Hospitals: Dorset
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when each of the wards currently empty at Christchurch Hospital was constructed; and what the cost of building each such ward was; [137244]
(2) how many (a) wards and (b) beds at Christchurch Hospital are currently closed; and whether contingency plans are in place to make use of these in the event of winter pressure on beds at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. [137245]
Dr Poulter: These are matters for the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
We have written to the trust's Chair, Jane Stichbury, informing her of your inquiries. She will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Poole Hospital Foundation Trust on the invitation of application to become public governors before a decision has been made by the Competition Commission on the proposed merger of those bodies. [137247]
Dr Poulter: The Department has not issued any guidance on this matter to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
We are advised that Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts, issued guidance on this issue to the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals Foundation Trust and the Poole Hospital Foundation Trust in November 2011. This guidance was based on a document entitled “Applying for a Merger involving an NHS Foundation Trust: Guide for Applicants” which was published by Monitor in July 2006 and is available on Monitor's website at:
www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Merger_guide_0.pdf
In Vitro Fertilisation
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how local provision of IVF treatment will be measured on future NHS innovation scorecards. [137196]
Dr Poulter: The publication of an innovation scorecard is a commitment in the NHS chief executive's report Innovation Health and Wealth (IHW).
It aims to drive national health service compliance with National Institute for Health and Clinical (NICE) technology appraisals, which include medicines and medical technologies, by publishing levels of compliance at a local level.
The innovation scorecard will help the NHS identify gaps in compliance, which can then be justified, challenged or acted upon. The innovation scorecard is predicated on those technologies where a NICE technology appraisal exists. As there are clinical guidelines from NICE on the use of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) but no technology appraisals relating to IVF, future innovation scorecards will not include IVF.
Mental Illness: Tower Hamlets
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people living in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency and (b) Tower Hamlets were treated for mental illness in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12. [136608]
Norman Lamb: The information is not available in the format requested. A total of 7,238 people accessed secondary mental health care services in Tower Hamlets in 2010-11. Figures for 2011-12 are not yet available. Figures for patients who accessed primary mental health care services are not available.
Data source:
Mental Health Minimum Dataset 2010/11, Health and Social Care Information Centre
Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any investigation into whether the use of nabiximols could lead to dependency was undertaken prior to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's licensing of nabiximols as a prescription-only medicine for the treatment of spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. [137049]
Norman Lamb: Prior to the licensing of Sativex (also known as nabiximols) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), as part of its assessment, considered the areas of tolerance, withdrawal, rebound, addiction (dependency) and abuse potential before reaching the overall conclusion that the balance of benefit-risk was positive based on data submitted in support of the marketing authorisation application. This is documented through information in the public domain, namely the UK Public Assessment Report for Sativex which is available on the MHRA website at:
www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/par/documents/websiteresources/con084961.pdf
and also within sections 4.4 and 5.1 of the published Summary of Product Characteristics for the product. A marketing authorisation for Sativex was issued on 16 June 2010.
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The longer term safety of the use of Sativex in routine clinical practice is closely monitored by the MHRA in conjunction with other European regulatory authorities. As new data emerges it is carefully evaluated by the MHRA and where necessary current prescribing advice is updated to reflect the new evidence.
NHS: Research
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to support the NHS Commissioning Board in its duty to promote research. [137036]
Dr Poulter: In the Government's mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board, we set an objective for the board to ensure that the new commissioning system promotes and supports participation by national health service organisations and NHS patients in research funded by both commercial and non-commercial organisations, most importantly to improve patient outcomes, but also to contribute to economic growth. This includes ensuring payment of treatment costs for NHS patients taking part in research funded by Government and Research Charity partner organisations.
Prostate Cancer
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what incentives he plans to offer to academics, funding bodies and other professionals to promote study into prostate cancer in black and minority ethnic communities; and if he will make a statement. [136440]
Dr Poulter: The Department has funded the Prostate Cancer in Ethnic Subgroups study led by the university of Bristol and papers based on the results of this research have been published in several peer-reviewed journals.
The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including prostate cancer in black and minority ethnic groups. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.
The NIHR supports and incentivises health care professionals to undertake research in a number of ways.
The NIHR Clinical Research Networks aim to ensure health care professionals and patients from all parts of the country are able to participate in and benefit from clinical research.
The Comprehensive Clinical Research Network funds the sessions of clinical consultants spent on non-commercial trials and studies supported by the network. The Clinical Research Networks allocate and manage funding to meet the NHS service support costs for eligible studies sponsored by non-commercial research funders.
Through its training and career development programmes, the NIHR supports health care professionals at all stages of their career: integrated clinical and academic training; doctoral training; postdoctoral training; and more senior awards. The prestigious NIHR Senior Investigator award provides an additional incentive for the country's most outstanding clinical researchers.
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The NIHR Research Design Service offers advice and support on research design and methodology to researchers making funding applications and doing research within the health research system.
Schizophrenia
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the results of the 2012 National Audit of Schizophrenia published in December 2012 by the Royal College of Psychiatrists; and if he will make a statement; [136952]
(2) what plans he has to implement the 42 recommendations made by the Schizophrenia Commission Report. [136964]
Norman Lamb: The Department welcomes the 2012 National Audit of Schizophrenia and the report from the Schizophrenia Commission. Improving mental health services (including services for people with severe mental illness) is a key priority for this Government, and we have made it clear, through the Secretary of State for Health's mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board, that we expect mental and physical conditions to be treated in a co-ordinated way, and with equal priority. The mandate sets the NHS Commissioning Board the objective of putting mental health on a par with physical health and closing the health gap between people with mental health problems and the population as a whole.
Both reports include a focus on the physical health of people with schizophrenia. Improving the physical health of people with mental health problems, including severe mental illness, is one of the six objectives of the Government's mental health strategy. The strategy's implementation framework (published in July 2012) sets out specific actions which a wide range of local organisations can take to improve the physical health of people with mental health problems.
The NHS outcomes framework for 2013-14 sets out how the national health service will be held to account for the outcomes it delivers. The framework includes an indicator (indicator 1.5) of the excess under-75 mortality rate in adults with serious mental illness.
Improvements to this indicator will only be possible by improving the care which people with severe mental illness receive to improve their physical health, and to treat physical health problems.
On 18 December 2012, following the reports from the Schizophrenia Commission and the National Audit, I convened a roundtable meeting with a number of leading stakeholders from health, social care and third sectors to establish how to improve care for people with schizophrenia. At that meeting a number of areas for improvement were identified and the group will be reconvening again later this year in order to update on progress.
Social Enterprises
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on plans to introduce social enterprise zones; and if he will make a statement. [137429]
Norman Lamb: The Department has had no discussions on social enterprise zones with the Cabinet Office to date.
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Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the efficiency savings made by Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 have been reallocated to frontline services. [136607]
Dr Poulter: The national health service is managed locally and it is for individual primary care trusts to determine how best to use their budgets to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking into account local and national priorities.
The Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) challenge describes the need for the NHS to identify up to £20 billion of efficiency savings, to reinvest in meeting the demands of an ageing population, and the increased cost of drugs, and medical technologies. QIPP is a locally led initiative. The design and
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implementation of efficiency plans aim to provide high quality, financially sustainable services that deliver good outcomes, meeting local patient needs.
Work and Pensions
Access to Work Programme
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Access to Work grants were allocated in (a) the Wirral, (b) Merseyside, (c) England and (d) the UK in each of the last 10 financial years. [136362]
Mr Hoban: The following table shows the number of individuals assisted by the programme in the areas in question for the previous five financial years. Data for earlier periods is not available.
| Number of individuals helped by Access to Work each financial year | |||||
| Area | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
Data Protection
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions each Minister in his Department carried classified documents on public transport in the last 12 months for which information is available. [137102]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not held by this Department.
Disability Living Allowance: Medical Examinations
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether patients' notes are taken into consideration when Atos is assessing eligibility for disability living allowance. [137396]
Esther McVey: Atos Healthcare does not assess eligibility for disability living allowance. Atos Healthcare act in an advisory capacity and all decisions on entitlement to benefit are made by DWP decision makers.
To assist DWP in assessing eligibility for disability living allowance, decision makers can request support from Atos Healthcare for a face to face assessment or for an explanation/clarification of medical evidence already held. In both cases the decision maker may raise specific questions or request advice which contains information/diagnosis taken from other medical evidence that the decision maker holds.
In making a decision on benefit entitlement a departmental decision maker will consider all available evidence, including the Atos Healthcare medical assessment report or advice and any evidence provided by the claimant's GP or other clinician.
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether successful claimants on appeal against an Atos decision not to award disability living allowance receive back payments of that benefit. [137398]
Esther McVey: The decision to allow or disallow a disability living allowance claim is made by decision makers who are DWP staff and not Atos. They do this by having regard to a range of evidence, guidance and advice which is likely to include material from Atos. Where a decision is overturned on appeal, unless the tribunal's decision is to be challenged in respect of its legal correctness or the decision is incomplete, arrears of any benefit owed is paid to the claimant or their representative as quickly as possible.
Employment and Support Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he proposes that the weekly prescribed amount in employment and support allowance will be uprated in different ways for people in the (a) support group and (b) work-related activity group; and if he will make a statement. [137051]
Steve Webb: The main rate of employment and support allowance (ESA) and the work-related activity group component of ESA are to be increased by 1% for each of the next three years. We will provide additional protection to those in the support group, who are less likely to be able to increase their income by moving into work. The support group component will therefore be uprated with regard to the increase in prices, as is currently the case.
Sheila Gilmore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants were reassessed for employment and support allowance (ESA) in each month between February
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2011 and June 2012; how many such people were subsequently awarded ESA; how many such people were declared fit for work; of those declared fit for work, how many appealed their decision; and of those who appealed their decision, how many appeals
(a)
were refused and
(b)
were upheld. [137368]
Mr Hoban: The Department regularly publishes Official Statistics on incapacity benefits reassessment (IBR). The latest publication released in November 2012 provides the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) outcomes for all claimants referred for reassessment up to the end of February 2012. The publication is available here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_ibr
Information on appeals against IBR outcomes is not available.
Employment Schemes: Mental Illness
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2013, Official Report, column 199W, on long-term unemployed people: mental health, how many and what proportion of people were treated for mental health issues under (a) Access to Work and (b) Work Choice (i) in total and (ii) in each parliamentary constituency in each year for which data is available. [137040]
Esther McVey: Access to Work and Work Choice do not provide treatment for mental health issues. They provide help for disabled people to gain or stay in a job. The following tables show:
| 1. Number of individuals helped by the Access to Work programme in each financial year between 1 April 2007 and 30 June 2012, whose primary medical condition was a mental health problem(1) | |
| Primary medical condition—mental health condition | |
| Number | |
| (1) Source—Access to Work database. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. | |
| 2. Number of Work Choice programme starts in each financial year between 25 October 2010 and 30 September 2012, whose primary medical condition was a severe mental illness or a mild to moderate mental health condition(1) | |
| Primary medical condition—severe mental illness or mild to moderate mental health condition | |
| Number | |
| (1) Source—Work Choice database. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Work Choice information is extracted from the Labour Market System (LMS). The functionality to record an individuals Primary Disability on LMS was not available until 3 May 2011. Therefore the Primary Disability of individuals referred to Work Choice prior to 3 May 2011 is unknown. | |
Work Choice and Access to Work data are rounded to the nearest 10 to avoid disclosing information about individuals. Numbers smaller than 10 are suppressed. This means that data on specific conditions are not reportable at parliamentary constituency level.
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Guaranteed Minimum Pensions
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will publish draft legislation to equalise guaranteed minimum pensions between the sexes. [136912]
Steve Webb: On 20 January 2012, DWP published a consultation on draft legislation for pension schemes that are required to equalise guaranteed minimum pensions to reflect the European law position on equal treatment of men and women as it applies in the field of occupational pensions.
DWP is still in the process of considering the responses to that consultation, whether any alternative methods to equalisation should be considered, and whether any amendments should be made before the legislation is laid before Parliament.
DWP will provide further information on its response to the consultation in due course.
Housing Benefit
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effect of housing benefit changes on (a) elderly people and (b) those with health problems who are unable to share a bedroom. [136466]
Steve Webb: Equality impact assessments on all the housing benefit changes have been published and these set out the impacts on different groups.
The under-occupation measure being introduced into the social sector from April does not apply to those over state pension age. Otherwise the size criteria allow one bedroom for a couple and take no account of individual circumstances. Claimants can apply to be considered for a discretionary housing payment in circumstances where sharing a room is not possible.
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effect of housing benefit changes on those in designated over-50s accommodation. [136467]
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households whose income will be reduced by the application of the under-occupation penalty in (a) each parliamentary constituency and (b) each local authority area. [136958]
Steve Webb: The information is not available at local authority and parliamentary constituency level.
Estimates of numbers affected by the under-occupation measure at national and regional level are available in the impact assessment:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department made of the ability of tenants to manage their housing benefit budget; and if he will consider making it easier for local authorities to pay housing benefit direct to landlords. [137365]
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Steve Webb: Local authorities have discretion to pay housing benefit direct to a claimant's landlord in any case they deem appropriate.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what regulatory mechanism he will implement his policy of uprating local housing allowance by 1% in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16. [137431]
Steve Webb: Local housing allowance rates are set by rent officers, under regulations set out in the Rent Officer (Housing Benefit Functions) Order. A separate Rent Officers (Universal Credit Functions) Order was published on 10 December.
We intend that in 2014-15 and 2015-16, local housing allowance rates will generally continue to be set by the rent officer, at the lower of the 30th percentile of market rents or the previous LHA rate increased by 1%.
Housing Benefit: Young People
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 25 years or under claimed housing benefit; and what the total cost was of such claims in each of the last four years. [135928]
Steve Webb: The requested information is in the following table:
| Housing benefit caseload and annual expenditure for claimants aged 25 and under since 2008 | ||
| Caseload | Expenditure for financial year (£ million) | |
| Notes: 1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. Caseload figures are rounded to 10. 3. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 4. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data is available monthly from November 2008 and August 2012 is the most recent available. 5. Age is based on the age on the count date (second Thursday in the month), of either: (a) the recipient if they are single, or (b) the elder of the recipient or partner if claiming as a couple 6. Expenditure information for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 has been calculated using four quarterly data points. 7. November 2008 has been used for 2008-09 as it is the first dataset available and most representative of the year as a whole. 8. Expenditure information is consistent with published expenditure tables, which can be found at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/h_tables_autumn_2012_211212.xls Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) | ||
Natural Gas: Storage
Mr O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment the Health and Safety Executive has made of risk to underground miners at Winsford salt mine arising from the Stublach Gas Storage Project. [137436]
Mr Hoban:
The Health and Safety Executive has reviewed the pre-construction safety report for this development and concluded that the developers have made appropriate demonstrations relating to the prevention of gas escaping from the caverns. By ensuring the
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integrity of the caverns, all people including those working in the mine should be protected. HSE is currently reviewing the pre-operation safety report prior to the site being brought into use.
Mr O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) required the developer of the Stublach Gas Storage Project to supply technical studies and assessments to ensure that there will be no leakage of natural gas into the nearby Winsford Rock Salt Mine via geological pathways; and if he will direct the HSE to publish any such studies and assessments. [137437]
Mr Hoban: The pre-construction safety report included a demonstration of the structural integrity of the caverns. In a written answer, 28 November 2001, Official Report, columns 947-48W, the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions directed that full safety reports should be excluded from public registers on security grounds.
When an application is made under the Environmental Information Regulations for information regarding a specific safety report, material is supplied subject to redaction to remove sensitive material.
If further information regarding geological issues is provided as part of the pre-operation safety report or at any other stage, this will be releasable, subject to any necessary security redactions.
Mr O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what factors the Health and Safety Executive took into consideration in its assessment of the Stublach Gas Storage Project March 2007 Pre-Construction Safety Report; and whether those factors included the potential health and safety risks to underground miners of natural gas migrating into the nearby Winsford Rock Salt Mine. [137438]
Mr Hoban: A key factor within the pre-construction health and safety report and assessed by HSE was a demonstration of the structural integrity of the caverns and ensuring they should be capable of containing the gas effectively. Storengy's demonstration of the integrity of the caverns is central to ensuring that those both on and off site, including working in the nearby mine and members of the public in the local vicinity, are protected.
Mr O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will direct the Health and Safety Executive to publish the complete underlying data of geological and testing work it has carried out in respect of the Stublach Gas Storage Project. [137439]
Mr Hoban: I am satisfied that the Health and Safety Executive has made and will continue to make available all information that it is empowered to release in answering requests under the Environmental Information Regulations. Operators are required to demonstrate that they have taken adequate precautions to control risk and to undertake any necessary surveys to support their demonstration. The Health and Safety Executive assesses the adequacy of demonstrations made by the operator. It has not commissioned geological surveys.
Mr O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of whether the Health and Safety Executive has fulfilled its
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statutory duties and complied with its other responsibilities with regard to potential health and safety problems arising from the Stublach Gas Storage Project. [137440]
Mr Hoban: The approach being taken to the assessment of the pre-operational safety report was subject to a full judicial review in June 2012. The review concluded that the Health and Safety Executive was applying the regulations appropriately and no directions were made.
Occupational Pensions
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the potential effect on public finances of salary sacrifice schemes where families earning over £150,000 can reduce their tax liability by redirecting pay into workplace pension pots. [136557]
Sajid Javid: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
The information is not available.
Pay
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to increase wages each year. [136589]
Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
For the lowest paid workers, the Government's aim is to have a minimum wage rate that helps as many low-paid workers as possible, while making sure that we do not damage their employment prospects by setting it too high. In addition to the minimum wage, the Government are doing everything they can to help all working people on low pay with the cost of living. That is why we are cutting income tax for the low paid and taking 2.2 million people out of tax altogether.
The Government support the living wage and encourage businesses to take it up where possible. However, the decision on what wages to set are for employers and workers.
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with trade unions on wages. [136590]
Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Ministers and officials meet regularly with trade unions on a wide range of issues. However, neither the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), nor other Ministers in the Department have had any recent discussions with trade unions specifically on wages. The decision on what wages are set is a matter for employers and workers.
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider setting a target for wage increases in the private sector over the next five years. [136591]
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Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Government have no such plans. The decision on what wages are set are for employers and workers.
For the lowest paid workers, the Government's aim is to have a minimum wage rate that helps as many low-paid workers as possible, while making sure that we do not damage their employment prospects by setting it too high.
In addition to the minimum wage, the Government are doing everything they can to help all working people on low pay with the cost of living. That is why we are cutting income tax for the low paid and taking 2.2 million people out of tax altogether.
Pensions: Widowed People
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to inform widows in receipt of frozen category B pensions of the judgement in the case of Alma Yates vs the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; and whether he is giving consideration to offering compensation to those widows. [135511]
Steve Webb: The Department's legal liability following the Court's decision was restricted to the late Mrs Yates. This is because, in cases like that of the late Mrs Yates, where a Court finds that a decision made by the Department contained an error of law, the Department's liability in respect of people in an analogous position is restricted to periods following the Court's ruling.
It is not now possible for a person to be in analogous position to the late Mrs Yates because the flaw in the relevant legislation which gave rise to the Court's decision was removed in April 2010—this was before the Court found in the late Mrs Yates' favour. As a result, the Court's decision has no prospective application.
Child Poverty
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the Government's current method of measuring child poverty; and what steps he plans to take to improve this method of measurement. [137237]
Esther McVey: The Government remain committed to the targets in the Child Poverty Act 2010. However, the Government strongly believe looking at relative income in isolation is not a helpful measure to track progress towards our target of eradicating child poverty.
In times of economic growth, the relative poverty line tends to rise. While the economy grew from 2003-04 to 2008-09, the Government spent over £300 billion in working-age welfare and tax credits, yet the proportion of the population in relative income poverty remained broadly flat and the previous government's target to halve the number of children in relative poverty by 2010-11 was not met.
In times of recession the relative poverty line tends to fall. In 2010-11, 300,000 children moved out of relative poverty largely due to reductions in median incomes. Absolute poverty remained unchanged. It cannot be right that we can move children out of poverty through a recession.
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The Government are currently consulting on better measures of child poverty that will better reflect the reality of child poverty in the UK today—tackling its root causes, providing high-quality education, and helping people into work through universal credit.
The consultation runs until 15 February 2013, and can be found at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/departmentalinformation/consultations/a00216896/measuring-child-poverty
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effect of (a) Universal Credit and (b) the Welfare Benefits Uprating Bill on child poverty. [137238]
Esther McVey: The Government strongly believe looking at relative income in isolation is not a helpful measure to track progress towards our target of eradicating child poverty.
In times of economic growth, the relative poverty line tends to rise. While the economy grew from 2003-04 to 2008-09, the Government spent over £300 billion in working-age welfare and tax credits, yet the proportion of the population in relative income poverty remained broadly flat and the previous government's target to halve the number of children in relative poverty by 2010-11 was not met.
In times of recession the relative poverty line tends to fall. In 2010-11, 300,000 children moved out of relative poverty largely due to reductions in median incomes. Absolute poverty remained unchanged. It cannot be right that we can move children out of poverty through a recession.
The Government are currently consulting on better measures of child poverty that will better reflect the reality of child poverty in the UK today.
In the autumn statement (2012), it was announced that in light of the national economic situation, certain working-age social security benefits and payments, certain elements of tax credits, and child benefit, would be uprated by 1% rather than by prices (as measured by the consumer prices index ('CPI')) for the tax years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.
While it is not possible to accurately project the trajectory of household earnings, it is likely that in-work families with children will benefit from the steady earnings growth forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility(1). Indeed for some families this increase in earnings may be enough that their income rises in real terms (i.e. after inflation is taken into account) even after the smaller increase in benefits.
Where subject to an uprating, rates of benefits and tax credits will rise in cash terms. For instance, an out-of-work lone parent with two children receiving income support, child tax credit and child benefit would see a cash increase of around £4 a week over the two years covered by the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill. However, because the relative poverty income line moves each year in cash terms, too, some families will move below this line over the period.
We estimate that the uprating measures in 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 will result in around an extra 200,000 children being deemed by this measure to be in relative income poverty compared to uprating benefits
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by CPI. As earnings growth and inflation projections change these estimates will change. In addition, these impacts are not forecasts of the level of child poverty and do not indicate what will happen to trends over time. It is misleading to look at the impacts of uprating in isolation. The Government are investing in tacking the root causes of child poverty through making work pay.
Work is the best route out of poverty. Universal credit will reduce poverty by making work pay and providing an effective route out of poverty.
Universal credit will improve work incentives by allowing individuals to keep more of their income as they move into work, and by introducing a smoother and more transparent reduction of benefits when they increase their earnings. Improving work incentives will reduce the number of families where no one in the household goes out to work, and in the long-run will end cycles of poverty and worklessness:
We estimate that up to 300,000 more people will enter work as a result of the introduction of universal credit through improved financial incentives alone. The increase in employment driven by improved incentives under UC is expected to reduce poverty and make an important contribution to reducing child poverty. At least half of expected extra people in employment are parents, and around half of these parents are expected to move into jobs of over 16 hours per week.
We estimate between one and 2.5 million extra hours will be worked by those currently in work once universal credit is fully implemented. The vast majority of these extra hours will be worked by parents.
Universal credit will also re-focus entitlements on lower income in-work households and should increase take-up of universal credit compared to the current complex system of benefits and tax credits.
Around 3.1 million households will have higher benefit receipt under universal credit as a result of changes in entitlement and take-up—focusing on the lower income groups: 75% of the gainers are in the bottom 40% of the income distribution. The average impact of universal credit across all households is an increase of £16 per month.
The introduction of universal credit will significantly improve the take-up of unclaimed entitlements, a powerful tool in tackling poverty. It will be easier for people to understand the level of benefit to which they are entitled compared to the current complex system of benefits and tax credits. In addition, there will be an 'automatic passporting' effect for people who currently claim some, but not all, of the benefits or tax credits to which they are entitled; a claim for universal credit will much more readily ensure that claimants receive amounts associated with their children and their housing costs.
Before taking account of the expected increase in numbers of people in work as a result of universal credit, and excluding the impact of the minimum income floor for the self-employed, the introduction of universal credit is estimated to reduce the number of individuals in relative income poverty by some 600,000; including around 250,000 children and around 350,000 adults.
In the specific case of universal credit, the estimated number has shifted compared to previous estimates for a number of reasons. Critical is the shift in the “poverty line” itself. If the poverty line used in the October 2011 impact assessment were applied to the new analysis the number apparently shifted above the line as a result of
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universal credit would be some 200,000 higher. The simplification of rates for under-25s also reduces the impact by around 100,000.
The positive and dynamic behavioural effects of universal credit are important elements in a consideration of the poverty effects. The minimum income floor for the self-employed is expected to encourage those reporting very low self-employed income to increase their earnings to levels expected of employees in similar circumstances. However, before taking account of any expected behavioural change among the self-employed affected, modelling estimates that universal credit reduces the number of individuals in relative income poverty by some 400,000; including more than 150,000 children and around 250,000 adults. Again, these estimates do not take account of the expected increase in numbers of people in work as a result of universal credit and the consequent impact on poverty.
Estimates of poverty effects are dependent on projected changes in demography from the Office for National Statistics, and the economy from the Office for Budget Responsibility, including earnings growth and inflation rates. As these projections change, the estimated numbers below various income thresholds will also change.
The estimates of poverty impacts of universal credit are based on a comparison of universal credit fully in operation with the benefit and tax credit system projected forwards to 2014-15. This is not comparable with the estimates of poverty effects of uprating changes where the impact is assessed in 2015-16 assuming the current benefit and tax credit system is still in place, i.e. it does not take into account universal credit or personal independence payment. Full details of the methodology for estimating the impact of universal credit and uprating can be found in the published impact assessments(2).
(1) http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/autumn_statement_2012_complete.pdf
Annex B: Table B2: Determinants of OBR central fiscal forecast.
(2) http://dwp.gov.uk/docs/welfare-benefits-up-rating-bill-ia.pdf
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/universal-credit-wr2011-ia.pdf
Remploy
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what occasions Ministers in his Department have met with trades union consortium officers on the closure of Remploy factories. [135311]
Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) on 9 January 2013, Official Report, column 328W.
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will establish an inquiry into the process of closing Remploy and reports of corruption in the sale of some Remploy sites. [135312]
Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) on 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 935W.
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons Remploy factory sites that were identified as to be sold have not yet been sold. [135313]
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Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) on 8 January 2013, Official Report, column 200W.
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the names of all former Remploy managers who have been sold or been given any of Remploy's former assets. [135315]
Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) on 7 January 2013, Official Report, column 174W.
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place a list of any assets formerly owned by Remploy that have since been sold, in the Library. [135316]
Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) on 7 January 2013, Official Report, column 174W.
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the amount of money received from selling assets following the closure of Remploy factories. [136615]
Esther McVey: The Remploy commercial processes, including the ongoing disposal of assets from stage 1 factories and the upcoming process for stage 2 factory businesses, is a matter for the Remploy Board and we are not yet in a position to provide a finalised figure. Remploy will provide the total figures from the sale of Remploy assets when ail commercial activity is completed across the Remploy factory network in their annual report.
Social Fund: Clwyd
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to the use of (a) community care grants and (b) crisis loans to support residents in the Vale of Clwyd who were affected by flooding in November 2012. [136800]
Steve Webb: Anyone affected by flooding in the Vale of Clwyd or anywhere else in Great Britain, can make an application for a Community Care Grant or Crisis Loan, and receive an award if their individual circumstances meet the conditions for a payment.
Community Care Grants help people with specific needs who receive a qualifying benefit to establish themselves, or remain, in the community or to ease exceptional pressures on them and their family.
Crisis Loans are repayable awards with no qualifying benefit conditions, but are only available when a person has insufficient resources to prevent a serious risk to health or safety to themselves or their family.
Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what savings from detected benefit fraud were made by (a) his Department and (b) local authorities in each of the last four years. [135923]
Mr Hoban: The information is as follows:
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(a) Savings from detected benefit fraud recorded by the Department is the amount of overpayments recovered from fraudulent cases as per the following table:
| Value of recoveries on fraud currently classified debts | |
| Financial year | Current classification fraud—value of recoveries (£ million) |
| Source: Debt Accounting. This does not form official statistics but is derived from Management Information. | |
(b) The equivalent information for local authorities is not available as the Department does not collect data from them for the amounts recovered specifically relating to fraudulent overpayments.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of his Department's budget for benefit payments which is lost to fraud perpetrated by (a) UK citizens born in the UK and (b) claimants born outside the UK in each of the last 10 years. [136308]
Mr Hoban: The requested information is not available.
Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of Atos assessing an individual for eligibility for benefits in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the cost was of seeing the same individual on appeal. [137399]
Mr Hoban: Releasing details of Atos Healthcare's underlying financial model, in particular details of the unit cost of each assessment that they have factored into the contract would, or would be likely to, prejudice their commercial interests.
It would reveal to their competitors commercially sensitive financial aspects of their contract which would disadvantage Atos Healthcare's competitive position in the marketplace. This in turn would prejudice the ability of the Department to secure best value for the taxpayer when the contract is re-tendered.
Release of this type of key financial information would also undermine the effectiveness of the Department's future dealings with Atos Healthcare or other service providers which is also not in the public interest.
State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he received in 2012 from the Canadian government on frozen state pensions for expatriate pensioners now living in that country. [135875]
Steve Webb: The Department has received no representations from the Canadian Government on the issue of frozen pensions, however the issue was raised by the Canadian Government in the bilateral discussions held with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), in September 2012.
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Telephone Services
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional services his Department receives from its telephone provider as a result of revenue-sharing 0845 telephone lines. [137435]
Mr Hoban: DWP does not receive any revenue from telephone service providers from citizens phoning 0845 numbers; a decision was made to stop the revenue share in December 2007. Therefore DWP receives no additional services.
Unemployed People: Travel
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what assessment he has made of the needs of jobseekers in relation to the costs of travel; [137197]
(2) what plans he has to improve support to jobseekers with travel costs. [137199]
Mr Hoban: The Government recognise that travel costs can be prohibitive for many jobseekers. To overcome this, DWP advisers can use the Flexible Support Fund to help claimants cover these costs for example if they need to attend job interviews or a training course. Work Programme providers also have the discretion to provide financial help if it is required.
Holders of the 'job centre plus Travel Discount Card' will, during January 2013, be able to travel for free on almost every local bus service operated by four big bus companies. While it is Government policy to encourage people to use public transport, it is recognised that there will be circumstances where this is not possible and in these circumstances other expenses can be allowed.
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he plans to make of the effectiveness of the Bus for Jobs initiative. [137198]
Mr Hoban: Given the very small scale of the initiative, it is not possible to assess the effectiveness in terms of helping people find and stay in work. However, we know that travel and transport are key enablers in terms of improving employment prospects and we are gathering information about our operational experience in supporting Bus for Jobs, to inform further discussions with Greener Journeys and Confederation of Public Transport about potential future arrangements.
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) advice, (b) guidance or (c) training has been provided to Jobcentre Plus staff on January's Bus for Jobs initiative. [137200]
Mr Hoban: Jobcentre Plus staff have received operational guidance, which includes information on participating companies and the areas where free travel is available through January. This guidance is used in conjunction with existing guidance on the DWP travel discount card.
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Universal Credit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 9 January 2013, Official Report, column 331, on universal credit, whether the universal credit system will wait until the hash in a statement of an employee's earnings in a given period, obtained from the employer in a PAYE real time information submission, has been matched before calculating the employee's universal credit; and if he will make a statement. [137434]
Mr Hoban: The universal credit system will assess the payment to be made to a claimant monthly. The earnings used to calculate the universal credit payment will be determined from any RTI data received in the assessment period—whether or not a hash match has been made in that period—and any earnings reported by the claimant. Hash matches form part of risk assessment data used both during and post assessment periods.
Welfare Tax Credits: Halifax
Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Halifax constituency are currently in receipt of child tax credits and working tax credits. [136907]
Sajid Javid: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
This information is published in the HM Revenue and Customs publication 'Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics—Provisional Geographic analyses'.
Information for December 2012 can be found here:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/prov-geog-stats/cwtc-geog-dec12.xls
In this publication, the number of families in receipt of child tax credit (CTC) or working tax credit (WTC) in Halifax constituency can be found in Table 4.
For convenience, the figures are stated here:
Families in receipt of child tax credit in Halifax constituency—9.7 thousand.
Families in receipt of working tax credit in Halifax constituency—5.9 thousand.
Please be aware that families can be in receipt of both working and child tax credits, and these supplied figures cannot be summed to provide the total for Halifax constituency.
Work Capability Assessment
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time taken was for the completion of a personal capability assessment for (a) employment and support allowance claimants and (b) income support claimants in each of the last four years. [135917]
Mr Hoban:
Eligibility for incapacity benefit (IB) and income support (IS) on the grounds of incapacity was assessed under the personal capability assessment (PCA). Eligibility for employment and support allowance is assessed under the work capability assessment (WCA). Starting in October 2010, most claimants who receive IB and IS paid on the grounds of illness or disability will be assessed to see if they qualify for ESA. Since the
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start of the reassessment process no PCA have been carried out. Information on PCA assessment times is not available.
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of how many and what proportion of Atos work capability assessments have disagreed with the conclusion on work capability submitted by the claimant's GP or consultant. [136948]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available as the Department does not ask claimants' GPs or consultants about a patient's capability for work. This position was endorsed by the British Medical Association in Professor Harrington's third Independent Review of the work capability assessment.
Whilst GPs and consultants are trained in diagnosis and treatment, Atos' healthcare professionals are trained in disability assessment, providing advice on the functional effects of a person's condition or disability to a DWP Decision Maker who will take the decision on benefit entitlement.
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will change disability benefit appeal rules to allow work capability assessments to be repeated as part of the appeal where the claimant has complained that the report of their original assessment contains factual inaccuracies relating to (a) discussions and (b) physical examinations which took place. [136949]
Mr Hoban: Following a work capability assessment (WCA), claimants receive a summary of the outcome, including details of the points that they have scored. If the claimant disagrees with the summary, they have the right to ask for an explanation of the decision and for the decision to be reconsidered—along with any further evidence they may wish to provide.
If a claimant subsequently appeals against the decision made on their claim by a DWP decision maker, they will receive from Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) a copy of all of the papers to which the decision maker had access when reaching their decision—including the WCA report. Where the claimant believes that the report contains factual inaccuracies, they can include their concerns in any response that they make to HMCTS.
HMCTS copy all correspondence from the claimant to DWP, so that DWP can consider any concerns raised and whether they wish to reconsider the decision under appeal.
We have no plans to change these procedures.
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals of the outcomes of work capability assessments are based on a claim that (a) the Atos report does not accurately reflect discussions or physical examinations which took place at the assessment and (b) disagreement between Atos assessment reports and supporting medical letters from a claimant's GP or consultant. [136950]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available.
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not have the information requested. However, the Department has recently released ad hoc official statistics for only those appeals allowed by the Social Security and Child Benefit (SSCB) Tribunal by benefit types and split by the primary reasons for doing so which is available at the following link:
http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/2012/sscs_appeals.pdf
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve the accuracy of Atos work capability assessment reports. [136951]
Mr Hoban: The quality of Atos Healthcare's reports is subject to stringent quality checks and audit.
Only 3.6% of assessment reports are found to be below standard (compared to a target of 5%), Atos receives complaints about only 0.6% of their caseload and only 0.2% of Atos reports are sent back to them by DWP Decision Makers for rework.
However, we remain committed to continuously improving face-to-face assessment and the whole WCA process to ensure that it is as fair and accurate as possible. We have, for example, implemented Professor Harrington's recommendations to improve the face-to-face assessment including:
Monitoring of free text used in reports; and
Offering IT training for healthcare professionals to allow them to feel more confident in using appropriate amounts of free text in their reports.
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people with (a) Parkinson's disease and (b) progressive conditions have undergone multiple work capability assessments since the introduction of those assessments; [137370]
(2) how many people with (a) Parkinson's disease and (b) progressive conditions who have undergone multiple work capability assessments have received lower points scores when they have been reassessed. [137372]
Mr Hoban: Of all new employment and support allowance (ESA) claims starting between October 2008 and February 2012, the latest date for which data is available, around 730 claimants have Parkinson's disease recorded as the main health condition and have subsequently undergone at least one further Work Capability Assessment (WCA) as part of the same ESA claim.
Data on the health conditions recorded is based on the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases, 2010 (ICD10):
http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/
Due to the large number of health conditions described by ICD10 it would be possible to identify those considered “progressive” only at excessive cost to the Department.
Decisions on entitlement to ESA rest solely with the Department's decision makers taking into account the medical assessment reports from Atos and any other relevant information. This includes, but is not limited to, the points awarded by the Atos Healthcare Professional at the face-to-face assessment. Claimants may be placed
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in Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) for medical reasons, after a successful appeal, based on a clerical assessment or where the DWP Decision Maker's decision is different to the recommendation made by the Atos Healthcare professional.
Of the 730 claims described above, there have been no instances where a claimant who was placed in the work-related activity group based on the points awarded at the initial WCA, was later awarded fewer points at the next WCA on the same claim. Note that claimants placed in the WRAG for reasons other than the points awarded by the Atos Healthcare professional have been excluded.
All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with Parkinson's disease undergoing an incapacity benefit reassessment for employment and support allowance have been (a) found fit for work, (b) placed in the work related activity group and (c) placed in the support group. [137371]
Mr Hoban: The requested information is not available.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average cost per claimant of conducting (a) an initial work capability assessment and (b) a reassessment. [137415]
Mr Hoban: Releasing details of Atos Healthcare's underlying financial model, in particular details of the unit cost of each assessment/reassessment that they have factored into the contract would, or would be likely to, prejudice their commercial interests.
It would reveal to their competitors commercially sensitive financial aspects of their contract which would disadvantage Atos Healthcare's competitive position in the marketplace. This in turn would prejudice the ability of the Department to secure best value for the taxpayer when the contract is re-tendered.
Release of this type of key financial information would also undermine the effectiveness of the Department's future dealings with Atos Healthcare or other service providers which is also not in the public interest.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training is given to employment and support allowance decision makers regarding progressive conditions; and if he will make a statement. [137432]
Mr Hoban: Employment and support allowance (ESA) decision makers training provides an understanding of the WCA descriptors that indicate how a customer's health condition affects their day-to-day functionality. This element of their learning was developed by Atos Healthcare who carry out ESA Work Capability Assessments. Staff deciding on claims for ESA are also trained to seek help from an ATOS health care professional if they require specific information regarding the effects of a health condition on the individual.
In addition, they have intranet access to the Customer Case Management System which provides an overview of medical conditions. Learning for ESA decision makers
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refers these decision makers to this site for explanations of medical terminology and conditions including those of a progressive nature.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with (a) Parkinson's disease and (b) other progressive conditions placed in the Work Related Activity Group of employment and support allowance have been reassessed; and how many such people were found fit to work following that reassessment. [137433]
Mr Hoban: Around 360 people with Parkinson's disease in the Work Related Activity Group have undergone a repeat assessment following their initial assessment for a new employment and support allowance claim. Of these, around 20 people with Parkinson's disease were found Fit for Work at their first repeat assessment. This includes all new claims starting up to the end of February 2012 (the latest data available).
Data on the health conditions recorded is based on the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases, 2010 (ICD10):
http://www.who.int/classifications/icd/en/
Due to the large number of health conditions described by ICD10 it would only be possible to identify those considered “progressive” at excessive cost to the Department.
Claimants with Parkinson's disease may perform better at subsequent work capability assessment in some instances since, while the underlying condition is unlikely to improve, a patient's treatment could be changed or optimised with a resulting improvement in function.
All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 cases.
Justice
Coroners
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many inquests were carried out for asbestos-related deaths in England and Wales in each of the last three years; [135896]
(2) what steps the Coroner Service takes to make people with asbestos-related disease and their families aware during their lifetimes of the role of the Coroner Service in investigating deaths due to asbestos-related disease. [135897]
Mrs Grant: The Ministry of Justice collects and publishes annual statistics on the number of inquests held by coroners including those following deaths from industrial diseases, but it does not specifically collect statistics about inquests into asbestos-related deaths. The latest statistical publication can be found here:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/statistics/mojstats/coroners-stats/coroners-bulletin-2011.pdf
A coroner's jurisdiction is derived from the presence of a body lying within their district so they do not have a role in end of life care. However, the Ministry of Justice has published a ‘Guide to Coroners and Inquests and Charter for coroner services’ which includes information on inquests into deaths from industrial disease. The guide can be found here:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/burials-and-coroners/guide-charter-coroner.pdf
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Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of (a) the Home Department, (b) police forces and (c) coroners' offices on the use by coroners' offices of police officers in investigations of asbestos-related deaths; and what the outcome of such discussions has been; [136305]
(2) whether coroners have access to (a) medical records held by local health bodies, (b) documentation relating to completed or ongoing civil compensation claims and (c) records of state industrial disease benefits in the course of coronial investigations into asbestos-related deaths. [136306]
Mrs Grant: Ministry of Justice officials have not attended any recent meetings regarding coroner investigations of asbestos-related deaths.
The Ministry of Justice has responsibility for coroner law and policy only. Coroners are solely responsible for the way they conduct their investigations.
Criminal Injuries Compensation
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001, whether the then Government intended that an applicant who suffered a criminal injury before 1 October 1979 but who successfully applied to have their case medically reopened on or after 1 April 2001 would have their loss of earnings claim capped at a figure based on average industrial earnings whilst benefits are deducted using current prices; if he will consider taking steps to mitigate the effects of using this methodology to ensure that such applicants receive a minimum level of compensation; and if he will consider allocating funding for retrospective payments to previous claimants. [136461]
Mrs Grant: I cannot be sure what a previous Government's intentions were. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2001 provided that cases which were reopened would be dealt with according to the terms of the Scheme under which the initial application was decided. Similar provisions apply currently under the 2012 Scheme.
The Government have no plans to consider allocating funding for retrospective payments to previous claimants.
Employment Agencies
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total spending on recruitment agencies by his Department was in each month from July to December 2012. [135216]
Mrs Grant: The Ministry of Justice holds the following contracts with recruitment agencies:
Hays—Agency staff (NOMS)
Brookstreet—Agency staff (NOMS, HMCTS and MOJ HQ)
Capita—Interim managers/specialist contractors (NOMS and MOJ HQ)
Gatenby Sanderson—Public appointments (MOJ HQ)
The amount of monies paid to recruitment agencies to cover their fees and costs for temporary staff, such as agency (clerical and administrative) staff, interim managers and specialist contractors together with the fees incurred
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for sourcing staff (public appointments). Spend data for December 2012 is an estimate amount as the exact figures are not yet known.
| £ | |
Employment and Support Allowance: Coventry
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appellants in Coventry are waiting for the Tribunals Service to list their First-tier Tribunal Social Security and Child Support appeal in respect of employment and support allowance. [136371]
Mrs Grant: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA).
There are always a number of 'live' appeals at the various stages of processing before being listed for a tribunal hearing. The SSCS Tribunal does not hold the information on the live load broken down by benefit to specific venues. Information on the overall total of appeals from appellants in the Coventry area was 3,000 at 30 June 2012 (the most recent period for which statistics have been published). This data is taken from management information and figures have been rounded.
All appeals to the SSCS Tribunal are registered in the processing centre in the region where the appellant lives, and the data on the load broken down by benefit can be provided at the level of these processing centres.
For appellants living in the Coventry area appeals are registered in the Birmingham Administrative Support Centre (ASC) which covers East and West Midlands and East of England Government Regions and part of London Government Office Region. At 30 June 2012 (the most recent period for which statistics have been published) there were a total of 29,100 ESA appeals waiting to be heard in venues administered by the ASC out of an overall total of 62,200 appeals waiting to be heard in the regions covered by the ASC.
HMCTS has continued to respond strongly to the significant increase in the number of appeals received by the SSCS Tribunal. Two additional venues (in Leamington Spa and Nuneaton) have been in use since November to hear some appeals which would previously have been heard at the Coventry venue. These additional venues have provided the capacity for an additional 36 sessions in November and 40 sessions in December and will continue to provide additional capacity, enabling the clearance of 500 appeals each month. This will reduce the number of appeals waiting to be heard at Coventry and, therefore, help reduce the outstanding caseload and bring down the average waiting time for an appeal hearing.
Work to increase the Tribunal's capacity nationally is also under way. This includes the recruitment of additional fee-paid judges and medical members, increased
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administrative resource, increased access to hearing estate and the review and continuous improvement of administrative processes both internally and between HMCTS and DWP.
G4S
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) whether his Department is satisfied that the G4S contract to provide his Department with a total facilities management service which commenced on 1 February 2012 is being fulfilled as specified in the contract; [137055]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the implementation and operation of the total facilities management service contract which commenced on 1 February 2012 between his Department and G4S to service facilities in court tribunal and administrative buildings. [137056]
Jeremy Wright: The total facilities management contract between the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and G4S has been operational since 1 February 2012. During the three month mobilisation period and post go live MOJ and G4S have worked together, utilising the contract's comprehensive system for continual measurement of contractual performance, to enable transition of the delivery of services to a ‘Business as Usual’ steady state. This is identifying areas requiring improvement and areas that may be delivered more efficiently. All necessary improvements have or are being driven using contractual remedies and tools. Improvement is still needed in specific areas in order for the contractor to fully meet their contractual requirements. MOJ and G4S remain committed to working together to achieve full delivery of the services.
The total facilities management contract between the Ministry of Justice and G4S includes a comprehensive system for continual measurement of contractual performance, on a monthly basis, using key performance indicators (KPIs). This system serves two primary functions: firstly to provide the MOJ and the contractor with an understanding of the current level of performance against the contract specification per affected property; and secondly to trigger a payment mechanism that is directly proportional (in terms of profit adjustment) to the level of service provided, per affected property.
Personal Injury: Compensation
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the cumulative effect of raising the small claims limit in personal injury cases and reducing fixed recoverable costs through the road traffic accident portal. [137001]
Mrs Grant: An impact assessment has been published with the consultation paper ‘Reducing the number and costs of whiplash claims’. This includes an assessment of the impact of the proposals on the Road Traffic Accident Pre-action Protocol, and a question has been asked about this in the consultation paper. Both documents are available to download from the Ministry of Justice website at:
www.justice.gov.uk/consultations
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Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of his Department's consultation on raising the small claims limit that concluded in 2007; and what the estimated cost to his Department is of the current consultation on that matter. [137005]
Mrs Grant: The publication costs to the Ministry of Justice of the current consultation have been £1,387. No records have been retained of the costs of the 2007 consultation, ‘Case track limits and the claims process for personal injury claims’, but they are likely to be similar.
Temporary Employment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many temporary staff have been recruited in his Department in each month from July to December 2012. [135215]
Mrs Grant: The Ministry of Justice holds the following contracts with recruitment agencies:
Hays—Agency staff (NOMS)
Brookstreet—Agency staff (NOMS, HMCTS and MOJ HQ)
Capita—Interim managers/specialist contractors (NOMS and MOJ HQ)
The following table provides the information on the number of temporary staff recruited by the Ministry of Justice for the period 1 July 2012 to 30 November 2012.
Temporary staff are defined as staff recruited on fixed terms contracts of less than 12 months (consistent with the Office for National Statistics definition) and agency and interim staff. A complete set of information for December 2012 is not yet available.
| Number of people (headcount) | ||
| Agency and interim/specialist contractors | Fixed term contract | |
Temporary staff makes up a small proportion of the Department's overall work force. Both the number of temporary and permanent staff has, since September 2010, been reducing in size. The use of temporary staff enables the Department to flexibly respond to any changes in demand for our services.
Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of appeals against Atos work capability assessments were successful in the last year for which figures are available. [137397]
Mrs Grant: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions' decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA), decisions in which the work capability assessment (WCA) is a key factor, rather than appeals against WCA decisions themselves.
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The following table shows the number and proportion of ESA appeals in which the work capability assessment was a factor, that were found in favour of the appellant in the financial year 2011-12 and from 1 April to 30 June 2012 (the latest date for which information is available).
| Number and proportion of ESA (WCA) appeals found in favour of the appellant | |||
| Total ESA (WCA) cases cleared at hearing | Number of decisions in favour of appellant | Percentage of decisions in favour of the appellant | |
| Note: The above data is taken from management information and values are rounded to the nearest hundred. | |||
Young Offender Institutions
Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget was of the secure youth estate in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2011-12. [135277]
Jeremy Wright: The budget of the secure youth estate in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2011-12 was as follows:
(a) £245 million
(b) £271 million
These figures comprise the Youth Justice Board's budget for the commissioning of secure estate accommodation and associated services, and the Ministry of Justice budget for education contracts in public Young Offender Institutions.
Young Offenders: Reoffenders
Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to tackle reoffending amongst offenders under the age of 18. [135264]
Jeremy Wright: Youth justice and the prevention of reoffending by young people is a key priority for this Government and we are seeking to tackle reoffending in a number of ways.
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 contains a range of provisions to promote effective rehabilitation of young offenders. For example it promotes greater use of restorative justice by increasing the flexibility of sentencing options available.
The Ministry of Justice is also making a significant contribution to cross-Government initiatives such as the Department for Communities and Local Government led Troubled Families programme, which has a specific youth reoffending indicator.
In order to address the high reoffending rates of young people leaving custody, we are also reviewing the whole youth custody system, with a view to putting an increased focus on education at its heart.
Youth Courts
Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much money his Department plans to spend on improving youth courts by 2015. [135265]
Jeremy Wright:
There is no separate budgetary provision between youth and adult courts. Courtrooms for youth court cases are located in existing magistrates courts.
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The court estate is currently maintained via the capital maintenance programme which serves to identify and address required maintenance to ensure the HM Courts and Tribunals Service estate is safe and fit for purpose. The youth court estate is part of this maintenance portfolio.
Education
Chequers
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions he has attended Chequers in an official capacity in each of the last 12 months. [136588]
Elizabeth Truss: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has visited Chequers once in the last 12 months.
English Baccalaureate
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in each local authority area obtained an English Baccalaureate qualification; and what proportion of eligible students (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area gained such qualifications in the last year for which figures are available. [136278]
Elizabeth Truss: The information requested is available in the statistical first release (SFR), “GCSE and Equivalent Results (Provisional) and National Curriculum Teacher Assessments at Key Stage 3 in England, 2011/12”. This publication is available from the Department's website at the following link:
http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/recentreleases/a00214981/gcse-national-curriculum-teacher-assessment-ks3-england
Table 18 shows the English Baccalaureate by local authority and region.
This information will be updated at 9.30 am on Thursday 24 January 2013 in the SFR: “GCSE and equivalent results in England, 2011/12 (Revised)”, and will be available from the Department's website at the following link:
http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/a00219173/gcse-and-equivalent-results
Financial Services: Education
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he proposes that England will be a signatory to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development PISA 2015 Financial Literacy Assessment. [136444]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department is considering the costs and benefits of England's participation in the optional components of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's PISA 2015 study, including the assessment of financial literacy. The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), will take a decision shortly.
First Aid: Education
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to promote the teaching of emergency life skills in schools. [136625]
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Elizabeth Truss: The non-statutory framework for Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education already provides a context for teaching young people about emergency lifesaving skills (ELS). At primary level, pupils can learn about basic emergency procedures and where to get help, and at secondary level they can develop the skills to cope with emergency situations that require basic first aid procedures, including resuscitation techniques.
Schools are also free to support their teaching by using reputable organisations to deliver training where that meets the needs of their pupils.
Official Engagements
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list his official engagements for 7 January 2013. [136587]
Elizabeth Truss: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), attended Cabinet and met Mary Bousted. He also held a range of departmental meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.
Official Visits
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits were made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Childcare in each month since May 2008. [134882]
Elizabeth Truss [holding answer 7 January 2013]: Since my appointment in September 2012,1 have made 10 official visits as follows:
No visits.
Ormiston Victory Academy, Norwich
Visit to France, including to various childcare providers
Isaac Newton Institute, Cambridge
Brigshaw High School (‘The Old School’), Allerton Bywater
David Young Academy, Leeds
Chapel Town Children's Centre, Leeds
Woodberry Down Community Primary School, London
Visit to Germany, including to various schools
Loughborough Children's Centre, London
No visits.
Durand Academy Early Years, London
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students residing in Luton unitary authority area were (a) eligible for and (b) successfully applied for the pupil premium in each year from its introduction to 2012. [136585]
Mr Laws
[holding answer 14 January 2013]: The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011. Pupil Premium funding is provided to schools which have on
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roll pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (the Deprivation Premium); children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months (the Looked After Child Premium); and children whose parents are serving in the armed forces (the Service Child Premium).
In the financial year 2011-12, 7,470 pupils attending schools in Luton local authority area were eligible for the Deprivation Premium, the Looked After Child Premium or Service Child Premium, attracting £3.642 million.
In the financial year 2012-13, 10,840 pupils attending schools in Luton local authority area were eligible for the Deprivation Premium, the Looked After Child Premium or Service Child Premium, attracting £6.753 million.
The Department has calculated these Pupil Premium figures based on pupils who attend schools in Luton. We are unable to provide information on those pupils who actually reside in Luton local authority without incurring disproportionate cost.
In 2013-14 Pupil Premium funding will rise from £1.25 billion to £1.875 billion per year. This will enable the level of funding for the Deprivation and Looked After Child Premium to increase to about £900 per pupil and the Service Child Premium will increase to about £300 per pupil—these values are estimates and actual figures will be calculated when exact pupil numbers are known.
Pupils do not have to specifically register or apply for the Pupil Premium as we identify eligible pupils from the School Census return, local authority return SSDA903 (which provides information on children looked after by local authorities) and Ministry of Defence child pensions data.
We are unable to identify how many pupils in Luton local authority may be eligible for Pupil Premium funding but are not attracting it because they do not claim Free School Meals (FSM). At a national level, benefits data from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs suggests that around 200,000 pupils aged four to 15 in England are entitled to receive FSM but are not currently claiming them. Some of these pupils may still be receiving the Pupil Premium through our “Ever 6” FSM measure which extends eligibility to pupils who have claimed FSM at any point in the last six years. It is nevertheless important that all eligible pupils are registered for FSMs to ensure that pupils receive a healthy school meal, and that schools are able to attract the appropriate Pupil Premium funding for their disadvantaged pupils. That is why the Department has recently published research which highlights local areas where take-up rates are low.(1)
(1) ‘Pupils not claiming free school meals’ research can be found here:
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/RSG/AllPublications/Page1/DFE-RR235
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the number of students residing in Luton unitary authority area that will be eligible for the pupil premium in each year from 2013 to 2016, by annual cohort. [136586]
Mr Laws
[holding answer 14 January 2013]: In 2013-14, total Pupil Premium funding will rise from £1.25 billion to £1.875 billion per year. This will enable the level of
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funding for the Deprivation and Looked After Child Premium to increase to £900 per pupil and the Service Child Premium to increase to £300 per pupil. Illustrative Pupil Premium allocations using January 2012 pupil numbers show that Luton local authority will receive approximately £9.755 million of Pupil Premium funding in 2013-14 for 10,840 eligible pupils attending Luton schools. A break-down of this figure by pupil age group is at Annex A. Final allocations will be available next summer when pupil numbers from the January 2013 school census are confirmed.
The Department has calculated these Pupil Premium figures based on pupils who attend schools in Luton. We are unable to provide information on those pupils who actually reside in Luton local authority without incurring disproportionate cost.
We do not have estimates for the numbers of pupils who will be eligible for the Pupil Premium in Luton local authority between 2014 and 2016. Pupil Premium eligibility will be determined by the number of pupils who receive Free School Meals.
| Illustrative Pupil Premium allocations based on pupils attending schools in Luton local authority in 2013-14 | ||
| Age | Provisional number of pupils entitled to Pupil Premium in 2013-14 | Provisional amount of Pupil Premium funding in 2013-14 (£) |
| Notes: 1. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown due to rounding. 2. The table uses pupil numbers based on January 2012 census data using full time equivalent (FTE) numbers of pupils aged four and over with age calculated as at 31 August 2011. 3. The table uses Pupil Premium funding levels for 2013-14—the Deprivation and Looked After Child Premium will be £900 per pupil and the Service Child Premium will be £300 per pupil. | ||
Reading: Tower Hamlets
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many pupils in Tower Hamlets participated in the Every Child a Reader scheme for reading recovery in 2010-11 and 2011-12; [136626]
(2) what assessment he has made of the (a) value for money and (b) effectiveness of the Every Child a Reader scheme in raising attainment for individual pupils and schools in Tower Hamlets. [136627]
Mr Laws: In 2010-11, 363 children participated in the Every Child a Reader scheme in Tower Hamlets, of whom 323 received the Reading Recovery intervention. In 2011-12, 313 children participated in the scheme, of whom 269 received the Reading Recovery intervention.
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We have not made any specific assessment of the value for money or effectiveness of the Every Child a Reader scheme in Tower Hamlets. However, an independent evaluation of the national programme was published by the Department in May 2011.
Among the key findings of the report was that Every Child a Reader had an overall positive impact on school level reading and writing attainment and that Reading Recovery had a positive impact on reading.
The full evaluation report is available on the Department's website.
ECaR Evaluation—Main Report
ECaR Evaluation—Technical Report
Schools: Tower Hamlets
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what budget he plans to provide for schools capital expenditure in Tower Hamlets between 2011-12 and 2016-17. [136624]
Mr Laws: Capital support for schools in Tower Hamlets in 2011-12 totalled £88.5 million (including £68.8 million for Building Schools for the Future projects), and in 2012-13 is currently expected to total £75.9 million (including £52.9 million for BSF projects). An announcement about allocations for 2013-14 and 2014-15 will be made shortly. Government spending decisions for 2015-16 and beyond are yet to be announced.
Schools: Work Experience
Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many secondary schools in (a) Feltham and Heston constituency, (b) London and (c) the UK will not be running work experience schemes in 2013. [136144]
Matthew Hancock [holding answer 10 January 2013]:Schools are currently not required to provide information about work experience and therefore we do not hold the information requested.
From September 2013 it will be a requirement for schools and colleges to record work experience by 16 to 18-year-olds as a part of Government plans to expand provision for this age group. This means we will have access to this information in future academic years.
Sickness Absence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 597W, on sick leave, if he will make an assessment of the contribution mindfulness-based practice can make to reducing workplace stress and staff absences in his Department. [136208]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department has no plans to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based practices. The Department is committed to supporting the well-being of its employees and has a number of procedures and policies in place to achieve that, These include occupational health assessments used to identify specific support or adjustments for employees that are suffering from stress.