Invalid Vehicles: Accidents
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what analysis her Department has made of the number of accidents caused by mobility scooters in each of the last five years. [79063]
Norman Baker: Although my Department has no central database which records the number of mobility scooters involved in accidents, we are aware of reports of specific incidents. Road casualty statistics do not currently include mobility scooters as a separate vehicle category. However, I am pleased to note that from 2013, the police will be able to record whether a mobility vehicle has been involved in an accident on the public highway.
Metal Theft
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of replacing cable stolen from each rail franchise in each of the last five years. [78799]
Norman Baker [holding answer 7 November 2011]: Any cable that is stolen from the railway is stolen from Network Rail, as the owner and operator of the infrastructure, and not the individual rail franchisee.
Network Rail estimates that the cost of replacing stolen cable including replacement cable and labour costs but not the cost of compensation to train operators affected by the disruption, in 2008-09 was £4.4 million; in 2009-10 was £3 million; and in 2010-11 was £4.3 million.
Ports: Liverpool
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports she has received on statements made by the leader of Liverpool city council prior to the announcement of the outcome of the public consultation on changing the status of the cruise liner terminal in Liverpool stating that (a) a settlement had been determined, (b) the principle of Liverpool having a turnaround facility had been conceded and (c) suggesting legal action against the Government; when she expects to publish the result of the consultation; and if she will make a statement. [78642]
Mike Penning [holding a nswer 7 November 2011]: I am aware of such statements having been reported. The outcome of the consultation was not pre-determined. The responses are currently under consideration and our conclusions will be announced shortly.
Railways
Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her assessment is of progress in implementing the Government's plans to upgrade Britain's rail network; and if she will make a statement. [78999]
8 Nov 2011 : Column 189W
Mrs Villiers: I am pleased with the progress Network Rail is making in the delivery of the programme of works currently funded for Control Period 4.
Projects are being delivered on time and on budget with some ahead of schedule and at lower costs. These projects are starting to benefit both freight and passenger customers alike.
Railways: Fares
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential effect on female part-time workers of future increases in rail fares. [78771]
Mrs Villiers: The Department gave due regard to the equalities impact of the comprehensive spending review decision on rail fares. This was in accordance with the statutory equality duties in place at the time.
As part of this we considered that if fares increases disproportionately affected non-season (peak) tickets, then women could be disproportionately affected (as they are more likely to work part time than men). However, in practice, we expect that percentage price changes for non-season tickets will be broadly the same as for season tickets. Therefore in proportionate terms, part time workers are likely to be affected in a similar way to full time workers.
Railways: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the level of rail franchise revenues in each of the next 10 years. [78503]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 7 November 2011]: The Department's internal forecast of revenue in respect of future and existing contracts are commercially sensitive. As such they cannot be published.
Railways: Freight
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the annual number of rail freight tonne kilometres for each of the next 10 years. [78641]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 7 November 2011]: The Department uses the agreed rail freight forecasts produced by the rail freight industry working with the Rail Freight Group. A revised rail freight forecast was published in October 2011 covering tonne kilometres to 2019 and 2030. These can be found at:
http://www.rfg.org.uk/userfiles/file/Rail%20Freight%20 Demand%20Forecasts%20to%202030_ver2.pdf
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her estimate was at the time of the comprehensive spending review of the amount of money paid by train operating companies to the Government in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and what her latest estimate is. [79285]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 7 November 2011]: Forecast expenditure and income from rail franchise contracts formed part of the overall comprehensive spending review settlement for the Department that was published in 2010.
8 Nov 2011 : Column 190W
The settlement included an allowance for franchises that had already been contracted along with forecasts for contracts that have yet to be signed.
The Department's forecasts in respect of future contracts along with our estimate of some of the variables within existing contracts (such as revenue share and support figures) are commercially sensitive. As such they cannot be published.
However, contracted subsidy and premium payments in respect of all train operating companies are published on the Department's website as and when contracts are signed. The contractual terms that are published include figures for the base contract payments or premiums along with details of the revenue share and support arrangements that would vary those base payments.
Actual spending on rail is published in the Department's annual report and accounts. A breakdown of subsidy and premiums paid or received in any given year in respect of each franchised train operator is also published annually by the Office of Rail Regulation in National Rail Trends which is available on their website.
Railways: Repairs and Maintenance
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether Network Rail is required to notify her Department prior to the commencement of engineering works; [79315]
(2) whether she has issued guidance to Network Rail on maintaining adequate transport links for rail commuters normally affected by engineering works; [79316]
(3) if she will meet (a) Network Rail, (b) East Coast Trains and (c) other transport stakeholders in Lincoln to discuss Network Rail's engineering works to the track near Grantham on the East Coast Mainline; [79317]
(4) if she will assess the level of disruption to rail transport links to Lincoln arising from Network Rail's engineering works to the track near Grantham on the East Coast Mainline. [79318]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 7 November 2011]: The scope and timing of engineering works are operational matters for Network Rail under the industry's national possessions planning regime which is overseen by the independent Office of Rail Regulation.
Rescue Services
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to improve the ability of maritime rescue services to deal with the increasing size of ships operating in UK waters. [76546]
Mike Penning: The standard for a nation's maritime rescue services are informed, and to some extent prescribed, by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as part of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention.
The SOLAS convention is progressively amended and adapted to take account of changes to vessel characteristics, including aspects related to increasing vessel size.
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The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) uses an automatic identification system to monitor maritime traffic as part of maintaining an overall picture of vessel traffic and search and rescue response capabilities. This enables the MCA to identify vessels that might be ‘at risk’ and encourage preventative action before problems arise.
Road Signs and Markings
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many requests for special road traffic sign authorisations her Department has received in each of the last 10 years; and what the annual cost has been of processing these requests. [79149]
Norman Baker [holding answer 7 November 2011]: The numbers of requests for authorisations and authorisations issued for the years 2001-2011 are shown in the following table. We do not hold figures for numbers of requests for authorisations for years before 2007.
| Calendar year | Request for authorisations | Authorisations issued |
The recent policy document ‘Signing the Way’ will, as it is implemented, reduce the number of special authorisations which will need to be submitted to the Department.
Details of the costs of authorisations could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Shipping: Registration
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age is of ships on the UK Ships Register; and what steps her Department plans to take to achieve the Marine and Coastguard Agency target of achieving an average age for ships on the register of 19 years by March 2015. [76489]
Mike Penning: The average age of ships on the UK Ship Register is 20 years. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's aim of achieving an average age for ships on the register of 19 years is based on encouraging the first registration of new ships and applying rigour when considering applications for the registration of older ships.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress her Department has made on amending legislation to give the Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) more powers to refuse to accept ships on to the UK register which the MCA defines as not being in the UK's interests. [76490]
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Mike Penning: The Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1993 give the UK and other members of the Red Ensign Group powers to refuse the registration of ships if they are non-compliant with safety requirements. In line with other flag states, it is our intention to review and simplify these regulations to increase the powers of refusal.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will be taking this matter forward substantively in 2012 with a view to completing the work in 2013, subject to other regulatory priorities and the outcome of the wider Red Tape Challenge initiative.
Attorney-General
Convictions: Industrial Health and Safety
Katy Clark: To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to improve the rate of conviction of those involved in failure to comply with health and safety requirements at work. [78153]
Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply.
HSE applies its Enforcement Policy Statement, Enforcement Management Model and the Code for Crown Prosecutors when taking decisions on when to bring a prosecution. This resulted in a conviction rate of 94% in 2010-11. This is a good record, and in order to maintain the quality of enforcement decisions, HSE conducts a rolling programme of regulatory decision making peer reviews. Whether or not a person or company is successfully convicted is a matter for the court having heard the evidence presented.
Freedom of Information Requests
Jon Trickett: To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the Law Officers' Departments have received in each month since May 2010; how many responses given in each such month disclosed (a) the full information requested, (b) part of the information requested, with some information withheld under exemptions in the Act and (c) none of the information requested; and in respect of how many requests received in each such month (i) (A) substantive and (B) holding responses were issued within 20 working days of the date of receipt, (ii) no substantive response was issued within 40 working days of the date of receipt and (iii) no substantive response has yet been issued; [78927]
(2) in respect of how many responses to requests for information received by the Law Officers' Departments under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the reason of (a) commercially sensitive information, (b) information not held, (c) information too costly to provide and (d) vexatious or repeated requests has been given in response since January 2010; [78928]
(3) which Minister in the Law Officers' Departments is responsible for determining whether exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should apply to responses to requests for information under the Act; and which other Minister is responsible for making such determinations should the subject matter of the request fall within the Ministerial responsibilities of the Minister with lead responsibility. [78929]
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The Solicitor-General: Tables containing the latest available Freedom of Information data for the Law Officers' Departments have been placed in the Library of the House.
Freedom of Information cases received by the AGO are generally dealt with by departmental officials, but either one of the two Law Officers can be consulted in those cases where it is necessary to determine whether information should be withheld under the section 36 exemption (Prejudice to effective conduct of public affairs).
The other Law Officers' Departments are public authorities in their own right under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and are responsible for responding to requests for information themselves.
Culture, Media and Sport
Olympic Games 2012: Newspaper Press
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has had any discussions with the British Olympic Association on increasing accreditation for local newspapers wishing to report on the London 2012 Olympics. [78734]
Hugh Robertson: I am in touch with Lord Moynihan, Chairman of the BOA, to see if further accreditations can be made available. A copy of the most recent letter I have received from Lord Moynihan on this matter will be placed in the House Libraries.
Television: Licensing
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many free television licences were issued in (a) Coventry South constituency and (b) the area for which Coventry city council is responsible in each of the last five years. [78646]
Mr Vaizey: The administration and enforcement of the television licensing system is the responsibility of the BBC, which operates independently of the Government.
The BBC does not record the numbers of free TV licences issued on a constituency or regional basis.
The BBC has provided the number of free TV licences issued to persons aged 75 or over throughout the UK, since the concession was introduced on 1 November 2000, as shown in the following table.
|
|
Number of free TV licences issued to persons in the UK aged 75 or over |
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Scotland
Adam Werritty
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether (a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) officials of his Department have met (i) Mr Michael Hintze, (ii) Mr Tony Buckingham, (iii) Mr Michael Davis, (iv) Mr Poju Zabludowicz, (v) Mr Jon Moulton and (vi) Mr Stephen Crouch; and where any such meetings took place. [78661]
David Mundell: There have been no such meetings.
Charities
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grants his Department made to charitable organisations in each of the last five years. [79071]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office has not awarded any grants to charitable organisations in any of the last five years.
Northern Ireland
Freedom of Information Requests
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 his Department has received in each month since May 2010; how many responses given in each such month disclosed (a) the full information requested, (b) part of the information requested, with some information withheld under exemptions in the Act and (c) none of the information requested; and in respect of how many requests received in each such month (i) (A) substantive and (B) holding responses were issued within 20 working days of the date of receipt, (ii) no substantive response was issued within 40 working days of the date of receipt and (iii) no substantive response has yet been issued; [78897]
(2) in respect of how many responses to requests for information received by his Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the reason of (a) commercially sensitive information, (b) information not held, (c) information too costly to provide and (d) vexatious or repeated requests has been given in response since January 2010. [78898]
Mr Swire: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
| 2010 | ||||||||||||
|
|
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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8 Nov 2011 : Column 196W
| 2011 | ||||||
|
|
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
The Department provides statistical data to the Ministry of Justice regarding its compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and the Department's performance with regard to the 20 working day deadline for responding to requests submitted under this Act. The MOJ publishes these statistics on a quarterly and annual basis and these can be found at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/foi/implementation.htm
The Ministry of Justice is currently compiling statistical returns from all Whitehall Departments for requests received during the third quarter of 2011. These are scheduled to be published on the MOJ website on 15 December 2011. The figures for the fourth quarter of 2011 will be published on 26 April 2012 along with the 2011 annual return.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Minister in his Department is responsible for determining whether exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should apply to responses to requests for information made under the Act; and which other Minister is responsible for making such determinations should the subject matter of the request fall within the ministerial responsibilities of the Minister with lead responsibility. [78899]
Mr Swire: Officials within the Northern Ireland Office are responsible for reviewing any information held by the Department that is in scope of a request under the Freedom of Information Act and to identify any information that might engage any of the exemption provisions provided under this Act.
However, the exemption provisions of section 36 of the Act (prejudice to the effective conduct of public affairs) can only apply if it is the reasonable opinion of a Qualified Person (QP) that the exemption applies. In relation to information held by Government, the Qualified Person must be a Minister or, if held by a non-ministerial department, the persons in charge of that department (for example, the chief executive).
If the release of any information under this Act might result in the prejudicial effects outlined by this section of the Act, this information is presented to either the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), or me to decide whether or not this exemption is engaged, depending on the subject matter of the information in question. This information is accompanied by supporting background information that outlines the potential impact of the release of that information and arguments supporting both the release of the information and those that favour it being withheld.
Public Sector: Pay
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officials in his Department and the bodies for which he is responsible earned more than (a) £65,000, (b) £95,000, (c) £140,000 and (d) £175,000 in the last year for which figures are available. [78509]
Mr Paterson: The following figures relate to staff employed by my Department, in its present form, which came into being on 12 April 2010:
(a) four;
(b) four;
(c) one; and
(d) none.
All figures relate to the 2010-11 financial year.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officials in his Department received a pay rise other than by promotion in the last two years; and what the average increase was in each such year. [78530]
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Mr Paterson: Comparable figures for my Department as it is now configured are not available before 12 April 2010 following the completion of devolution of policing and justice functions.
In line with the arrangements that apply across all Whitehall Departments, during the 2011-12 financial year 11 members of staff, earning a full-time equivalent salary of up to £21,000 received a pay increase of one incremental step on their pay scale or £250 if they were at their maximum and still earning below £21,000. The average increase was £397. There were also 62 members of staff who assimilated on to the Ministry of Justice pay scales in 2010-11 and three members of staff who assimilated on to the MOJ pay scales in 2011-12. This change forms part of the framework of the new arrangements that were put in place on 12 April 2010, as a consequence of the completion of devolution. The average increase in 2010-11 was £1,208 and £1,509 in 2011-12.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officials in his Department received a bonus in each year since 2007. [78533]
Mr Swire: Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available before 12 April 2010 following the completion of devolution of policing and justice functions.
During 2010-11, the Northern Ireland Office paid special bonuses to 39 members of staff in recognition of one-off exceptional pieces of work and/or for exceptional and sustained effort and results over a period of six months or more. The highest bonus paid to any member of staff was £750 and the average was £348.
Secondary Legislation
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) statutory instruments, (b) ministerial orders and (c) other pieces of secondary legislation were issued by his Department in (i) 1990, (ii) 1995, (iii) each year since 1999 and (iv) 2011 to date. [78518]
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010, the Northern Ireland Office transferred responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparative figures are not available prior to this date.
Since 12 April 2010 my Department has made 11 statutory instruments.
My Department issued no other secondary legislation (e. g. statutory rules) in the above period. The information relating to ministerial orders could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
Legal Opinion
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on (a) legal advice and (b) instructing counsel in (i) 2007, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) the first six months of 2011; how many times (A) his Department was taken to court and (B) a decision taken by his Department was subject to a judicial review; and what the outcome was of each such (1) case and (2) review. [78506]
8 Nov 2011 : Column 198W
Mr Paterson: On 12 April 2010, the Northern Ireland Office transferred responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly. Comparable figures are, therefore, not available for the Department as it is now configured prior to April 2010.
The Department receives support from the Home Office Legal Adviser's Branch (HOLAB) and from the Crown Solicitor's Office for Northern Ireland. It also receives occasional advice from other Government bodies, such as the Treasury Solicitor's Office (TSO).
During the financial year 2010-11 the Department spent £773,000 on legal costs arising from work undertaken by HOLAB and TSO. The costs for the first six months of the financial year 2011-12 are approximately £343,000. The costs of legal work undertaken by the Crown Solicitor's Office for Northern Ireland for 2010-11 was £147,000, and for 2011-12 was £51,000.
The Northern Ireland Office does not commission external legal advice itself, but in acting on behalf of the Department, these bodies will from time to time instruct counsel.
Since April 2010, the Department has been taken to court 11 times (including industrial tribunals and judicial reviews). The NIO was dismissed from three of these and the remaining cases are ongoing.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice commissioned by his Department in the first six months of 2011. [78524]
Mr Paterson: The Department receives legal support from a range of Government bodies, including the Treasury Solicitor's Office (TSOL), the Home Office Legal Advisor's Branch (HOLAB), the Departmental Solicitor's Office and the Crown Solicitor's Office.
The Northern Ireland Office does not commission external legal advice itself, but in acting on behalf of the Department, these bodies may from time to time instruct counsel.
The external costs for support from HOLAB during the first six months of the 2011-12 financial year are approximately £369,000. The costs for advice from TSOL for the first six months of the 2011-12 financial year were £32,568.
The costs of legal advice arising from work undertaken by the Crown Solicitor's Office for Northern Ireland in the financial year 2010-11 were £3,000 and in the first six months of 2011-12 were £2,000.
Work and Pensions
Attendance Allowance
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given of the length of the attendance allowance claim form. [78299]
Chris Grayling:
It is essential that all the right information is gathered at the start of a claim so the correct amount of benefit can be decided and paid with as little delay as possible. Claiming attendance allowance inevitably involves the customer or their representative answering detailed and sensitive questions about their personal circumstances,
8 Nov 2011 : Column 199W
this is unavoidable if help is to go to people who meet the entitlement conditions set by Parliament.
Carers: Grandparents
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial support is available from his Department for grandparents who are the primary carers of their grandchildren; whether any further support is planned during the next two years; and if he will make a statement. [78674]
Maria Miller: Grandparents who care for their grandchildren or other members of their family aged 12 or younger for 20 hours or more a week have been able to gain national insurance credits towards the basic state pension from April 2011.
Income support and jobseeker's allowance (income-based) can be claimed by any person, including grandparents, who has taken on responsibility for a child which is not their own. The exact amounts that they receive will depend upon the individual circumstances of each case. A single foster carer may also be entitled to income support for his or her own needs.
This general policy will be taken forward in universal credit. Working kinship carers will be able to claim the child care element in universal credit on the same basis as any other parent.
Local authority payments can also be made in particular circumstances.
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were employed by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission in the most recent period for which figures are available. [77657]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were employed by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission in the most recent period for which figures are available. [77657]
As at June 2011, the Child Maintenance and Enforcement commission employed 7,900 full time equivalent staff. This information is available on page 5 of the June 2011 Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS), which is available at the following link:
http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/pdf/qss/QSS_June_2011.pdf
and in the. House of Commons library.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Child Maintenance
Mr Evennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the total monetary value of outstanding child
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maintenance payments
(a)
due to resident parents and
(b)
owed by non-resident parents living in the London borough of Bexley. [77533]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the total monetary value of outstanding child maintenance payments (a) due to resident parents and (b) owed by non-resident parents living in the London Borough of Bexley. [77533]
As at June 2011, £13,677,000 in arrears was owed on cases where the parent with care is resident in Bexley. £7,742,000 of this is owed specifically to the parent with care with the remainder owed to the Secretary of State. Non-resident parents living in Bexley owed £13,555,000 in child maintenance arrears which comprises arrears owed both to the Secretary of State and parents with care. These outstanding maintenance arrears have accumulated since the Child Support Agency was established in 1993.
Further information by Local Authority is available on the internet at the following link:
http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/publications/xls/regional0611.xls
and in the House of Commons library.
These figures are arrears for cases administered on the Child Support Agency's computer systems, and are rounded to the nearest thousand pounds. It is not possible to break down arrears by Local Authority for cases managed off the Agency's computer system so these figures will not add up to the total reported in the Quarterly Summary of Statistics published in June 2011.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received on the methods used to calculate child maintenance payments to be paid by non-resident parents. [77540]
Maria Miller: I have received a number of representations on the methods used to calculate maintenance, and these have reflected a wide cross-section of personal circumstances. For example many non-resident parents express concern that the 2003 scheme rules take no account of the income of parents with care, while some parents with care believe that the maintenance calculation should take account of a higher proportion of a non-resident parent's income.
There are no plans to change the scheme rules of the Child Support Agency's two current schemes, but in our Green Paper “Strengthening families, promoting parental responsibility: the future of child maintenance”, published on 13 January 2011, we confirmed plans to introduce a single new child maintenance scheme from 2012. This new scheme will make use of income data from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
Detailed rules about the methods to calculate child maintenance in the new scheme will be contained in regulations which will be subject to public consultation
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before the new scheme goes live. The start of the consultation process will be publicly-announced in due course.
I and my officials have met, and will continue to meet, a number of organisations representing separated parents to discuss the way in which the new scheme will operate.
Construction: Jarrow
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of businesses in the construction industry in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the north-east and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. [79392]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated November 2011:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the number of businesses in the construction industry in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997. [79392]
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 Jarrow constituency, South Tyneside, the North East and the United Kingdom between 2000, the earliest year for which data are available, and 2011 for the construction sector.
| Count of VAT and/or PAYE registered enterprises in the construction sector, 2000-11 | ||||
| Number | ||||
|
|
Jarrow | South Tyneside | North-east | UK |
Departmental Assets
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assets with a value of £250,000 or more his Department has bought since May 2010; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement. [77374]
Chris Grayling: The DWP has acquired 36 assets costing more than £250,000 between 1 May 2010 and 31 October 2011 totalling approximately £202.2 million.
The assets all relate to software, IT development and software licences.
The largest purchase was the implementation of the first phase of the central payment system (CPS) at £73.8 million, which has modernised benefit payments.
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A further £44 million has been incurred for software development on the reassessment of incapacity benefit customers.
In addition, £48 million incurred on seven assets within a project to develop a single customer view which underpins the DWP Enquiry Service.
The remaining 27 assets have the following categorisation: 12 relate to software licences, two relate to IT and 13 to software development.
Freedom of Information Requests
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 his Department has received in each month since May 2010; how many responses given in each such month disclosed (a) the full information requested, (b) part of the information requested, with some information withheld under exemptions in the Act and (c) none of the information requested; and in respect of how many requests received in each such month (i) (A) substantive and (B) holding responses were issued within 20 working days of the date of receipt, (ii) no substantive response was issued within 40 working days of the date of receipt and (iii) no substantive response has yet been issued. [78900]
Chris Grayling: The Ministry of Justice publishes annual and quarterly reports containing statistical information on Freedom of Information requests received by monitored bodies, including central Government Departments.
The first two quarterly reports for 2011 can be found at the following address:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/foi/implementation-editions.htm
Annual and quarterly reports for 2010 and the annual statistics from 2005 can also be found at the following address:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/statistics-and-data/mojstats/2010%20Annual%20and%20Q4%20FOI%20bulletin%20vfinal.pdf
These reports include statistics on the number of non-routine requests received by this Department and the initial outcomes of these requests. It also contains the number of complaints to the Information Commissioner of which we have been notified, and the outcomes of these complaints.
In addition, copies of each report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in respect of how many responses to requests for information received by his Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the reason of (a) commercially sensitive information, (b) information not held, (c) information too costly to provide and (d) vexatious or repeated requests has been given in response since January 2010. [78901]
Chris Grayling: The Ministry of Justice publishes annual and quarterly reports containing statistical information on Freedom of Information requests received by monitored bodies, including central Government Departments.
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The first two quarterly reports for 2011 can be found at the following address:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/foi/implementation-editions.htm
Annual and quarterly reports for 2010 and the annual statistics from 2005 can be found at the following address:.
http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/publications/statistics-and-data/mojstats/2010%20Annual%20and%20Q4% 20FOI%20bulletin%20vfinal.pdf
These reports include statistics on the number of non-routine requests received by the DWP and the initial outcomes of these requests. It also contains the number of exemptions used for commercially sensitive information, information not held, too costly to provide and vexatious or repeated requests.
In addition, copies of each report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The quarter three statistics for 2011 are currently being collected and will be published in due course.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Minister in his Department is responsible for determining whether exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should apply to responses to requests for information made under the Act; and which other Minister is responsible for making such determinations should the subject matter of the request fall within the Ministerial responsibilities of the Minister with lead responsibility. [78902]
Chris Grayling: Departmental officials normally determine whether exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 should apply to responses to requests for information under the Act.
However, the exemption under section 36 (prejudice to the effective conduct of public affairs) can only apply if it is the reasonable opinion of a qualified person that the exemption is engaged. In relation to information held by a Government Department like the DWP the qualified person must be a Minister.
In such instances officials normally seek the opinion of the Minister responsible for the relevant subject matter.
Legal Opinion
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of (a) internal and (b) external legal advice commissioned by his Department in the first six months of 2011. [78066]
Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
(a) The cost of the internal legal services section for the period for the first six months of the financial year is £4.9 million. These are made up of salary costs for lawyers and support staff, plus other costs e.g. training and travel, but do not include departmental overheads e.g. accommodation and IT.
(b) DWP does not hold information in the format requested in relation to expenditure on external legal advice commissioned across the whole of DWP. We could provide the information only at disproportionate cost.
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We are able to advise that expenditure on external legal services, commissioned by DWP's internal legal services section for the same period was £2.0 million(1).
External legal advice is commissioned for a variety of reasons. These include the need for specialist advice in areas where relevant expertise does not exist within internal legal services, and particularly complex or important matters where counsel's view may be sought to complement internally produced legal advice.
(1) Expenditure on external legal services comprises a range of payments, including payments to meet other sides' costs, where these are required to be paid as a result of litigation; payments made to counsel from the Attorney-General's approved list for prosecutions, litigation or advisory services; and payments to local agent solicitors for prosecutions, some civil litigation and other occasional work. It does not however include information about legal services provided to DWP pursuant to outsourced arrangements. A more detailed breakdown of this expenditure could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on (a) legal advice and (b) instructing counsel in (i) 2007, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) the first six months of 2011; how many times (A) his Department was taken to court and (B) a decision taken by his Department was subject to a judicial review; and what the outcome was of each such (1) case and (2) review. [78095]
Chris Grayling: DWP does not hold information in the format requested in relation to all of the DWP's expenditure on external legal advice. We could provide the information only at disproportionate cost. The information we do readily hold on expenditure on external legal services includes information about expenditure on instructing counsel.
The DWP's expenditure on external legal services(1), commissioned by its legal department, in the financial years 2005-06 to September 2011 is set out in the following table.
(1) Expenditure on external legal services comprises a range of payments, including payments to meet other sides' costs, where these are required to be paid as a result of litigation; payments made to counsel from the Attorney-General's approved list for prosecutions, litigation or advisory services; and payments to local agent solicitors for prosecutions, some civil litigation and other occasional work. It does not however include information about legal services provided to DWP pursuant to outsourced arrangements. A more detailed breakdown of DWP's expenditure on external legal services could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Expenditure on external legal services
| Expenditure | |
| Financial year | Total spend (£ million) |
| (1 )April to September 2011. | |
The number of files that the litigation division of the DWP opened relating to judicial review and other cases is detailed in the following table, for each year from 2008 to the end of June 2011. Not all of these cases will have resulted in legal proceedings being issued as they
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may have been resolved before that stage. A more detailed breakdown of whether a case resulted in legal proceedings and the outcome of any such cases could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| Number | ||
|
|
Judicial review | Other (1) |
| (1) Some cases which originated as judicial review cases but have subsequently been appealed to the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords) may have been included as “Other” cases. It is also possible that some cases involving human rights claims may have been included as “Other” cases even though they were judicial review cases. In each case this is because it would result in disproportionate cost to determine whether the cases were or were not JR cases. | ||
NDPBs
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many officials were (a) directly and (b) otherwise employed by non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible (i) in 2000, (ii) in 2005, (iii) in 2007, (iv) in 2010 and (v) on the most recent date for which figures are available. [78120]
Chris Grayling: The figures of civil servants employed directly and otherwise within non-departmental public bodies for which this Department is responsible are shown in the following table:
|
|
Dates of information | Total number of civil servants (in full-time equivalent) |
|
Number of civil servants otherwise employed by NDPBs, e.g. secondment, loan |
||
Departmental Publications
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of changing from use of the term “customer” to the term “client” in guidance and documentation issued by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [79364]
Chris Grayling: Changing the term “customer” to “claimant” was done at no additional cost. Any changes to documents or guidance were implemented when the guidance was due to be updated.
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Disability Allowance
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the cost was to the public purse of severe disablement allowance payments due to a main disabling condition of chronic pain in each local authority area in the last year for which figures are available; [78003]
(2) how many people received severe disablement allowance due to a main disabling condition of chronic pain in each local authority area in the last year for which figures are available. [78004]
Maria Miller: The information as requested is not available.
The term “chronic pain” is a general one that refers to persistent pain lasting anywhere from three to six months, therefore chronic pain can be a result of a large number of diagnoses that cause pain. The medical condition of severe disablement allowance claimants is recorded using a grouped version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD10), and the only codes that specifically indicate chronic pain are those for ‘Chronic intractable pain’ and ‘Other chronic pain’, both of which come under the general heading of ‘Pain not elsewhere classified’.
Figures for ‘Pain not elsewhere classified’ are provided in the following table; however, this is unlikely to be an accurate reflection of those individuals with chronic pain. The cost to the public purse cannot be calculated because the numbers are too small to quote for severe disablement allowance with this medical code by local authority.
The following table shows the number of severe disablement allowance claimants in Great Britain and abroad, May 2010 to February 2011
|
|
All diagnoses | Pain not elsewhere classified |
| Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. To qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work called a personal capability assessment. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study | ||
Under the employment support allowance regime, new claimants have to undergo the work capability assessment. From April 2011 incapacity benefit recipients will begin also to undertake this assessment. The medical condition recorded on the claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefit or employment support allowance. So, for example, a decision on entitlement for a customer claiming incapacity benefit on the basis of alcoholism would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities related to physical and mental function, assessed by the personal/work capability assessment.
Driving: Disabled
Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost per individual is of providing specially adapted motor vehicles for disabled drivers. [76272]
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Maria Miller: The Department works closely with Motability but it is an independent charity and is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability Scheme. Support for vehicle adaptations is provided through Motability's own charitable fund or the Specialised Vehicles Fund, which Motability administers on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The average contribution to the cost of adapted vehicles from the Specialised Vehicle Fund in 2010-11 is contained in the following table. This contribution is in addition to the disabled person's higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance being committed to a five year lease through the Motability Scheme.
| Average Specialised Vehicles Fund contribution in 2010-11 | ||
| Adaptation | Number of vehicles | Average Specialised Vehicle Fund contribution (£) |
| Note: The Specialised Vehicles Fund primarily provides financial assistance to those severely disabled scheme customers who require complex vehicle adaptations that allow them to enter a car as a passenger while remaining seated in their wheelchair or enables them to drive their car while seated in their wheelchair. | ||
Employment and Support Allowance
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 October 2011, Official Report, columns 426-7W, on the employment and support allowance, how much arising from personal and occupational pensions was disregarded for the purpose of calculating contributory employment support allowance entitlement in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement. [79127]
Chris Grayling: The disregard for occupational and personal pension income was introduced in 2001 for incapacity benefit claims. The disregard is £85.00 per week plus half any excess. The same disregard was introduced into contributory employment and support allowance in October 2008, when it replaced incapacity benefit. The value of the disregard remains unchanged since its inception.
Employment Schemes
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unemployed people have become self-employed through the use of enterprise clubs since April 2011. [78578]
Chris Grayling: The Department does not publish statistics on the numbers of people who have become self-employed through the use of enterprise clubs. Enterprise clubs are a locally driven initiative and their support can be accessed without referral from Jobcentre Plus.
Employment Schemes: Young People
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how much his Department has spent on the Supporting Youth Employment scheme to date; [79155]
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(2) how many people have secured employment under the Supporting Youth Employment scheme. [79154]
Chris Grayling: The Department does not recognise the Supporting Youth Employment scheme, therefore the information requested is not available.
Employment: Electronic Government
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has considered increasing the capacity of the Directgov online jobs search to handle more users. [79305]
Chris Grayling: The Directgov job search has been built as a scalable solution. Usage is constantly monitored and any increased capacity requirements will be facilitated by increasing the amount of hardware required in support of the service.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons users of the Directgov online jobs search cannot search beyond a 15-mile radius of the user under the category all jobs; and if he will consider expanding the job search radius. [79306]
Chris Grayling: The Directgov vacancy database, supplied by the Department for Work and Pensions, holds approximately 115,000 vacancies at any one time with vacancy data updated daily. Such a significant amount of data processing requires a number of search constraints in order to protect service integrity.
Searches for ‘all jobs' are very popular and will usually return the current maximum of 250 vacancies that the service can display; in addition such search requests have been limited to a 15 mile search radius.
In response to customer feedback, a number of service improvements are currently being considered, including the maximum number of vacancies displayed and an increase to the radius search area.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unique users visited the Directgov online jobs search page in each of the last 36 months for which figures are available. [79311]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available. The system measures individual search sessions, so a unique user may search 10 times a day. This will be recorded as 10 sessions. The following tables offers user session information that is available:
| November 2008 to October 2009 | |
| Month | User sessions |
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| November 2009 to October 2010 | |
| Month | User sessions |
| November 2010 to October 2011 | |
| Month | User sessions |
| Source: Speedtrap and Webtrends Analytics tools | |
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many simultaneous unique users the Directgov online jobs search system is capable of handling. [79312]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available. The system capacity is not measurable in terms of numbers of simultaneous unique users.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unique users he expects to visit the Directgov online jobs search in the next year. [79313]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available. The Directgov job search system records user sessions, rather than unique users.
Incapacity Benefits
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on the number of letters sent to incapacity benefit claimants informing them that their reassessment was about to commence in each week since the beginning of February 2011. [79526]
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Chris Grayling: Between 28 February 2011 and 3 April 2011 my Department issued 1,000 letters each week to incapacity benefit claimants informing them that their reassessment was about to commence. This figure increased to 7,210 a week from 4 April 2011 and since 5 May 2011 the Department has issued 11,005 letters each week. This will continue until the 27 December 2013.
Income Support
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of those in receipt of income support who have never been in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment. [78302]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Income Support: Lone Parents
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the likely number of lone parents claiming income support in each of the next three years. [78303]
Chris Grayling: We estimate that the number of lone parents claiming income support in the next three years, with the current year for comparison, will be:
|
|
Number |
| Note: Figures include all lone parents who claim income support including those who are claiming on grounds of incapacity for work, being a carer, or other reasons. Source: Budget 2011 forecasts | |
1. The lone parent obligation reducing from age of youngest child seven to age five meaning more lone parents will be seeking work and able to access sustainable employment.
2. Reassessment of those on incapacity benefit. Income support can be paid in addition to incapacity benefit but not in addition to employment and support allowance.
Pay: Pensions
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations his Department has received on the restoration of the link between salaries and pensions. [78645]
Steve Webb: We are regularly engaged in discussion with stakeholders about the pensions system and pensions reform.
The Government met their commitment to restore the earnings link with the basic state pension. When the earnings link was broken, the basic state pension was 26% of average earnings. By 2009 it was 16%. The restoration of the earnings link will halt this decline.
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The Government have given a triple guarantee that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of growth in average earnings, prices or 2.5%. This will help provide a more solid financial foundation for pensioners from the state.
Personal Independence Payments
Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2011, Official Report, columns 12-13, on personal independence payments, what criteria his Department will use to determine sufficient evidence. [77255]
Maria Miller: When providing advice for personal independence payment, trained independent assessors will consider individuals' ability to carry out a series of key everyday activities, set out in regulations. This advice will inform decisions on benefit entitlement, taken by departmental decision makers who are ultimately responsible for ensuring appropriate evidence has been obtained and taken into consideration.
Assessors will need to ensure that they have sufficient evidence on which to base their advice. This evidence will be gathered from a range of sources, partly provided by the claimant and the remainder requested by the assessor. In most cases we envisage that this will also involve information gathered from a face-to-face consultation between the claimant and the assessor. However, such consultations may not always be necessary or appropriate, especially where there is already sufficient evidence available, such as from the claimant themselves or from individuals involved in supporting the claimant, such as their GP, specialist or social worker. Decisions on whether sufficient evidence has been gathered will be based on the circumstances of the case and guidance will be provided to support such decisions. The assessment criteria for the benefit are still being developed.
Social Security Benefits
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to encourage people to take up their benefit entitlement. [78647]
Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 15 November 2010, Official Report column 586W.
From October 2013, however, universal credit will provide a new single system of means-tested support for working-age people who are in or out of work. Existing means-tested benefits will no longer be needed. These include income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment and support allowance, income support, working tax credit, child tax credit and housing benefit. As a result people will be better placed to find out what benefits they can get.
State Retirement Pensions: Carers
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people drawing a state pension are carers. [79523]
Steve Webb: In 2009-10 there were an estimated 1.2 million people who were in receipt of state pension and who identified themselves as informal carers.
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Notes:
1. This estimate is derived from the Family Resources Survey, which is a nationally representative sample of approximately 25,000 UK private households. Data for 2009-10, the latest year available, were collected between April 2009 and March 2010.
2. The 2009-10 Family Resources Survey estimated that due to under-reporting the number of state pension recipients derived from the survey was 4% less than the number of actual recipients of state pension so the estimates presented should be treated with caution.
3. The figures from the Family Resources Survey are based on a sample of households which have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the Family Resources Survey to Government Office Region population by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining non-response error.
4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100,000.
5. Informal carers are individuals who provide any regular service or help to someone in or outside of their household who is sick, disabled or elderly, those who give this help as part of a formal job are excluded from this definition. The definition used is not dependent on receipt of a carer's benefit.
State Retirement Pensions: Public Expenditure
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of uprating (a) the state pension and (b) benefits at a consumer prices index level of (i) 2.5 per cent., (ii) 3 per cent., (iii) 3.1 per cent., (iv) 3.5 per cent., (v) 4 per cent., (vi) 4.5 per cent., (vii) 4.6 per cent., (viii) 4.9 per cent. and (ix) 5.1 per cent. in 2012-13; and if he will estimate the average change in the level of payments of uprating at each level on (A) women and (B) men in each income decile in receipt of such pensions and benefits. [79622]
Steve Webb: The information requested is provided in the following table for (a) the state pension and (b) benefits. The table shows the cost of increasing the benefits, by the given rate in April 2012 compared to a baseline of no uprating in April 2012. 'Other benefits' only includes those benefits uprated by CPI. It therefore excludes pension credit as the standard minimum guarantee is uprated by average earnings.
These costs are indicative only. Actual costs will be dependent on increases in benefit rates in April 2012. Proposed benefit rates will be announced to Parliament by ministerial statement later in the autumn.
| Cost of up-rating for 2012-13 | |||
| £ billion, 2011-12 prices | |||
| Rate | State pension | Other benefits | Total |
| Notes: 1. The costing is based on DWP budget 2011 case load forecasts. 2. ‘State pension' includes basic state pension up-rated with the triple lock policy, additional pension and graduated retirement pension. 3. ‘Other benefits' refers to working age benefits including, income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit maternity allowances and statutory sick pay, and also housing benefits and disability benefits. Pension credit is excluded. 4. Totals may not sum due to rounding. | |||
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We are unable to estimate the average change in the level of payments of up-rating at each level on (A) women and (B) men in each income decile in receipt of such pensions and benefits. This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
Tax Credit
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made on the potential effect of child and working age poverty of his proposal to increase the hours threshold for tax credit entitlement to 24 hours per week. [79175]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
The Government have published their analysis of the cumulative impacts of their policies where they can robustly model them. The most recent analysis can be found in the annex to Budget 2011:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_complete.pdf
Universal Credit
Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, further to his Department's impact assessment on universal credit, how many people were simultaneously working more than 30 hours per week, receiving working tax credit and not in receipt of housing benefit (a) in each of the last two years and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [77267]
Chris Grayling: According to the Family Resources Survey for both 2008-09 and 2009-10 there were estimated to be 1 million benefit units with an adult working more than 30 hours a week, where the benefit unit was receiving working tax credit and not receiving housing benefit. 2009-10 is the latest year for which data are available.
Notes:
1. The Family Resources Survey (FRS) is a nationally representative sample of approximately 25,000 UK private households. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining non-response error. The FRS is known to under-record benefit receipt so the estimates presented should be treated with caution.
2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100,000.
3. A benefit unit is defined as a single adult or a married or cohabiting couple and dependent children.
4. Housing benefit receipt is recorded at a benefit unit level on the FRS. This analysis is therefore only possible at a benefit unit level.
Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions further to his Department's impact assessment on universal credit, how many people will be affected by the removal of the rule that allows an individual to claim simultaneously both a disability and a carer premium. [77268]
Chris Grayling: The Department is removing the current overlapping provision that allows people to receive both a disability addition and a carer element. However, as now, couples could get a disability addition for one member and the carer element for the other partner.
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Once universal credit is fully implemented we estimate that around 100,000 people will be affected by the removal of the rule that allows an individual to receive both additions.
There will be a package of transitional protection for existing claimants to ensure no cash losers as a result of the move to universal credit, where circumstances remain unchanged.
Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions further to his Department's impact assessment on universal credit, how many couples at the latest date for which figures are available comprised one member of working-age and one member eligible for pension credit. [77269]
Steve Webb: The information available is set out in the table. This provides the number of couples in receipt of income replacement benefits administered by the Department of Work and Pensions.
| Number of couples receiving income replacement benefits at February 2011 with one member of working age and one eligible for pension credit | ||
| Benefit type | Claimant over 60 partner under 60 | Claimant under 60 partner over 60 |
| Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. The figures assume that pension credit is available when one partner reaches age 60. However, the qualifying age for pension credit is increasing in line with the increase in women's state pension age. At February 2011 the qualifying age for pension credit was between 60 and four months and 60 and five months. Current data do not allow analysis that takes account of the increase in qualifying age. 3. Jobseeker's allowance is payable until state pension age. Income support is payable until a person reaches the pension credit qualifying age, so these data include those who are over 60 who have not yet reached the pension credit qualifying age. 4. Data are not available for partners of employment and support allowance or incapacity benefit claimants. 5. The best statistics on benefits are now derived from 100% data sources. However the 5% sample data still provide some detail not yet available from the 100% data sources. The proportions from the 5% sample data have been used and applied to the overall 100% total for the benefit to determine the total number of couples. 6. Figures are not available for couples who may be entitled to this support, but do not claim it. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5% sample | ||