Overtime
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) average cost per member of staff and (b) total cost was of overtime payments in (i) his Department and (ii) each of its arm's length bodies in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13 to date. [141480]
Dr Poulter: The information on average staff costs per member of staff and total costs of overtime payments for the Department of Health (DH) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is given in Tables 1 and 2.
The average costs per member of staff includes basic pay with on-costs such as national insurance contributions and superannuation unless otherwise stated in the tables. It reflects all staff grades on the payroll including the most senior grades.
The Department's arm’s length bodies (ALBs) have provided information about the average staff costs per member of staff and total costs of overtime payments. This is given in Tables 3 and 4.
Data for 2012-13 are as at 31 December 2012 unless otherwise stated.
| Table 1: Average cost per member of Staff | |||
| £ | |||
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
| (1) Average staff costs calculations are produced in October of each year after any pay awards. (2 )These figures include staff salaries, recurring costs, earnings related national insurance contributions (ERNIC) and superannuation. (3)Source: Department of Health Business Management Systems | |||
| Table 2: Total cost of overtime payments | |||
| £ | |||
| Year | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
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| (1 )Information as published in the Resource Accounts taking into account manual adjustments recharges and invoices that are outside payroll. (2)Source: DH Payroll Systems Report |
| Table 3 | |||
| Average cost per member of staff (£) | |||
| ALBs | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
| (1) The Commissioning Board became an executive non-departmental public body on 1 October 2012 and will not be effectively operational until 1 April 2013. (2) The Commissioning Board has undertaken a significant programme of staff transition and recruitment, and during this period (October 2012 - January 2013) and most staff have been working on a secondment basis. Therefore it is not possible to give meaningful figures for 2012-13. (3) For 2013-14 the predicted average staff costs (including on costs) is projected to be in the region of £58,000. (4 )NTDA was established in June 2012 and will be fully operational from April 2013. (5) Based on nine months salary actuals and extrapolated for annual equivalent. (6) HEE was established on June 2012 and will be fully operational from April 2013. This figure is based on a payroll of 10 substantive employees at HEE and includes salary, superannuation and ERNIC. Due to the nature of the transition arrangements, this figure represents the level of seniority of appointments made to date. (7 )HRA was established on the 1 December 2011. (8) Average salary costs includes basic pay, NI, pension, bonus, overtime and allowances). (9) The 2012-13 figure is the average cost based on 99 actual expenditure with the equivalent number of staff (i.e. 75%). (10 )Average salary costs includes basic pay, NI, pension, bonus, overtime and allowances. (11 )2012-13 estimated- based on Month eight figure and extrapolated for the full year. (12 )The Institute had a lot of new starters in 2010-11. (13) Data is as at 31 January 2013. | |||
| Table 4 | |||
| Total cost of overtime payments (£) | |||
| ALBs | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
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| (1) The Commissioning Board became an executive non-departmental public body on 1 October 2012 and will not be effectively operational until 1 April 2013. (2) The Commissioning Board has undertaken a significant programme of staff transition and recruitment, and during this period (October 2012 - January 2013) and most staff have been working on a secondment basis. Therefore it is not possible to give meaningful figures for 2012-13. (3) NTDA was established in June 2012 and will be fully operational from April 2013. (4) 2010-11 Information not available within the timescale. Data held in the archives. (5) HRA was established on the 1 December 2011. (6) As a frontline service, NHSBT has a significant number of staff working irregular hours in laboratories and in mobile blood collection teams, and the nature of the work they do means that some overtime costs are inevitable. (7) Overtime payments include NI costs. 2011-12 includes the response to the 'Retrospective Checking Exercise'. (8 )Estimated figures based on deminimus of £20,000 declared in the annual accounts for each year. | |||
South London Healthcare NHS Trust
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-5, on South London Healthcare NHS Trust, (1) if he will provide a breakdown of the £36 million of additional investment in maternity services including (a) which financial year the investment is allocated for and (b) at which hospital the investment will be spent; [141905]
(2) if he will provide a breakdown of the £37 million of additional investment in expanding accident and emergency services for more serious conditions including (a) for which financial year the investment is allocated and (b) in which hospital the investment will be spent. [141909]
Anna Soubry:
The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), confirmed in his oral statement of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-75, that the trust
6 Feb 2013 : Column 347W
special administrator had built into his analysis the provision of £36 million and £37 million of capital investment for maternity and accident and emergency respectively to increase capacity at Princess Royal University hospital, Queen Elizabeth hospital, Kings College hospital and St Thomas' hospital. These investments would run from 2013-14 to 2015-16. The final decisions on funding for each individual hospital will be worked through as part of the implementation planning process, in collaboration with the Department to ensure value for money for the tax payer.
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 31 January 2013, whether it is his policy to adhere to the high level implementation plan set out in Figure 3, Appendix Q of the Trust Special Administrator's final report. [141907]
Anna Soubry: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), accepted the trust special administrator's broad recommendations including the three year implementation plan set out in his final report. We expect the dissolution of South London Healthcare NHS Trust to be completed by no later than 1 October 2013 and earlier if possible.
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-5, on South London Healthcare Trust, whether land at University Hospital Lewisham will be sold as outlined in Figure 45, Appendix M of the Trust Special Administrator's final report. [141908]
Anna Soubry: The Trust Special Administrator recommended that land that is vacant and poorly utilised should be exited, if leased, or sold, if owned. Detailed work will be done to address this and confirm the final plans as part of the implementation planning. This will include consideration of the future requirements of hospitals currently within South London Healthcare NHS Trust and University Hospital Lewisham.
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-5, on South London Healthcare NHS Trust, on what date he asked the NHS Medical Director to review the Trust Special Administrator's recommendations. [141910]
Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish Professor Sir Bruce Keogh's review of the Trust Special Administrator's recommendations in respect of the South London Healthcare NHS Trust. [141906]
Dame Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in full the advice to him by Sir Bruce Keogh on option 5 of the Trust Special Administrator's report to him on the South London Healthcare Trust and Lewisham Hospital. [141858]
Anna Soubry:
The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), received the Trust Special Administrator's Report on 7 January. He first asked Sir Bruce Keogh to provide independent clinical advice on the recommendations
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on 8 January. The Secretary of State has already published in full the advice he received from Sir Bruce and this can be found on the Department's website by searching for South London Healthcare NHS Trust decision.
A copy of the advice has been placed in the Library.
Dame Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-5, on South London Healthcare NHS Trust, what the evidence is for his statement that 100 lives would be saved each year if the reorganisation of Lewisham Hospital were undertaken as proposed by Sir Bruce Keogh. [141915]
Anna Soubry: The figure on reduced mortality used in the Trust Special Administrator's report was derived from work undertaken by the London Health Programmes and NHS London, considering excess mortality across the capital at weekends.
This work drew upon national work. The data and methodology had academic endorsement and were agreed by the London Health Programmes' Quality and Safety Clinical Board and the London Clinical Senate.
As a result of this work, a set of London Quality Standards have been agreed by the Clinical Senate to improve outcomes for patients admitted at weekends. These include ensuring greater access to consultant staff and diagnostics at weekends, in line with the drive across the national health service to achieve 24/7 working. In order to achieve these standards it will be necessary in some circumstances to further centralise care.
Dame Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-5, on South London Healthcare NHS Trust, what factors will determine whether the continuing rate of useage of maternity services at Lewisham is 10 per cent or 60 per cent. [141916]
Anna Soubry: Implementing the Trust Special Administrator's recommendations could improve maternity outcomes by concentrating obstetric-led maternity services on fewer sites and enabling greater consultant presence. Mothers whose pregnancies are rated as low risk according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance can give birth in a stand alone midwife-led unit such as the one proposed at University Hospital Lewisham. The rate of usage will be determined by the number of mothers with low risk pregnancies who choose to go to University Hospital Lewisham.
Dame Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his statement of 31 January 2013, Official Report, columns 1072-5, on South London Healthcare NHS Trust, what the evidential basis is for his statement that journey times to an accident and emergency department would be on average one minute longer in a blue light transfer and two to three minutes longer for private or public transport. [141917]
Anna Soubry: The Trust Special Administrator's final report considers the impact of his recommendations on travel times to an accident and emergency department. This analysis can be found at chapter 5, paragraphs 122 to 127.
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Tobacco: Packaging
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government regarding the proposals for standardised packaging on tobacco products. [141708]
Anna Soubry: The recent consultation on standardised packaging of tobacco products was conducted on a United Kingdom-wide basis with the agreement of the devolved Administrations across the UK. The Government have an open mind on tobacco packaging and no policy decisions have yet been made.
The Department received many thousands of responses to the consultation and is now collating and analysing these responses. As set out in the consultation document, all consultation responses will be made available for consideration by the devolved Administrations.
Any decisions to take further action on tobacco packaging will be taken only after full consideration of the consultation responses, evidence and other relevant information.
Since the consultation was undertaken, the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not had any discussions with the Scottish Government regarding proposals for standardised packaging of tobacco products. Departmental officials maintain close liaison on tobacco control policy with their Scottish counterparts at official level.
Work and Pensions
Atos Healthcare
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he has made an estimate of the costs of providing the processes provided by Atos in-house. [141686]
Mr Hoban: Following a procurement exercise that began in 1995, the Medical Service Contract with DWP was originally outsourced from 1 September 1998.
Subsequently in 2005 there was a re-tendering exercise, but there was no in-house bid.
There has subsequently been no work or calculations undertaken by the Department regarding the cost of providing the services (currently available through the Medical Services Contract) in house.
Conditions of Employment
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in his Department are employed on zero hours contracts. [141877]
Mr Hoban: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Sunderland Central (Julie Elliott) on 4 February 2013, Official Report, column 95W.
Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to revoke the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989; and if he will make a statement. [141984]
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Mr Hoban: Subject to Government and parliamentary scrutiny, it is intended that the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989 will be revoked with effect from 6 April 2013.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the population were in receipt of disability living allowance in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in the most recent period for which figures are available. [141058]
Esther McVey: Statistics on how many people are in receipt of disability living allowance in England, Wales and Scotland can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Population estimates for England and Wales are published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and can be found at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/rel/pop-estimate/population-estimates-for-england-and-wales/mid-2002-to-mid-2010-revised--national-/index.html
Population estimates for Scotland are published by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) and can be found at:
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/theme/population/estimates/mid-year/index.html
The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Social Development (DSD) and can be found at:
http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index.htm
Employment and Support Allowance: Scotland
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals are pending for people who have been assessed for employment and support allowance in (a) Scotland and (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency. [141095]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available.
Employment Schemes: Disability
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2013, Official Report, column 645W, on employment schemes: disability, how many of the 254,630 Work programme attachments for disabled people during the period June 2011 to July 2012 led to a sustained job outcome according to the most recent data available. [141687]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on Work programme job outcomes, payment group and disability indicator can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
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Future Jobs Fund
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) private sector and (b) public sector jobs were created as a result of the Future Jobs Fund in each parliamentary constituency in each year since that fund's creation; and what the total cost of the Future Jobs Fund was in each such year. [140837]
Mr Hoban: DWP holds information on neither the number of private sector jobs nor the number of public sector jobs created as a result of the Future Jobs Fund in each parliamentary constituency in each year since that fund's creation.
The total cost of the Future Jobs Fund (in £ million) in each year since the fund's creation is as follows:
| £ million | |
Incapacity Benefit
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of people in each local authority area have claimed incapacity benefit in each financial year since 1997-98. [140833]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on the number of people who received incapacity benefit each year since 1997-98 can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Population estimates for working age people by local authority are included in the Regional Labour Market Statistics publication, Index of Tables section at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_295948.pdf
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who were on incapacity benefit have found employment in each financial year since 1997-98. [140834]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available.
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were transferred from jobseeker's allowance to long-term incapacity benefit in each financial year since 1997; and what additional cost has accrued to the Exchequer as a result in each such year. [140835]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not readily available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Jobcentre Plus
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason his Department no longer publishes statistics on Jobcentre Plus vacancies: and if he will publish such statistics in the future. [140903]
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Mr Hoban: Headline national level figures on the number of unfilled vacancies at a point in time are published by the Office for National Statistics, based on a regular survey of employers.
The replacement of the Jobcentre Plus system of vacancy-taking with the new Universal Jobmatch service has meant that the Jobcentre Plus statistics previously published via the ONS’s labour market statistics website are no longer available.
Universal Jobmatch is a major reform that brings significant benefits to jobseekers and employers alike. Headline statistics—which are already available via the Directgov website:
https://jobsearch.direct.gov.uk/Reports/Reports.aspx
show that nationally over 10,000 new vacancies a day are reported to Universal Jobmatch. Despite the limitations, the Department recognises that, in the absence of detailed statistics from the ONS vacancy survey, there remains a demand for local level administrative data on unfilled vacancies. The intention has been and remains that broadly similar information to that available under the previous system will be introduced over time as resources allow.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) average and (b) longest duration of a jobseeker's allowance claim in each local authority area was in each year since 1997. [140841]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not readily available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the annual saving to the Exchequer when an individual who was claiming jobseeker's allowance moves into employment; and what comparative estimate he has made of the saving when such an individual has previously been (a) on probation and (b) treated for substance misuse. [141616]
Mr Hoban: The Department estimates that if a randomly selected individual who would otherwise have claimed jobseeker's allowance moves into employment, this would result in a saving to the Exchequer of approximately £9,800 per annum(1). The precise answer will depend on the circumstances of the individual in question and their earnings in employment(2).
(1) This estimate includes benefit savings, increases in tax revenues and national health service cost savings estimates. Benefit savings and increases in tax revenues were estimated for 2012-13 using the DWP Policy Simulation Model. National health service cost savings were estimated using the methodology outlined in DWP Working Paper No. 86.
(2) The estimate provided is based on the assumption that the individual's earnings in employment are consistent with the average earnings reported by employed former jobseeker's allowance claimants in DWP Research Report No. 791.
The Department has not made comparative estimates of the savings that would occur if such an individual had previously been on probation or treated for substance misuse.
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Materials Handling Equipment
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to revoke the Notification of Conventional Tower Cranes Regulations 2010 and the Notification of Conventional Tower Cranes (Amendment) Regulations 2010; and if he will make a statement. [141985]
Mr Hoban: Subject to Government and parliamentary scrutiny, it is intended that the Notification of Conventional Tower Cranes Regulations 2010 and the Notification of Conventional Tower Cranes (Amendment) Regulations 2010 will be revoked with effect from 6 April 2013.
Mining: Industrial Health and Safety
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) other Ministers or officials in that Department to discuss the health issues of serving or former mine workers. [141869]
Mr Hoban: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), has not had any recent discussions with the Department for Health as detailed in your question.
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Atos in assessing health related compensation claims of former mine workers. [141870]
Mr Hoban: Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) assessments conducted by Atos Healthcare, including those carried out in relation to former mine workers, are subject to regular quality audit by a process which is agreed with and validated by the Department. In the three month period October to December 2012, 1.1% of IIDB reports audited failed to meet Atos professional standards.
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the potential health issues associated with working underground in mines. [141872]
Mr Hoban: Underground mining is an intrinsically hazardous activity given the nature of the working environment and processes involved. The most significant health hazards are inhalable dusts, noise, vibration, hot and humid working environments, and diesel exhaust fumes. Modern working practices have the potential to decrease some of those and increase others. There is a range of health and safety law designed to ensure health risks are effectively managed and controlled. In essence it requires employers to make an adequate assessment of all such risks to workers' health and take appropriate precautions to control them. This legislation is enforced by Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Mines Inspectorate.
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Overtime
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) average cost per member of staff and (b) total cost was of overtime payments in (i) his Department and (ii) each of its arm's length bodies in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13 to date. [141489]
Mr Hoban: The information is as follows:
(a) The average cost of overtime per average number of staff employed in 2010-11 and 2011-12 was:
| £ | ||
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | |
(b) The total cost of overtime in the core Department and arm’s length bodies was:
| £000 | ||
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | |
Poverty: Children
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of children in the UK who will be deemed to be in poverty as a result of changes in welfare benefits since 2010. [141824]
Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Lady to the answers given to the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green) on 9 January 2013, Official Report, column 312W (number 135069); on 9 January 2013, Official Report, column 313W (number 135071); on 14 January 2013, Official Report, column 568W (number 136319); and on 14 January 2013, Official Report, column 569W (number 136320); and to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Chris Skidmore) on 15 January 2013, Official Report, column 715W (number 137238).
6 Feb 2013 : Column 355W
Social Enterprises
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential of social investment bonds as a source of funding for employment support; and if he will make a statement. [141697]
Mr Hoban: The Government recognise the importance of social impact bonds in attracting investment in order to fund solutions to some of the hardest social problems. On 12 May 2011 the Government announced a package of measures to help address youth unemployment. These included a new ‘Innovation Fund' of up to £30 million over three years which is being delivered through 10 social impact bonds.
Social Rented Housing
Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department has provided to registered social landlords on managing increases in rent arrears. [141682]
Mr Prisk: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
DCLG and the Department for Work and Pensions are working closely with a group of social landlords on the direct payment demonstration projects, which are testing the impact of the payment of housing benefit direct to tenants. A key aim of the demonstration projects is to explore how we can best protect social landlords, and tenants themselves, from the risk of increases in rent arrears. We intend to use the evidence gathered from the projects to inform the design of universal credit, including the safeguards to be put in place to protect the financial position of social landlords and prevent tenants from falling into significant debt. My Department and the Department for Work and Pensions are also co-funding a learning network to capture the lessons from the demonstration projects, and encourage the sharing of best practice and information, to help social landlords prepare for direct payment.
We have also worked with the Chartered Institute for Housing on guidance for social landlords to prepare for the introduction of the social sector size criteria.
More generally, we would expect social landlords to work with their tenants to minimise the risk of rent arrears as far as possible.
Social Security Benefits
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of providing language interpretation services for people claiming benefits in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland in each of the last three years. [141035]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
Caroline Lucas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the new burdens doctrine Guidance for Government Departments, issued
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by the Department for Communities and Local Government in June 2011, if he intends to fund the net additional cost of any new burdens to local authorities arising from the benefits cap; whether his Departmental Finance Director has made an assessment of any potential new burden on local authorities of unintentional homelessness as a result of the benefit cap and quantified the likely costs; if he will publish the details of any such assessment; what steps he is taking to secure the resources needed to fund any net additional cost falling on local authorities from the benefits cap policy; and if he will make a statement. [141416]
Mr Hoban: The Department fully supports the new burdens doctrine as set out in the guidance provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Funding of £1.6 million for costs incurred in preparation for administering the cap within the 2012-13 period have been estimated in accordance with the guidance, agreed with DCLG and will be provided to local authorities before the cap takes effect from April 2013.
Work is continuing to finalise estimates for 2013-14 when the cap will be introduced and further details will be released shortly. We will continue to assess the ongoing impact of welfare reforms on LA administration in line with the New Burdens Doctrine.
Social Security Benefits: Appeals
John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many (a) employment and support allowance or incapacity benefit and (b) disability living allowance cases where the initial tribunal has found against the claimant have subsequently been pursued by claimants to higher tribunals; and what the success rate of such further appeals is. [141745]
Mrs Grant: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
Appeals against decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on an individual's entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA), incapacity benefit (IB) and disability living allowance (DLA) are heard by the First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. Appeals against decisions of the First-tier Tribunal—SSCS are heard by the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal, subject to permission to appeal being granted by either the First-tier Tribunal or the Upper Tribunal.
The following table shows, for ESA, IB and DLA cases, the number of appeals received by the Upper Tribunal and the proportion found in favour of the appellant, dismissed or remitted to the First-tier Tribunal for a fresh hearing between 1 October 2011 and 30 September 2012 (the latest period for which information is available). The appellant can be either the benefit claimant or DWP and it is not possible to break down these figures to show only those appeals by benefit claimants. I have therefore asked DWP for information on the number of appeals it made to the Upper Tribunal during this period and I will write to the hon. Member once this is available.
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| Upper Tribunal Decisions on ESA, IB and DLA appeals 1 October 2011-30 September 2012 | ||||||||
| Allowed | Dismissed | Remitted to First-tier Tribunal | ||||||
| Number of appeals received by the Upper Tribunal 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012 | Decisions made by Upper Tribunal | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Note: The number of receipts and decisions made does not tally due to the time lag between appeals being received and appeals being determined. | ||||||||
Social Security Benefits: Kilmarnock
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency have been (a) investigated and (b) prosecuted for benefit fraud in each of the last three years; and what the total amount was of benefit assessed as fraudulently claimed. [141722]
Mr Hoban: This information is not available at constituency level.
Social Security Benefits: Uprating
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the distributional effects across households per decile of income through equivalised income for each nation and region of the UK that would arise from the application of the provisions of the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill. [137720]
Steve Webb: The figures requested are provided in the following tables and relate to impacts in 2015-16, consistent with the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill impact assessment. The analysis takes no account of other changes made at the autumn statement, and shows the effects of the Bill if taken in isolation.
Figures for decile 10 are not available due to small sample sizes. The figures are presented for Great Britain, consistent with the distributional analysis in the Impact Assessment published alongside the Bill.
| Decile 1 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
| Decile 2 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
| Decile 3 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
| Decile 4 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
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| Decile 5 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
| Decile 6 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
| Decile 7 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
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| Decile 8 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
| Decile 9 | ||
| Average change for those affected (£ per week) | Average change for those affected (% of net income) | |
| Notes: 1. Numbers rounded to the nearest £1 and 1% as appropriate. 2. Figures may not sum due to rounding. Source: DWP Policy Simulation Model (based on FRS 2008/09), 2015/16 prices. | ||
Telephone Services
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the average length of time callers to his Department's local offices in (a) Leeds and (b) England have to wait before their call is answered; [141895]
(2) what proportion of telephone calls to his Department's local offices in (a) Leeds and (b) England were discontinued before being answered in each of the last 12 months. [141896]
Mr Hoban: Figures for Leeds and England cannot be provided in isolation, and to do so would be a disproportionate cost. DWP does not record the geographic location of individual calls made to its centres.
Unemployment Benefits
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of children in each parliamentary constituency were living in households claiming out-of-work benefits in each financial year since 1997-98. [140832]
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Mr Hoban: The available statistics on the number of children living in out-of-work benefit households for the periods from May 2008 to May 2011 are published at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/ben_hholds/index.php?page=child_ben_hholds
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Population estimates by parliamentary constituency for England and Wales are published by the Office for National Statistics here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/sape/parliament-constituency-pop-est/mid-2010-release/index.html
Population estimates by parliamentary constituency for Scotland are published by the General Register Office for Scotland here:
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/theme/population/estimates/special-area/spc-population-estimates.html
Universal Credit
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether people in arrears on their rental payment and who are recipients of housing benefit will automatically continue to have their housing benefit paid directly to landlords following the introduction of universal credit. [137414]
Steve Webb: We are not assuming that all people in rent arrears will automatically continue to have their rent paid directly to the landlord following the introduction of universal credit. To do so would risk labelling all individuals in these circumstances as being financially incapable, when they could already have plans in place for clearing these arrears. However, we do accept that for some claimants we will pay their housing costs direct to the landlord, and this alternative payment arrangement would be considered on a case by case basis, depending on the claimants circumstances. It would be time-limited and delivered in conjunction with appropriate budgeting support to ensure they make a successful transition over time to monthly budgeting wherever possible.
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department will be issuing guidance to clarify what safeguards will be put in place for people who are currently in arrears on their rental payments and are recipients of housing benefit at the time when they are switched over to universal credit. [137416]
Steve Webb:
The move to a single monthly household payment under universal credit will be a significant change from the way many benefits are currently paid and we understand that some claimants will require support to help them manage that change. The Government are working with the advice sector to ensure that claimants are able to access appropriate budgeting support services to enable them to manage their money successfully. We accept that for some claimants an alternative payment arrangement will be required and this could include the payment of their housing costs direct to the landlord. In order to provide greater flexibility, applications will be considered on a case by case basis and assessed on their individual merits depending on the claimants
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circumstances. Guidance will be developed to help deliver these arrangements, influenced by the learning from the direct payment demonstration projects.
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been involved in universal credit pilot schemes to date; how participants in the pilot scheme were selected; what steps his Department took to ensure participants in the scheme were representative of people who will be claiming universal credit; how many have fallen into arrears in any form since being moved on to universal credit; and if he will make a statement. [141902]
Mr Hoban: The six areas selected for the Direct Payment Demonstration project volunteered to be part of the project to test direct payment under the current housing benefit regulations and were selected to broadly cover the range of types and circumstances of landlords in Great Britain (GB) meaning they are as representative as you can expect given the limitation that only 2000 tenants from each area are in the project. They cannot represent all social rented sector tenants in GB, although they are broadly comparable with the range of circumstances of tenants in the social rented sector.
Figures for the total number of tenants who have fallen into arrears in the Direct Payment Demonstration project are not available. However the number of tenants who reached the arrears trigger point (variable across the areas) requiring reinstatement of their housing benefit payment to their landlord was 316 after the first four months of the project. This and further data relating to the project are contained in a media package dated December 2012 (‘Direct Payment Demonstration Project: Payment figures’) a copy of which is available in the Library of the House of Commons.
Universal Credit: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of claimants in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne North constituency and (b) Newcastle upon Tyne who will be in receipt of universal credit by the end of 2017. [141597]
Mr Hoban: Estimates of the number of claimants who will be in receipt of universal credit are not available at constituency or at local authority level.
Welfare State: Reform
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has undertaken a cumulative impact assessment of changes to welfare since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [141699]
Mr Hoban: The Government regularly produce analysis of the cumulative impact of all coalition changes, including welfare, on households across the income distribution. This information is published at every Budget and other major fiscal events, in the interests of transparency. The most recent update was published with the autumn statement on 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-82.
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The publication of cumulative impacts is a coalition initiative and was not produced by the previous Administration.
Work Capability Assessment
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider allowing people with learning disabilities to be assessed less regularly for benefits eligibility by Atos Healthcare on account of their condition being unlikely to alter significantly over a short period of time. [141555]
Mr Hoban: People are entitled to ESA for as long as they satisfy the entitlement conditions. To ensure that people who receive benefit are doing so correctly it is important that they are called for re-assessment from time to time to make sure that they still meet the entitlement conditions and, because peoples health conditions can change, that they remain in the correct group i.e. Work Related Activity Group or Support Group. This is a normal part of receiving ESA and is important to ensure that people continue to receive the right support.
As part of the work capability assessment, a healthcare professional will give advice on when they think a customer's functional capability may have changed sufficiently that a return to work may be possible. They must also give a justification for this advice. Departmental decision makers use this advice to decide when to reassess claimants.
A claimant for whom a return to work is considered unlikely within two years will be reassessed after two years. This is because, even for claimants who are unlikely to see an improvement in their health and who are unlikely to sufficiently adapt to their condition, it is important that we do not write them off completely. However, this reassessment will not necessarily involve a face-to-face assessment-where possible, the Department may make a decision using paper-based evidence.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of appeals against work capability assessment decisions were unsuccessful in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 in each region. [141731]
Mr Hoban: The following table shows the number and proportion of unsuccessful appeals (initial decision upheld) heard on fit for work decisions at the initial work capability assessment by region. The table covers employment and support allowance claims starting in 2010 and 2011. Data for 2011 cover January to November—the latest data available. The statistics are likely to alter over time due to outstanding appeals for ESA claims made in this period. Appeals against incapacity reassessment outcomes are not included.
| Unsuccessful appeals heard on fit for work decisions by claim start date and region | ||||
| Initial decision upheld | ||||
| 2010 | 2011 | |||
| Region | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage |
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| Note: Rounding—all volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Department for Work and Pensions benefit administration datasets and HM Courts and Tribunal Service appeals caseload data. | ||||
Work Capability Assessment: West Midlands
Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of work capability assessments were successfully appealed against in (a) Birmingham, Erdington constituency, (b) Birmingham and (c) the West Midlands in 2011-12. [140924]
Mr Hoban: Data on appeal outcomes for 2011-12 are currently available for claims to employment and support allowance made between April 2011 to November 2011, for appeals heard up to October 2012.
Of all initial claims received within Birmingham local authority in that period 5,940 have completed the WCA process with 3,370 being found fit for work. Of those found fit for work, 540 have an appeal outcome recorded and of these 140 were found in favour of the appellant.
For the West Midlands region, of all initial claims received in the same period, 24,650 have completed the WCA process with 14,220 being found fit for work. Of those found fit for work, 2,180 have an appeal outcome recorded and of these 650 were found in favour of the appellant.
Information on appeals against other decisions is not available; therefore totals are provided instead proportions. Constituency level information on WCA outcomes is not available.
Source:
The data presented above comes from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Court Tribunal Service's appeals caseload data.
Rounding: All volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.
Work Experience: Surrey
Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people participated in the Government's work experience schemes in (a) Woking constituency and (b) Surrey in the latest period for which figures are available. [139747]
Mr Hoban: From January 2011 up to and including May 2012 there were (a) 100 work experience starts in the Woking parliamentary constituency and (b) 1,040 work experience starts in Surrey.
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Working Tax Credit
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons people (a) in receipt of working tax credit will be exempt and (b) on a work programme placement will not be exempt from the benefits cap; and if he will make a statement. [141349]
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Mr Hoban: We are introducing the benefit cap because we do not believe it is right that households on out-of work benefits should be able to receive more in benefits than the average weekly wage for working households. Claimants who move into work, while on the Work programme and become entitled to working tax credit will be exempt from the benefit cap. Claimants who are on the Work programme but who continue to receive out-of-work benefits will be subject to the benefit cap.