direct investment from Israel in each year since 2009. [39740]
Mr Hurd: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces estimates for UK Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) based on survey data collected by the ONS and Bank of England. Headline figures from the annual surveys are published in a Statistical Bulletin, "Foreign Direct Investment", which is available from the UK National Statistics website. The latest figures available at the level of counterpart country are for the year 2009.
During 2009, there was a net flow of £20 million of direct investment from Israel into the UK. The overall level of Israeli direct investment in the UK at the end of 2009 was £441 million.
Lord Browne of Madingley
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what the role and responsibilities are of Lord Browne of Madingley on his Department's board; [41249]
(2) what recent discussions Ministers and officials of his Department have had with Lord Browne of Madingley on governance across Whitehall since his appointment. [41251]
Mr Maude: Lord Browne is both the Government Lead Non-Executive Board Member and the Cabinet Office Lead Non-Executive Board Member. The roles and responsibilities associated with these positions are set out in the Enhanced Departmental Boards Protocol, which is published on the Cabinet Office website, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.
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Civil Society Organisations: Finance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department has allocated to financial support for (a) co-operatives, (b) mutual societies, (c) charities and (d) social enterprises in 2011-12. [40197]
Mr Hurd: The Office for Civil Society will invest around £470 million over the SR10 period in programmes for civil society organisations such as co-operatives, mutuals, charities and social enterprises; around £188 million of this in 2011-12. This includes for example the Transition Fund which will support organisations to adapt to a changing funding environment. Many of these funds have not been allocated to specific organisations at this stage, therefore it is not possible to provide detailed information on organisational allocations.
Office for Civil Society: Finance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the budget is for the Office for Civil Society. [41811]
Mr Hurd: The 2010-11 budget for the Office for Civil Society is published as part of the spring supplementary estimates for the Cabinet Office. This is available on the HM Treasury website:
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_pse_spring10_11.htm
Public Opinion
Natascha Engel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what mechanism the Government use to assess issues raised by members of the public through the Your Freedom website (a) for regulatory burdens, (b) cost savings to the Exchequer, (c) impacts and (d) compliance with the convention on human rights. [41666]
Mr Hurd: The Your Freedom website was managed by the Cabinet Office but individual Departments are responsible for analysing ideas relating to their own policy areas. The process of analysing ideas related to Cabinet Office policy is ongoing. Any considered for implementation will undergo a range of tests, including an equality impacts assessment and cost/benefit analysis in line with established departmental processes.
Information relating to individual Government Departments' assessment of ideas relating to their own policy areas is not held centrally.
Public Service: Contractors
Richard Fuller: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions he has had with non-profit contractors on their potential contribution to the provision of public services. [39765]
Mr Hurd:
Government are committed to opening up public services, including enhancing the role of non-profit contractors. We published Modernising Commissioning: Increasing the role of charities, social enterprise, mutuals and co-operatives in public service delivery, in December 2010. There were approximately 400 responses to this paper, the majority of which came from civil society
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organisations. The Prime Minister, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Minister for Civil Society have met with a number of organisations on this issue. These responses and discussions have informed the development of the Opening Public Services White Paper, due to be published shortly. In addition, Cabinet Office is working with non-profit contractors and statutory partners in nine local areas to develop the Local Integrated Service concept.
Regulation
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent progress the Red Tape Taskforce has made; and if he will make a statement. [41823]
Mr Hurd: This independent taskforce, led by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbots, is considering the red tape that affects civil society organisations and will recommend how to reduce its impact. This will contribute to the Government's aim of making it easier to run a charity, social enterprise or voluntary organisation. The taskforce is coming to the end of its evidence gathering phase.
The taskforce is grateful to the sector, which has submitted more than 600 responses to calls for evidence, and to people who have given their time to be interviewed. The evidence is currently being considered by the taskforce, which intends to report to Ministers in the spring.
Small Businesses
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate he has made of the number of (a) micro, (b) small and (c) medium-sized businesses in (i) Devon and (ii) England. [41554]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of (a) micro, (b) small and (c) medium-sized businesses in (i) Devon and (ii) England. [41554]
Annual statistics on the number of enterprises are available from the ONS release UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at:
www.statistics.gov.uk
The table below contains the latest statistics available, which show the number of enterprises in England and Devon by employee size band.
| Count of enterprises in England and Devon by employee size band | |||||
| Employee size band | |||||
|
|
0-9 (Micro) | 10-49 (Small) | 50-249 (Medium) | 250 + (Large) | Total |
Social Enterprises
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of long-term trends in the number of (a) community social enterprises and (b) corporate social enterprises. [40399]
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Mr Hurd: As with other businesses, there is no single legal form for social enterprises. While it is therefore difficult to categorise them, figures from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' Annual Small Business Survey suggest that there are more than 60,000 social enterprises in the UK working across all areas of the economy and enabling communities to take responsibility and solve local problems. Evidence also indicates that social enterprises have fared much the same as SMEs in the recession, and indeed a higher proportion of social enterprises compared to SMEs have managed to increase their turnover in the last 12 months.
Stress
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will assess the effects of trends in levels of work-related stress on participation in civic society. [39016]
Mr Hurd: The Cabinet Office has not made an assessment of the effects of trends in levels of work-related stress on participation in civic society. However, the Government are keen to encourage social action so that people feel that they can play a more active part in society through the giving of time and money. The recently announced Giving Green Paper focuses on how to build on the excellent contribution already made by many people across the country, by making social action more of a social norm.
Transition Fund
Nia Griffith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how much has been allocated from the Transition Fund in the financial year 2010-11 to date; [39837]
(2) whether he expects to reopen the opportunity for applications to the Transition Fund for the financial year 2011-12; [39838]
(3) on what timetable he expects monies from the Transition Fund to be distributed; [39839]
(4) how many applications have been received for funding from the Transition Fund to date. [39895]
Mr Hurd: There have been 18 awards worth a total of £1.7 million from the Transition Fund so far. There are no plans to reopen the Transition Fund at present. We expect to distribute £10 million this financial year by the end of March 2011 and a further £90 million for next financial year to be distributed by the end of May 2011. There were just over 1,700 applications to the Transition Fund.
Nia Griffith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what means charities were notified of the opening of the window for the submission of applications for the Transition Fund. [39840]
Mr Hurd:
The £100 million Transition Fund was announced by the Minister for Civil Society on 30 November 2010 at a conference for civil society organisations organised by the House Magazine. A press notice was issued to accompany the announcement. The Office for Civil Society Strategic Partners were informed via email and asked to cascade the message to their members. Big Fund, our delivery partner, arranged
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a series of 16 regional events across the country to inform local organisations about the fund. A web page was launched on the Big Fund's website to promote the fund. An email list of expressions of interest in the fund was collated and responded to once the fund was launched.
Nia Griffith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department provided support to small charities for the process of making applications to the Transition Fund. [39841]
Mr Hurd: Big Fund, our delivery partner, arranged a series of 16 regional events across the country to inform local organisations, including small charities about the fund and explain how to apply.
A web page was launched on the Big Fund's website to promote the fund and provide further advice and guidance to charities interested in applying. There was also an inquiry line set up to help organisations that had questions about the application process.
Nia Griffith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will take steps to provide support for charities that work in sectors that do not qualify for the Transition Fund. [40960]
Mr Hurd: The Transition Fund is targeted at supporting civil society organisations that work in a broad range of frontline public service delivery areas and are therefore most vulnerable to reductions in public spending. We have also consulted on future support for a stronger civil society and more announcements will follow shortly.
Nia Griffith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information his Department holds on the geographic distribution of funds allocated through the Transition Fund. [40961]
Mr Hurd: We made first announcements from the £100 million Transition Fund on 15 February 2011. These were to charities based in the following locations: Yorkshire and Humber, Northeast, East Midlands, Southwest, Southeast, London. There will be more announcements of funding over the coming months and so more information on geographical distribution will be available when all the allocations have been made.
Transition Fund: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Transition Fund applications have been received from organisations in the London borough of Bexley. [40554]
Mr Hurd: Two applications to the Transition Fund have been received from organisations in the London borough of Bexley.
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Voluntary Organisations
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress his Department has made on its “Modernising Commissioning” Green Paper. [41809]
Mr Hurd: Cabinet Office received a significant number of written and oral contributions to the consultation on the “Modernising Commissioning” Green Paper, both through consultation events across England and written submission. As outlined in the Green Paper, these contributions are currently informing the development of the “Opening Public Services” White Paper, which will be published shortly.
Voluntary Work
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what assessment he has made of the reason for trends in levels of participation by (a) unemployed people and (b) pensioners in informal volunteering since 2008-09; [40199]
(2) what reasons his Department has identified for the trends in levels of formal volunteering in each socio-economic group; [40200]
(3) what information his Department holds on levels of (a) formal and (b) informal volunteering in each socio-economic group in each of the last 10 years. [40201]
Mr Hurd: Data from the Government’s Citizenship Survey provide the levels of volunteering among retired people and unemployed people who participated in regular (at least once a month) informal volunteering in England, plus a breakdown by socio-economic group.
| Table 1: Proportion of unemployed people (1) participating in informal volunteering (at least once a month) in England, by year | |
|
|
Informal volunteering (2) (percentage) |
| (1) Unemployed people are defined as out of paid work but looking for employment (in the four weeks before interview). (2) None of the year-on-year changes for unemployed people is statistically significant—there are low numbers of unemployed people answering this question meaning that large percentage point changes are required to detect a difference. | |
| Table 2: Proportion of pensioners participating in informal volunteering (at least once a month) in England, by year | |
|
|
Informal volunteering (1) (percentage) |
| (1) Year on year significant changes for informal volunteering were from 2008-09 to 2009-10 (a decrease from 36% to 29%—though this change may, in part, reflect a change in the way the question was asked in 2009-10), for retired people. | |
| Table 3: Proportion participating in formal and informal volunteering (at least once a month) by socio-economic group, England, by year | ||||||
| Percentage | ||||||
| Formal volunteering | Informal volunteering | |||||
| Socio-economic classifications (1) | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
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| (1) Different socio-economic classifications were used in the Citizenship Survey for 2005, 2003 and 2001. | ||||||
In relation to the reasons for these trends, the Citizenship Survey has consistently shown, since 2005, that the main barriers to formal volunteering for all groups are related to ‘work commitments’, ‘looking after children/the home’, ‘people doing other things with their spare time’ and ‘not hearing about opportunities to get involved’. The Citizenship Survey does not report on the barriers to informal volunteering.
Encouraging social action, including volunteering is one of the three aims of the Government’s vision for a big society. To support this aim, in December 2010 the Government published the Giving Green Paper. The Green Paper sought to start a debate on how we can make social action a norm and encourage more people to give their time, including removing barriers to volunteering.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has made an assessment of the effects of levels of volunteering on levels of civic skills. [41128]
Mr Hurd: We have not made an assessment of how levels of volunteering affect levels of civic skills; these being those skills that are necessary to enable someone to play an active role as a citizen within society. However, we firmly believe that volunteering, along with other forms of social action, supports individual personal development and can enable volunteers to become more rounded and active citizens.
Statistics do show that volunteers feel that they are able to gain skills through their volunteering roles. For example the results of the 2007 Helping Out Survey, published by the Cabinet Office, show that 61% of respondents said that their volunteering role allowed them to gain new skills.
Encouraging social action, including volunteering, is a key aspect of the big society agenda. Government are aiming to do this through specific programmes, such as Community Organisers, which will aim to train 5,000 people to act as catalysts for social action within communities. In addition Government are making new funding opportunities available to the voluntary and community sector, including up to £82.5 million in volunteering funds announced in the Giving Green Paper, which was published in December 2010.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what recent progress has been made on the Volunteering Infrastructure programme; and if he will make a statement; [41824]
(2) what recent progress has been made in implementing the Volunteering Match Fund; and if he will make a statement. [41826]
Mr Hurd: The Volunteering Infrastructure programme and Volunteering Match Fund were announced in the recently published Giving Green Paper. The details of both are under consideration, and further information on how they will be taken forward and implemented will be outlined in the forthcoming Giving White Paper due to be published in March 2011.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has for the regional distribution of the proposed 5,000 community organisers. [41976]
Mr Hurd: The coalition Government have committed to train 5,000 community organisers over the lifetime of this parliament. We will soon announce the national partner for this programme, who will develop and deliver the training framework. Their approach seeks to embed community organisers in communities and organisations that can host them. 10 “kick-start” partners have been identified across England and a regional spread will develop as the programme progresses.