Employment and Support Allowance
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the amount of any personal or occupational pension that is disregarded for the purpose of calculating the amount of money received through contributory employment and support allowance payments. [72091]
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Steve Webb: The Secretary of State reviews the level of the deductions from employment and support allowance for occupational and personal pension income as part of the annual uprating exercise.
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to his Department of writing to all contributory employment and support allowance claimants in the support group to inform them of the entitlement changes to their benefit. [73575]
Chris Grayling: The Department took a decision to write to claimants who may be affected by proposals in the welfare reform bill to limit the time people can claim contribution based employment and support allowance in the Work Related Activity Group to 12 months. To deliver this letter, DWP recently undertook a scan of its computer records to identify all claimants that are in receipt of contribution-based ESA in the Work Related Activity Group with a view to writing to them. This included all those already in this category on the day the scan was run and those for whom a decision to place in the Work Related Activity Group had been made and input to the IT system with a future start date.
This scan did not identify claimants in the support group, as they will not be affected by the change. As we did not write to this group, no costs were incurred in writing to claimants receiving contribution based employment and support allowance in the Support Group.
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether he carried out an impact assessment of his proposal not to allow access to employment and support allowance during an appeal period; and what account such an impact assessment took of the potential effect on claimants' health and ability to improve their capacity for work of such a policy; [73604]
(2) how many employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants have had no access to ESA while appealing a decision to end their ESA payments due to a failure to (a) return the work capability questionnaire and (b) attend an ATOS medical assessment for whatever reason since its inception; [73605]
(3) if he will make it his policy to provide some financial support to claimants who have no access to employment and support allowance while appealing a decision to refuse it. [73606]
Chris Grayling: The current policy is that where an ESA recipient who is found fit for work following a work capability assessment (WCA) subsequently appeals against the decision, they will receive the assessment phase rate of ESA during the appeals process. Therefore, the amount of money the person receives will not change.
Those ESA claimants who appeal the WCA outcome of being placed in the Work Related Activity Group will continue to receive basic-rate ESA plus the work-related activity component until the outcome of the appeal is known.
Where a claimant fails to attend a WCA appointment, benefit entitlement is not automatically withdrawn by a decision maker. It is recognised that there can be genuine
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reasons for non-attendance, particularly when a claimant's medical condition fluctuates daily to such an extent that it prevents attendance. To identify when such circumstances may apply, a number of provisions and safeguards have been built into the current process.
These provisions ensure decision makers give full consideration to each claimant's particular circumstances before deciding whether benefit entitlement is affected. It is only when a Decision Maker decides a claimant has not shown "good cause" for not attending that entitlement is changed.
Where ESA is disallowed for failing to return the WCA questionnaire or attend for medical examination, ESA is not available pending the outcome of an appeal. This avoids the risk of abuse. If benefit were available in this situation it could be paid indefinitely to people who repeatedly fail to comply. As such, benefit is payable only when the questionnaire is completed and returned or the person attends for examination.
This is different to the situation where a person appeals because they do not agree with a determination, for benefit entitlement purposes, that they do not have limited capability for work. ESA is available in these cases in recognition that people who disagree with the decision that they do not have limited capability for work would not necessarily wish to work, or present themselves as well enough to work, until their appeal had been decided.
The Department does not collect information in respect of the number of ESA claimants whose benefit has ceased as a result of a failure to attend a WCA or return their medical questionnaire.
Employment and Support Allowance: Brighton
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of applications for employment and support allowance made by residents in Brighton and Hove unitary authority area were rejected on the basis of a work capability assessment (a) between October 2008 and November 2010 and (b) in the latest period which figures are available; and what proportion of such decisions were (i) reversed and (ii) upheld on appeal. [72238]
Chris Grayling: Decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) using the work capability assessment rest solely with the Department's decision makers taking into account the medical assessment reports from Atos and any other relevant information.
Table 1 presents data for new ESA claims starting between October 2008 to November 2010 (this is the latest period for which these figures are available) where the claimant has been assessed to be fit for work. Figures are for initial assessments only and numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
| Table 1: Fit for work decisions on new ESA claims | ||
|
|
Fit for work | Percentage of all new ESA claims (1) |
| (1) Includes claims that are closed before assessment and those still in progress. | ||
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If someone is assessed to be fit for work by DWP they are no longer entitled to claim ESA. However, they may ask for a revision and/or they may appeal against the DWP decision.
Table 2 shows appeals heard on fit for work decisions for ESA claims starting between October 2008 and May 2010 (this is the latest period for which these figures are available). Figures are for initial assessments only and numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10 (as a result, summing of rows may not give the totals shown).
| Table 2: Appeals heard on fit for work decisions | |||||
|
|
Appeals heard | Decision in favour of appellant | Percentage decision in favour of appellant | DWP decision upheld | Percentage DWP decision upheld |
| Notes: 1. The Department regularly publishes official statistics on the employment and support allowance (ESA) work capability assessment at the national level. The latest report, published in July 2011, covers new claimants to ESA for October 2008 to November 2010 (the latest data available) and can be found at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca 2. The data presented above come from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare and appeals data from the Tribunals Service. 3. Data on appeal includes ESA claims up to the end of May 2010 (the latest month where we have sufficient volumes of appeals heard to include in the publication) where the person claiming has been assessed to be fit for work, they subsequently appeal the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by Tribunals Service. 4. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard. Therefore these figures should be treated as emerging findings rather than final at this stage. | |||||
Employment Schemes: Young People
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of claimants who will qualify for his planned mandatory work activity scheme. [72048]
Chris Grayling: We envisage that mandatory work activity (MWA) will deliver around 19,000 placements per year over the next four years, The scheme is intended to target the small number of JSA claimants who do enough to meet the conditions of their claim while at the same time continually failing to demonstrate the focus and discipline that is a key requirement of finding, securing and retaining employment.
Employment: Young People
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many sanctions were issued as a result of a claimant refusing an offer made under the Young Person's Guarantee between April 2010 and March 2011. [73590]
Chris Grayling: The number of sanctions issued as a result of a claimant refusing an offer made under the Community Task Force (CTF), the mandatory strand of the Young Person's Guarantee, between April 2010 and March 2011 was 5,190(1).
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From 26 April 2010 all eligible young people were required to take up an offer under the Young Person's Guarantee by the 10 month point of their claim. If they did not take up an offer they were required to take part in the Community Task Force. If they did not take part in this their benefits could be affected. This explains why we have only counted sanctions issued on refusing offers made under the Community Task Force.
(1) Source—DWP Information Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database.
Housing Benefit
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to allow local authorities to transfer unspent central Government funding provided for the annual allowance for discretionary housing payments into the subsequent financial year. [73589]
Steve Webb: Local authorities were advised in September that any requests to carry forward into 2012/13 funding for discretionary housing payments would be considered, providing they were made by 30 April 2012 when their 2011/12 discretionary housing payments claims were made.
Industrial Health and Safety: Construction
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2011, Official Report, columns 1173-4W, on industrial health and safety: construction, in what employment sectors each of the duty-holders prosecuted for health and safety offences in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11 operated. [73603]
Chris Grayling: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart), on 11 October 2011, Official Report, columns 349-50W.
Jobcentre Plus: Telephone Calls
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what requirements his Department sets in respect of telephone answering timescales; and what proportion of telephone calls breached these requirements in (a) local Jobcentre Plus offices and (b) national customer services in the latest period for which figures are available. [71880]
Chris Grayling: The Department operates several national customer service lines that carry different targets relating to average speed of answer, and not all of them collate the same amount of information. We have supplied the Percentage of Calls Answered (PCA); the Average Speed of Answer (ASA). Where the data are available, but for some lines only, we have also supplied the percentage of calls answered in 30 seconds.
In addition to the customer service lines for making a claim to benefit or for jobsearch, Jobcentre Plus also operates a switchboard for claimants to contact their local Jobcentre Plus office. This is operated by Balfour Beatty Workplace (BBW) on behalf of the Department. The information that you have requested is not available because BBW does not collate that information.
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The performance measure used is the PCA and the minimum target is to answer 90% of offered calls. This is for all lines except Crisis Loan Decision Making and UK Border Agency where the PCA target is 80% for both.
Please note that the figures for Jobcentre Plus are for August.
Of 429,266 calls offered, 392,797 were answered giving a PCA of 91.7%. The ASA was 00:01:46.
Of 120,653 calls offered, 110,638 were answered giving a PCA of 92.0%. The ASA was 00:01:51.
Of 513,463 calls offered, 423,486 were answered giving a PCA of 82.7%. The ASA was 00:08:07.
Jobseekers Allowance Enquiries (JSA)
Of 814,068 calls offered, 664,898 were answered giving a PCA of 82.0%. The ASA was 00:04:04.
Of 458,010 calls offered, 369,338 were answered giving a PCA of 81.3%. The ASA was 00:03:16.
Incapacity Benefit Enquiries (IB)
Of 117,042 calls offered, 105,728 were answered giving a PCA of 90.7%. The ASA was 00:01:02.
Of 219 calls offered, 217 were answered giving a PCA of 99.5%. The ASA was 00:00:01.
Employment Support Allowance Enquiries (ESA)
Of 547,932 calls offered, 448,488 were answered giving a PCA of 82.2%. The ASA was 00:04:49.
Of 22,601 calls offered, 20,603 were answered giving a PCA of 91.5%. The ASA was 00:01:36.
ESA Enquiries and IB/IS Reassessment Welsh
Of 128 calls offered, 125 were answered giving a PCA of 97.7%. The ASA was 00:00:05.
Of 171,852 calls offered, 161,436 were answered giving a PCA of 94.2%. The ASA was 00:01:01.
Of 346,301 calls offered, 311,828 were answered giving a PCA of 90.4%. The ASA was 00:01:50.
Of 19,685 calls offered, 18,508 were answered giving a PCA of 94.4%. The ASA was 00:00:38.
Maternity Allowance and Social Fund Welsh
Of 60 calls offered, 59 were answered giving a PCA of 98.3%. The ASA was 00:00:01
Of 75,574 calls offered, 67,391 were answered giving a PCA of 89.5%. The ASA was 00:01:41.
Of 252,965 calls offered, 229,293 were answered giving a PCA of 90.7%. The ASA was 00:00:40.
Of 68,002 calls offered, 59,757 were answered giving a PCA of 88.1%. The ASA was 00:01:35.
E-Business Operational Support Team (EBOST)
Of 3,444 calls offered, 3,351 were answered giving a PCA of 97.4%. The ASA was 00:00:18.
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Small Business Recruitment Helpline
Of 2,485 calls offered, 1,953 were answered giving a PCA of 79.7%. The ASA was 00:01:44.
National Insurance Number Allocations (NINO)
Of 87,896 calls offered, 80,769 were answered giving a PCA of 91.9%. The ASA was 00:00:32.
National Benefit Fraud Hotline
Of 19,189 calls offered, 17,208 were answered giving a PCA of 90.1%. The ASA was 00:00:48.
Of 324 calls offered, 314 were answered giving a PCA of 96.9%. The ASA was 00:00:12.
Of 4,180 calls offered, 3,671 were answered giving a PCA of 88.4%. The ASA was 00:01:11.
International Jobsearch Advice Line
Of 18 calls offered, 17 were answered giving a PCA of 100.0%. (Please note that as no calls were abandoned, and as all calls got through and were answered there would have been a Short Abandoned call ie the caller hanging up after getting through). The ASA was 00:01:21.
Of 484 calls offered, 420 were answered giving a PCA of 87.9%. The ASA was 00:00:44.
Of 17,096 calls offered, 14,482 were answered giving a PCA of 84.9%. The ASA was 00:02:16.
Of 4,092,937 calls offered, 3,506,775 were answered giving a PCA of 86.0%. The ASA was 00:03:21.
Disability Living Allowance Lines (DLA)
The performance measure used is the PCA and the minimum target is to answer 93% of offered calls. We do not have a target for speed of answer, but do capture average speed of answer and percentage of answered in 30 seconds for all our service lines.
Please note the figures are for September.
Of 59,694 calls offered, 56,066 were answered giving a PCA of 93.9%. The ASA was 00:01:00. Of the ones answered 40.1% were answered within 30 seconds.
DLA Attendance Allowance 3rd Party Reps (AA)
Of 11,101 calls offered, 11,037 were answered giving a PCA of 99.4%, The ASA was 00:00:09. Of the ones answered 95.2% were answered within 30 seconds.
Of 2,472 calls offered, 2,386 were answered giving a PCA of 96.5%. The ASA was 00:00:48. Of the ones answered 42.5% were answered within 30 seconds.
DLA AA Helpline—Changes of Circumstances
Of 58,561 calls offered, 55,792 were answered giving a PCA of 95.3%. The ASA was 00:01:24. Of the ones answered 34.1 % were answered within 30 seconds.
Of 48,894 calls offered, 45,467 were answered giving a PCA of 93.0%. The ASA was 00:01:21. Of the ones answered 31.8% were answered within 30 seconds.
Of 245,966 calls offered, 232,592 were answered giving a PCA of 94.6%. The ASA was 00:01:35. Of the ones answered 30.1% were answered within 30 seconds.
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Of 22,430 calls offered, 21,930 were answered giving a PCA of 97.8%. The ASA was 00:00:53. Of the ones answered 39.6% were answered within 30 seconds.
Of 2,184 calls offered, 2,065 were answered giving a PCA of 94.6%. The ASA was 00:00:52. Of the ones answered 39.7% were answered within 30 seconds.
Of 451,302 calls offered, 427,335 giving a PCA of 94.7%. The ASA was 00:01:22. Of the ones answered 34.3% were answered within 30 seconds.
Carer's Allowance Unit Lines (CAU)
The performance measure used is the PCA and the minimum target is to answer 93% of offered calls.
Please note the figures are for September.
Of 79,953 calls offered, 75,407 were answered giving a PCA of 94.3%. The ASA was 00:01:27. Of the ones answered 40.6% were answered within 30 seconds.
The performance measure used for all service lines is PCA and the minimum target is to answer 93% of offered calls. We do not have a target for ASA although it is measured and reported.
Of 85,218 calls offered, 79,926 were answered giving a PCA of 93.8%. The ASA was 00:00:58.
Of 84,145 calls offered, 79,753 were answered giving a PCA of 94.8%. The ASA was 00:00:37.
Of 180,386 calls offered, 170,487 were answered giving a PCA of 94.5%. The ASA was 00:00:47.
Of 188,982 calls offered, 178,134 were answered giving a PCA of 94.3%. The ASA was 00:00:39.
Of 56,354 calls offered, 53,876 were answered giving a PCA of 95.6%. The ASA was 00:00:32
Of 131,209 calls offered, 127,373 were answered giving a PCA of 97.1%. The ASA was 00:00:23.
Of 726,294 calls offered, 689,549 were answered giving a PCA of 94.9%. The ASA was 00:00:39.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will give the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association and its local offices the same level of telephone and email access to his Department and its associated public bodies as other voluntary agencies which assist people with welfare and benefit issues. [71887]
Chris Grayling:
DWP works closely with many organisations which provide support to vulnerable people. We would be happy to work with the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association to assist our service personnel with employment, welfare and benefit issues. Guidance to our staff on disclosing information to voluntary organisations that work with our claimants is
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contained in our ‘Working with Representatives’ guidance on the DWP website. This guidance applies equally to staff of SSAFA as any other advice organisation.
Pension Credit
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to enable the automatic payment of pension credit; and if he will make a statement. [73593]
Steve Webb: The Department for Work and Pensions has been carrying out a study to assess how information routinely collected might be used to ensure that pensioners get the help that is available through pension credit.
Estimated awards of pension credit were paid to a sample of around 2,000 pensioners who, based on the information already held, appeared to be entitled to but not receiving pension credit. These payments were made without the normal prerequisite for a claim, and lasted for a period of 12 weeks.
The delivery phase of the study ran from 15 November 2010 to 18 March 2011 and evaluation is now underway. Early findings from the study will be published in the week commencing 31 October 2011.
A full report will be published early in 2012.
Social Security Benefits: Polygamy
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claims were rejected due to the polygamous nature of the applicant's marriage in each of the last three years. [73630]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to what extent polygamous families are recognised in the benefits system; which benefits and credits may be claimed by such families; and if he will estimate the (a) total financial cost and (b) number of recipients of payment of such benefits in the latest period for which figures are available. [73631]
Chris Grayling: For income-replacement benefits such as income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance and income-related employment and support allowance, the husband and first wife claim as a couple. Subsequent wives receive an additional sum which is less than the single person rate. These benefits are only payable for wives residing in Great Britain.
Housing benefit and council tax benefit entitlement for polygamous families is limited to those living in one property. There are no special rules for a husband to claim housing benefit for more than one property if his wives live separately.
The claimant may claim benefit/tax credits (depending on claim date) for any child or young person for whom he or a partner of his is responsible and who is a member of the same household.
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Contributory benefits make no provision for polygamous marriages. Where a man dies leaving two widows, neither gets bereavement benefit. If at the time of his death he leaves a single widow, she could qualify for bereavement benefit.
A member of a polygamous marriage can claim a contributory or income-related benefit in their own right where they satisfy the relevant conditions of entitlement.
Information regarding the cost and number of polygamous households is not available.
However, the current Government have decided to no longer recognise polygamous marriages and there are measures in the Welfare Reform Bill which will bring this change in policy into effect under universal credit as from 2013.
State Retirement Pensions
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the changes which would be needed to the state pension age to maintain the average proportion of adult life spent in receipt of a state pension at the same proportion as in (a) 1980, (b) 2005 and (c) 2011. [72363]
Steve Webb: The information requested is as follows:
(a) The average proportion of male adult life in retirement for people reaching state pension age in 1981 was 23.7%. Maintaining this proportion over time would suggest the following state pension age timetable:
| Age | Year |
(b) The average proportion of male adult life in retirement for people reaching state pension age in 2005 was 31.3%. Maintaining this proportion over time would suggest the following state pension age timetable:
| Age | Year |
(c) The average proportion of male adult life in retirement for people reaching state pension age in 2011 was 32.2%. Maintaining this proportion over time would suggest the following state pension age timetable:
| Age | Year |
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| Notes: 1. Estimates are based upon projections of UK male period life expectancy from the Office for National Statistics 2008-based projections. Life expectancy projections actually available in 1981 and 2005 are likely to differ and produce a lower proportion of adult life in retirement due to revisions made to the projections in subsequent years. 2. Estimates on a consistent basis are not available for 1980, 1981 has been used instead as the closest available year. Projections are available to 2058. 3. State pension age is increased when the proportion of male adult life in retirement for that age meets the proportion taken from the specific start year, people retiring between dates will have a higher proportion of adult life spent in retirement. 4. No assumptions are made about provision of sufficient notice for a future state pension age change, nor the necessary legislative timetable. 5. Adult life is defined as age 20 to state pension age, life in retirement is defined as mean life expectancy at state pension age. |
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the savings to the Exchequer which would arise from bringing forward the proposed increase in the state pension age to 67 years to (a) 2026, (b) 2030 and (c) 2032. [72364]
Steve Webb: Increasing the state pension age to 67 by:
(a) 2026 would produce estimated savings in DWP benefit spend of £70.4 billion between 2024/25 and 2035/36;
(b) 2030 would produce estimated savings in DWP benefit spend of £46.2 billion between 2028/29 and 2035/36;
(c) 2032 would produce estimated savings in DWP benefit spend of £32.0 billion between 2030/31 and 2035/36.
All estimates are in 2011/12 price terms and rounded to the nearest £100 million.
Notes:
1. The savings estimates presented are calculated in line with the methodology used to prepare the estimates of DWP AME savings published in the impact assessment presented with the Pensions Bill 2011. They take into account lower spending on pensioner benefits and higher spending on working age benefits and incorporate changes to long term assumptions following the publication of the Office of Budget Responsibility's July 2011 Fiscal Sustainability report.
2. The estimates are based on the current welfare system. Reliance on income-related pension benefits and working age benefits is assumed to remain in line, with current age-specific rates of reliance.
3. A baseline of the state pension age reaching 66 by April 2020 is assumed with an increase to 67 between 2024 and 2026. The brought forward increases to 67 occur over a two-year period.
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer which would arise from capping the increase in the state pension age for an individual to a maximum of (a) 18 months, (b) 15 months and (c) 12 months. [72365]
Steve Webb: The following estimates assume that the timetable proposed in the Pensions Bill 2011 is applied until the relevant cap comes into force. The cap is applied until it is either no longer relevant, as the Pensions Bill timetable implies an increase lower than the cap, or a state pension age of 66 is reached.
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(a) The cost of capping the increase in state pension age to a maximum of 18 months compared to the change in spend from the current Pensions Bill proposal is estimated at £1.1 billion between 2019-20 and 2020-21.
(b) The cost of capping the increase in state pension age to a maximum of 15 months compared to the change in spend from the current Pensions Bill proposal is estimated at £2.4 billion between 2018-19 and 2020-21.
(c) The cost of capping the increase in state pension age to a maximum of 12 months compared to the change in spend from the current Pensions Bill proposal is estimated at £4.3 billion between 2018-19 and 2020-21.
Notes:
1. The savings estimates presented are calculated in line with the methodology used to prepare the estimates of DWP AME savings published in the impact assessment presented with the Pensions Bill 2011. They take into account lower spending on pensioner benefits and higher spending on working age benefits and incorporate changes to long-term assumptions following the publication of the Office of Budget Responsibility's July 2011 Fiscal Sustainability report.
2. The estimates are based on the current welfare system. Reliance on income-related pension benefits and working age benefits is assumed to remain in line with current age-specific rates of reliance.
3. A baseline of the state pension age reaching 66 by April 2020 is assumed in line with the proposals set out in the Pensions Bill 2011.
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the likely effect of auto-enrolment on the amount spent on pensions tax relief in each income decile in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014, (d) 2015 and (e) 2016. [72366]
Steve Webb: The Department's estimate of the impact of tax relief on individual's pension contributions arising from automatic enrolment in each year between 2012-13 and 2016-17 is shown in Table 1. Information on the impact by income decile is not available.
| Table 1: Estimated additional tax relief on employee pension contributions arising from automatic enrolment between 2012-13 and 2016-17 | |
|
|
Estimated cost of tax relief (£ million) |
| Notes: 1. Estimates are derived from DWP modelling. 2. Estimates are expressed in 2011-12 levels and are rounded to the nearest £1 million. | |
Unemployment Benefits
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of the number of (a) non-EEA nationals, (b) EEA nationals and (c) UK nationals claiming out-of-work benefits in each of the last five years. [73183]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
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The UK's benefit payment systems do not record the nationality of people receiving benefits and therefore it is not possible to determine the number of claimants of each nationality. I have, however, commissioned work to make information available on the nationality of benefit claimants.
Access to income-related benefits(1) by non-European Economic Area nationals is strictly limited. They are excluded from such benefits because they are subject to immigration control, which prevents them from receiving public funds. Access to these benefits is therefore dependent on the type of leave the Home Office grants the individual.
Those who have worked in the UK and paid national insurance contributions may claim contributory benefits such as contribution-based jobseeker's allowance if they satisfy the contributions and other conditions for the benefit.
(1) Income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance; pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
Universal Credit
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland that are in receipt of tax credits that will have their universal credit payment (i) capped and (ii) reduced below their existing tax credit entitlement as a result of the application of rules on the treatment of capital under the universal credit scheme. [73574]
Chris Grayling: A package of transitional protection is being developed in order to ensure that there will be no cash losers as a direct result of the move to universal credit where circumstances remain the same.
Departmental analysis estimates that in the long run around 100,000 households in Great Britain who would have been in receipt of tax credits may be affected by the capital rules (capital limit and tariff reduction) in universal credit.
Due to a small sample size it is not possible to provide a robust estimate for Scotland.
This analysis has been modelled using the Department's Policy Simulation Model (PSM) based on the Family Resources survey (FRS).
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether a claimant will move from universal credit to tax credits if they transfer from an employer making universal credit real time PAYE notifications to one who does not before 2017. [73592]
Chris Grayling: It is expected that once a claimant has migrated onto the universal credit system, he/she will remain on universal credit and not return to a legacy benefit/credit.
An alternative system for gathering earnings data which for those outside of the PAYE is likely to be developed by DWP system, primarily the self employed and could be used in this scenario. It is envisaged that this system will be an on-line self service process. We will move to development during 2012 and will give claimants the appropriate information in due course.
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Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost to his Department was of appeals made to the Tribunals Service against work capability assessment decisions in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011 to date. [72787]
Chris Grayling: The introduction of employment support allowance (ESA) in October 2008 was accompanied by the new work capability assessment (WCA). The WCA is based on advice delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) assessment contractors, Atos Healthcare.
If, following a work capability assessment, someone is found fit for work, they are no longer entitled to claim ESA. However they may appeal against the decision.
Published information and statistics for ESA claims and work capability assessments are available on the Department's website:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/index.php?page=esa_wca_arc
Jobcentre Plus, an agency of the Department for Work and Pensions, is responsible for the administration of the work capability assessment appeal process before these are passed to the Tribunal Service.
The cost to Jobcentre Plus of WCA appeals made to the Tribunals Service for 2009, 2010 and 2011 year to date (YTD) is shown in the following table:
| £ million | |||
| Financial year | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 YTD |
| Notes: 1. The costs stated in this response only relate to the direct staff costs incurred by Jobcentre Plus. 2. The costs are recorded in financial years which run from April to March the following year. 3. The period 2011-12 YTD relates to WCA appeals from April 2011 to July 2011. Source: Jobcentre Plus Activity Based Management system | |||
Volumes of WCA appeals have increased each year from when ESA was introduced as more customers claim the benefit. This has led to an increased proportion of WCAs resulting in customers being classified as ‘Fit for Work’, whereby claimants have subsequently appealed against this decision.
Work Capability Assessments
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many work capability assessments of claimants previously in receipt of incapacity benefit were completed in each month of 2011 to date. [73638]
Chris Grayling: The reassessment of existing incapacity benefits customers using the work capability assessment (WCA) was rolled out nationally from February 2011.
Letters are being issued as planned to 11,000 claimants per week informing them that their reassessment is about to commence. To manage the process smoothly, volumes were gradually ramped up from the end of February, and the numbers reached 11,000 per week in May. As at the end of September 2011, approximately
12 Oct 2011 : Column 440W
128,000 WCAs have been completed for IB reassessment claimants. After the WCA, the decision on entitlement to benefit is taken by a DWP decision maker.
The information on the number of WCAs completed above is from the Department's Management Information System. It relates to those assessments where Atos have made a recommendation based on either a face to face assessment or cleared by scrutiny of the customer's medical questionnaire. It does not include those customers whose WCA recommendations were returned to Jobcentre Plus because they had not complied with the process.
A monthly breakdown of the management information is not reliable because the data are captured by week. This means that for those weeks that cross over a month end the data cannot be attributed to any particular calendar month. In addition, as it was never the intention to publish this information, it has not been subject to the same rigorous quality assurance processes that are used for official statistics and as a result they should be used with a degree of caution.
Due to the overall length of the incapacity benefits reassessment process, information on the entire process including the final outcomes and subsequent destinations of claimants being reassessed is not yet available. Individual level data are being collected, but it will take time to complete because of the overall length of the reassessment process. The Department plans to publish data on the outcomes of the reassessment process but only once they have been quality assured and are considered robust.
Cabinet Office
Childbirth: Neonatal Mortality
Nick de Bois: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) live births and (b) stillbirths there were in each region of England in 2010. [73595]
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 October 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many (a) live births and (b) stillbirths there were in each region of England in 2010 [73595].
The following table provides the number of live births and stillbirths in each region in England for 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available.
Information on live births and stillbirths is routinely published on the ONS website. The most recent figures for England and Wales (2010) are available at:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/characteristics-of-birth-1--england-and-wales/2010/rft-cb1-2010.xls
| Table 1: Live births and stillbirths, regions in England, 2010 | ||
| Number | ||
| Area of usual residence of mother | Live births | Stillbirths |
12 Oct 2011 : Column 441W
| Source: Office for National Statistics | ||
Civil Servants: Pensions
Mr Donohoe: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent progress has been made on the mutualisation of MyCSP; and if he will make a statement. [73616]
Mr Maude: The transformation of My Civil Service Pension is currently under way. On 5 July 2011 we created the company and we are currently in the process of identifying a private sector partner for My Civil Service Pension.
As this process is currently in progress it would be inappropriate for me to make any further comment at this time.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many claimants flowed off jobseeker's allowance in each month from August 2010 to August 2011. [73591]
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 October 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many claimants flowed off Jobseeker’s Allowance in each month from August 2010 to August 2011. (73591)
Table 1 following shows the number of claimants who flowed off Jobseekers Allowance, resident in the UK, in each month from August 2010 to August 2011. These figures have been standardised onto a 4 and a 1/3 week basis.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
| Table 1: Number of claimants (1) that flowed off jobseeker's allowance—seasonally adjusted | |
|
|
Number |
12 Oct 2011 : Column 442W
| (1) These flow figures are collected for 4 or 5 week periods between count dates, the figure above has been standardised to a 4 1/3 week month. Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative System | |
Social Media: Civil Servants
Dr Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what (a) discussions he has had and (b) representations he has received on (i) existing and (ii) future guidance on the use of social media by civil servants and public sector workers. [73787]
Mr Maude: The existing guidance on the use of social media by civil servants was published in 2008, and is available online on the civil service website at:
http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/participation-online
I have had no meetings or representations on amending the guidance. The existing guidance for civil servants is under review.
Third Sector
Tim Farron: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to bring forward legislative proposals to set the framework for charitable incorporated organisations. [73583]
Mr Hurd: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jackie Doyle-Price) on 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 113W.
Trade Unions
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he expects to (a) begin and (b) complete his consultation on reforming facility time arrangements for trade union representatives; and when he expects to implement new measures to regulate facility time. [73627]
Mr Maude: We are immediately reviewing trade union facility time across the civil service and will publish the results. Once the review is complete we will start consultation with trade unions.
Trade Unions: Civil Service
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will introduce measures to make the use of facility time by trade union representatives more transparent; and if he will require that details must be recorded in respect of all facility time used by trade union representatives in the Civil Service. [73626]
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Mr Maude: Yes. We will publish the results of the review we are undertaking into trade union facilities time and we will introduce transparency on the use of trade union facilities time going forward.
Young People: Unemployment
Mrs Riordan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of people aged 18-24 years are unemployed in Halifax; and what proportion were unemployed in May 2010. [74002]
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 October 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of people aged 18-24 years are unemployed in Halifax; and what proportion were unemployed in May 2010. (074002)
Estimates of the proportion of people aged 18 to 24 years unemployed in Halifax parliamentary constituency area are not available. As an alternative we have provided the proportion of people aged 18 to 24 years who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) in Halifax. In May 2010, this was 11.2 per cent and in September 2011 was 13.6 percent.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and JSA count are available on the Nomis website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
Business, Innovation and Skills
Export Control Policy
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 78-79WS, on export control policy (review), what offensive naval, air and land-based military platforms have been supplied from the UK to (a) Bahrain, (b) Egypt, (c) Libya, (d) Syria, (e) Tunisia and (f) Yemen; and in which years. [73544]
Mr Prisk: The earliest we have been able to search our electronic records is 1999 for standard individual export licences (SIELs) and 2001 for open individual export licences (OIELs).
Our records indicate two standard individual export licences have been issued for the supply of armoured personnel carriers to Libya:
1. Issued in February 2007 for the supply of up to two armoured personnel carriers.
2. Issued in September 2008 for the supply of up to ten armoured personnel carriers.
We cannot verify whether these items were actually exported.
No licences were identified for Bahrain, Egypt, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.
All applications, including those for export to Libya, are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria taking into account the prevailing circumstances at the time of application.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 444W
Arms Export Licences
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department expects to charge for each approval process for licensing the export of arms and weapons. [72405]
Mr Prisk: The Export Control Organisation within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has been discussing with exporters the possibility of charging for strategic export licences. These informal discussions will continue. The Government will consult, including on the structure and level of the fees, as and when this becomes a firm Government proposal.
Construction
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the contribution to the economy of exports from the construction industry. [73615]
Mr Prisk: The latest data from HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics, the UK Balance of Payments (The Pink Book) and ONS Business Monitor MA4 Foreign Direct Investment show that the UK exported some £7.5billion worth of construction services and products in 2009. This compares with a total of £386.7 billion worth of total UK exports of goods and services in 2009.
UKTI, in partnership with BIS, has reviewed how it targets its sector based support, to ensure value for money from its resources. This review has mapped UK capabilities against the projected evolution of global demand, across a broad range of sectors. This has indicated that the construction sector had one of the highest growth rates in UK exports in the last three years to 2009 and with projected strong global demand to 2014.
Defence Equipment: Finance
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department contributed towards the cost of supporting the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition at the ExCel Centre between 13 and 16 September 2011. [72406]
Mr Prisk: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas) on 23 June 2011, Official Report, column 445W. Information on costs to UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) of the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition Capability Showcase is not expected to be confirmed for some time. Final costs will take account of the income to be received from UK defence companies which received specific assistance and support from UKTI DSO at the event.
Higher Education
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have sought on the for-profit higher education system in (i) the US and (ii) Europe. [73556]
12 Oct 2011 : Column 445W
Mr Willetts: The Government have taken account of a range of publications addressing alternative models of higher education provision. A further key way we gather such information is through meeting regularly with providers of higher education, including for-profit institutions, both in the UK and internationally. A quarterly-updated list of all BIS Ministerial meetings with external organisations is available at:
http://data.gov.uk/dataset/disclosure-ministerial-hospitality-received-department-for-business
BIS officials will also have had meetings with a range of higher education providers, but a comprehensive record of these is not maintained.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on what dates officials of his Department have had meetings with private higher education providers since May 2010. [73614]
Mr Willetts: BIS officials meet regularly with a wide range of providers of higher education. A comprehensive record of such meetings is not maintained.
Higher Education: Private Sector
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reason Warburg Pincus attended a meeting of for-profit and private higher education providers in (a) December 2010 and (b) January 2011; and if there have been any subsequent meetings between Warburn Pincus and (i) Ministers and (ii) officials of his Department. [73555]
Mr Willetts: I held two meetings with a range of private higher education providers in December 2010 and January 2011 to discuss how more private investment in, and provision of, higher education could be encouraged.
There have been no subsequent meetings between Warburg Pincus and myself, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), or other BIS Ministers. A quarterly-updated list of all BIS ministerial meetings with external organisations is available at:
http://data.gov.uk/dataset/disclosure-ministerial-hospitality-received-department-for-business
A comprehensive record of meetings between BIS officials and external organisations is not maintained.
Higher Education: USA
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had discussions with the US Justice Department on its lawsuit concerning for-profit higher education providers; [73548]
(2) what (a) discussions and (b) meetings (i) he, (ii) ministers and (iii) officials in his Department have had with (A) providers of for-profit higher education who have businesses based in the US, (B) the US Government Accountability Office, (C) the US Department of Education, (D) the US Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, (E) US elected representatives and (F) higher education lecturers and practitioners from the for-profit higher education sector in the US. [73563]
12 Oct 2011 : Column 446W
Mr Willetts: It is not the normal practice of the Government to disclose details of their discussions with foreign governments. I am aware of developments in the US for-profit higher education system and the particular concerns raised in the Justice Department's lawsuit. But the comparison is an imperfect one. Funding incentives are different and the UK has a highly regarded system of quality assurance, with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education responsible for upholding standards in UK universities and colleges.
I meet regularly with a wide range of providers of higher education in the UK and internationally. The Department does not hold comprehensive information on whether higher education providers Ministers have met are classed as for-profit or not-for-profit institutions. Quarterly-updated list of all BIS ministerial meetings with external organisations is available at:
http://data.gov.uk/dataset/disclosure-ministerial-hospitality-received-department-for-business
BIS officials will also have had conversations with a range of higher education providers. A comprehensive record of such meetings is not maintained.
Post Offices
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage and support community-run post offices. [73472]
Mr Davey: There are already many community operated post offices in a range of urban and rural locations, and these community post offices show how a mutual model is already working well at the local level. The Government are currently consulting on proposals that could, in time, see Post Office Ltd converted to a mutual structure. Mutual ownership could give community representatives a direct say in how Post Office Ltd is run.
The management of Post Office Ltd ensures that strict access criteria, which see that over 99% of the national population live within three miles of a post office, are met. It does this by managing contractual relationships between the company and local sub-postmasters across the country, including many who operate community-run post offices.
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many community-run post offices there are in (a) the UK and (b) Kent. [73473]
Mr Davey: The information requested is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to my hon. Friend, and for a copy of her reply to be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Regional Growth Fund
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to announce the first allocation of funds under the regional growth fund. [73629]
12 Oct 2011 : Column 447W
Mr Prisk: An announcement on the first round of successful regional growth fund bids was made on 12 April. Bids received in the second round of bidding are being assessed and we aim to make announcements in the autumn.
Communities and Local Government
Audit Commission: Allowances
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 16 February 2011, Official Report, columns 830-1W, on Audit Commission: allowances, if he will publish a breakdown of the hospitality expenses, including venue, individual cost, purpose and attendees, for each of the directors with aggregate hospitality claims referred to in that answer of more than £500. [72437]
Grant Shapps: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 12 October 2011:
Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
Two directors had aggregate hospitality claims totalling over £500 in 2009.
Details of claims by David Walker, Managing Director of Communications and Steve Bundred, Chief Executive have been placed in the Library of the House.
Council Housing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people renting council accommodation in each of the last 30 years. [72054]
Andrew Stunell: The following table includes the Department's published estimates in terms of numbers of households in local authority housing in England. The estimates are subject to a margin of error being based on sample surveys.
| Households in local authority accommodation, England | |
|
|
Households (thousand) |
12 Oct 2011 : Column 448W
| Sources: 1981 to 1991: Labour Force Survey Housing Trailer 1992 to 2007: Labour Force Survey 2008-09 and 2009-10: English Housing Survey | |
Empty Property
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of empty homes (a) returned into use to date and (b) to be returned to use by October 2012 as a direct consequence of the provision of £100 million for the purpose under the comprehensive spending review. [72418]
Andrew Stunell: We expect the £100 million set aside within the Affordable Homes Programme to bring empty homes back into use to deliver at least 3,300 homes. The money is available from April, and the criteria for bids on this fund will be published shortly.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the oral answer of 5 September 2011, Official Report, column 11, on empty homes, what mechanisms he plans to use to dramatically accelerate the process of bringing empty homes back into use. [72675]
Andrew Stunell: We have accelerated the process of bringing empty homes back into use by providing powerful tools and incentives to support local communities to tackle empty homes. Through the New Homes Bonus, communities will receive a direct financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use. We are also investing £100 million through the Affordable Homes Programme to tackle empty homes directly. I announced on 20 September 2011 that community and voluntary organisations will be able to bid for part of this funding. In due course we will also be consulting on plans to allow councils local discretion to introduce a council tax premium on homes in their area that have been empty for more than two years.
EU Grants and Loans
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press notice of 1 August 2011, on European Regional Development Funding, how much funding has been lost in financial corrections and unrecoverable amounts due to irregularities in the 2000 to 2006 programme. [72392]
Robert Neill: There has been £101.3 million in financial corrections and unrecoverable amounts arising from irregularities from the European Regional Development Fund 2000-06 programme throughout the period 2000-11.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 449W
The Fund programme has been plagued by a legacy of poor administration and fines that dates back to 2000. The coalition Government have overhauled the management of these schemes, bringing them in-house, and successfully minimising the liabilities.
The measures that this Government have taken have been recognised by the European Commission.
Administration of European Regional Development Fund 2000-06 programme had been the responsibility of the Government Offices for the Regions. Following the closure of the Government Offices, management of the Fund programme moved in-house to the Department for Communities and Local Government on 1 April 2011.
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press notice of 1 August 2011, on European Regional Development Funding, what the reasons are for the funding which cannot be recovered due to irregularities in relation to each project in the 2000 to 2006 programme. [72393]
Robert Neill: The information requested, consistent with the figures published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11, has been placed in the Library of the House.
In compiling the information we have not included those debts which the Department has recorded as a charge on the accounts but in respect of which it may still be continuing to pursue the recovery of amounts recorded. We have also withheld information in a case which is the subject of an EU audit and where disclosure of the information would be incompatible with European Community obligations. The information provided was correct as of 31 March 2011 when the Annual Report and Accounts were drawn up; some of this information may no longer be current with regard to the projects identified.
The European Regional Development Fund programme has been plagued by a legacy of poor administration and fines that dates back to 2000. The coalition Government has overhauled the management of these schemes, bringing them in-house, and successfully minimising the liabilities.
Homes and Communities Agency: Government Procurement Card
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff of the Housing and Communities Agency and its predecessor were disciplined for misuse or abuse of the Government Procurement Card between 2005-06 and 2009-10. [72423]
Andrew Stunell: There were no disciplinary cases identified by the Homes and Communities Agency and its predecessors for misuse or abuse of the Government Procurement Card between 2005-06 and 2009-10.
Housing
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what effect the introduction of the New Homes Bonus will have on the level of formula grant for local authorities in the North of England; [73756]
12 Oct 2011 : Column 450W
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the New Homes Bonus on formula grant for Gateshead metropolitan borough council; and if he will take steps to ensure that the formula grant allocated to Gateshead is not reduced as a result of the introduction of the bonus; [74194]
(3) if he will make it his policy not to reduce Formula Grant to local authorities as a result of the introduction of the New Homes Bonus. [74200]
Robert Neill: We have already made clear our policy on the funding of the New Homes Bonus. The full amount of the New Homes Bonus for 2011-12 was met from Department for Communities and Local Government funding. For each of the years 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, £250 million was allocated to the New Homes Bonus from Department for Communities and Local Government funding. Funding beyond these levels will come from Formula Grant.
Under the provisional 2012-13 settlement we transferred £176 million from formula grant to fund the New Homes Bonus. Transition grant guarantees that no authority will receive a reduction in its spending power of more than 8.8% in both 2011-2012 and 2012-13.
The New Homes Bonus will ensure that the economic benefits of housing growth are returned to the local area, so encouraging and rewarding the construction of new homes in the north of England and across the Country.
Housing: Sustainable Development
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the impact on the average cost of construction of an average home of achieving the equivalent of level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes; and if he will make a statement. [R] [72226]
Andrew Stunell: The Code for Sustainable Homes is the voluntary national standard for the design and construction of sustainable new homes. The Department recently published a report updating the estimated cost of implementing the various levels of the code. ‘Cost of Building to the Code for Sustainable Homes—updated cost review’ is available on the Department's website at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/codeupdatedcostreview
Landlords
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the merits of introducing statutory landlord accreditation. [72279]
Andrew Stunell: Many local authorities already operate voluntary landlord accreditation schemes which we welcome. Such schemes work best when they are tailored to reflect local market conditions which local authorities are best placed to judge. At present, therefore, we have no plans to take away this local discretion by setting up a nationwide scheme.
12 Oct 2011 : Column 451W
Local Government: Finance
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to allow local authorities to transfer unspent funding provided by central Government to the subsequent financial year. [73588]
Robert Neill: Unless otherwise specified by grant conditions, local authorities can use Government funding across financial years.
Metals: Theft
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made an estimate of the cost to local authorities of replacing metal items which have been stolen in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Dudley borough in the last year. [73149]
Robert Neill: No such estimates have been made. Information on this is not held centrally.
Natural Gas: Safety
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that landlords comply with the legal requirement to arrange for registered Gas Safe engineers to carry out annual gas safety tests in their properties. [73707]
Andrew Stunell: Landlords are responsible for the safety of their tenants. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deals with landlords' duties to make sure gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants are safe.
The Health and Safety Executive gives gas safety a high priority and will take the appropriate action, often working with the local authority, to ensure compliance with the regulations; this could result in a substantial fine and/or a custodial sentence.
To help ensure landlords and tenants are aware of their responsibilities on 3 September we published advice for those either letting or renting a property, including a ‘Dos and Don'ts’ factsheet for landlords and ‘Dos and Don'ts’ factsheet for tenants. Both factsheets set out that it is a legal requirement for the landlord to provide a gas safety certificate if there are gas appliances in the property, to arrange an annual gas safety check carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer and to provide the tenant with the certificate within 28 days of each annual check. The fact sheets also provide a link to information on the Health and Safety Executive's frequently asked questions page and details of their Gas Safety Advice Line.
Surveys
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on the ending of the Citizenship Survey and the Place Survey; and what analysis his Department undertook on the effects of ending these surveys. [72606]
12 Oct 2011 : Column 452W
Andrew Stunell [holding answer 11 October 2011]: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 12 May 2011, Official Report, column 1321W, on the Citizenship Survey.
As outlined in my Department's press notice of 10 August 2010, a copy of which is in the Library, the abolition of the Place Survey will save £5 million of taxpayers' money and is part of the coalition Government's reduction of centrally-imposed burdens on local authorities. My Department corresponded with the Local Government Association who supported the decision to cancel the survey, and with the UK Statistics Authority who had no objection.
Temporary Employment: Contracts
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department issues guidance to local authorities on the contracting of agency staff; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such guidance. [73158]
Robert Neill: None. The Local Government Employers leads on providing guidance on a wide range of pay and workforce matters for local authorities, including guidance on the new Agency Workers Regulations which came into force on 1 October 2011. This information can be accessed by the link:
http://www.lge.gov.uk/lge/core/page.do?pageId=8780369
Travellers: Planning Permission
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans located on sites granted retrospective planning permission in (a) each local authority area and (b) England (i) in each of the last five years and (ii) since May 2010. [73625]
Andrew Stunell: The Government do not collect this information.
Waste Disposal: Domestic Waste
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what formula has been agreed for the distribution of the additional funding for local authorities to obtain or sustain weekly refuse collection services; and if he will make a statement. [73678]
Robert Neill: No formula is needed for the distribution of funding under the new Weekly Collection Support scheme. It is intended that the scheme will operate as a challenge fund, with the amount of money being available to each local authority depending on the content and quality of their bid. As outlined in the written ministerial statement of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 1WS, up to £250 million will be available in total under this fund and further details of the scheme will be made available in due course.
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Attorney-General
Crown Prosecution Service
Mr Frank Field:
To ask the Attorney-General how many cases the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has reviewed for trial in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and in how many of those cases
12 Oct 2011 : Column 454W
the CPS concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to proceed to court. [73552]
The Attorney-General: Between September 2010 and August 2011, the CPS reviewed, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, a total of 930,457 cases; 46,544 of those cases did not progress because there was not sufficient evidence to proceed to court. The CPS does not hold reliable data which distinguishes the stage of review.