NHS: Finance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of funding was for (a) cancer and (b) stroke and heart patients in each of the last three years. [174506]
Jane Ellison: Revenue allocations are currently made to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) by NHS England on the basis of a weighted capitation formula used to determine CCGs' target shares of available resources. It is for CCGs to decide how to best use the funding allocated to them, underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local health care needs. Prior to 1 April 2013, the national health service allocated funding to primary care trusts, which also decided at a local level how best to use this funding.
NHS: Negligence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many negligence complaints there were against the NHS in each of the last three years; and what the cost was of such claims to the NHS. [174443]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not hold information centrally about the number of negligence complaints against the national health service.
NHS: Per Capita Costs
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding NHS England allocated per person for health services in (a) Stafford constituency and (b) each clinical commissioning group in England for (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14. [173478]
Dr Poulter: Funding is not allocated on the basis of parliamentary constituencies. In 2012-13 funding was allocated to primary care trusts. South Staffordshire primary care trust received recurrent funding of £920,772,000. This is equivalent to £1,527 per person, compared to the England average of £1,652, based on population projections prepared by the Office for National Statistics.
In 2013-14 funding was allocated to clinical commissioning groups. Funding levels are not directly comparable to funding provided to primary care trusts in 2012-13 due to differences in commissioning responsibilities between primary care trusts and clinical commissioning groups. However, on a like-for-like basis, all clinical commissioning groups received an increase in funding of 2.3% in 2013-14 compared with 2012-13.
In 2013-14 NHS Stafford and Surrounds clinical commissioning group received recurrent funding of £154,272,000. This equates to £1,067 per person, compared to the England average of £1,137 per person, based on registered clinical commissioning group populations.
Allocations per head for each primary care trust in England in 2012-13 and each clinical commissioning group in 2013-14 have been placed in the Library.
NHS: Redundancy
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff have been made redundant and subsequently re-employed by NHS organisations on a (a) permanent basis and (b) fixed-term contract basis since May 2010. [174823]
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Dr Poulter: By reducing managers and administrators by almost 23,000, we are freeing up extra resources for patient care—£5.5 billion in this Parliament and £1.5 billion every year thereafter.
The number of national health service staff estimated to have been made redundant since May 2010 and subsequently, up until July 2013, re-employed by an NHS organisation on a permanent basis is 2,025 and on a fixed-term contract basis is 1,175.
These estimates are derived from unvalidated data from the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Data Warehouse, and so only cover redundancies from, and re-employment to, those organisation that use ESR.
NHS: Standards
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS Trusts have failed to meet their referral to treatment targets since May 2010; and in what months each such failure occurred. [174965]
Jane Ellison: The information requested has been placed in the Library. It shows performance for all national health service trusts and NHS foundation trusts in England against the referral to treatment consultant-led waiting times standards that:
90% of admitted patients and 95% of non-admitted patients should start treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral; and
(from 1 April 2012) 92% of patients on incomplete pathways should have been waiting no more than 18 weeks from referral.
Trusts who have not met the operational standards are highlighted in red.
Nurses
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were employed in the NHS in May (a) 2010 and (b) 2013. [174415]
Dr Poulter: The NHS Hospital and Community Health Service monthly work force statistics published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre show the number of qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff working in the NHS in England. In May 2010 there were 310,793 full-time equivalent qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff working in the NHS in England and in May 2013 there were 307,634 full-time equivalent qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in the NHS.
The changing nature of organisations that provide NHS services as part of Transforming Community Services may impact on the overall totals as a greater number of third party providers external to the NHS are excluded from the figures.
Prostate Cancer
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he expects the effect on the NHS to be of the development of a prostate cancer test which will distinguish between slow growing and more aggressive forms of the condition. [178470]
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Jane Ellison: We would welcome any new clinically and cost-effective test that could accurately distinguish between slow growing and aggressive prostate cancers. There is currently no clinical consensus on which is the best treatment for men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer. A test that could distinguish between slow growing and aggressive prostate cancers would give more support to clinicians in recommending the most appropriate course of treatment to their patients, and support to men in making an informed choice about the best form of treatment for them.
The National Institute for Health Research-funded ProtecT trial (Prostate testing for cancer and Treatment) is the biggest publicly funded clinical trial ever to take place in this country. The overall aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of treatments for men with localised prostate cancer, comparing three treatments: active monitoring, radical prostatectomy and radical radiotherapy. The study is expected to report in July 2014 at a total cost of over £34 million.
Radiotherapy
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when NHS England will introduce a tariff for stereotactic ablative radiotherapy. [174627]
Dr Poulter: NHS England and Monitor have recently consulted on their plans for the 2014-15 national tariff payment system, which aim to limit uncertainty in the system by making few changes to the detail of national prices. They will therefore not be introducing a mandatory price for stereotactic ablative radiotherapy in 2014-15. This activity will continue to be subject to local negotiation on price.
NHS England and Monitor will announce their plans for the payment system beyond 2014-15 in due course.
Recruitment
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new staff his Department has employed under (a) fixed-term contracts and (b) short-term contracts since May 2010. [174461]
Dr Poulter: 79 civil servants have been recruited on fixed-term appointments since May 2010. Of that number 35 were employed on a short-term basis—that is, for periods of less than one year.
School Milk
Mr Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of ongoing management costs incurred by his Department under a national contract for the administration of the Nursery Milk Scheme. [174829]
Dr Poulter:
The Department has a contract with Multi Resource Marketing Ltd (MRM) to act as the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit for the Nursery Milk Scheme. As the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit, MRM administers the Nursery Milk Scheme to meet the Secretary of State's statutory obligation to
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reimburse child care providers for the cost of providing daily milk to eligible children under five years old in Great Britain.
The 2013-14 contract for the reimbursement of nursery milk is for £448,063.61. This represents 0.64% of the total budget for nursery milk and includes £248,063.61 for the validation of nursery milk claims. We expect the total, ongoing, cost to reduce in future years due to the introduction of a more streamlined and much lower cost system for validating claims under the scheme.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had with representatives of the dairy industry on future options for the Nursery Milk Scheme; and if he will make a statement; [175114]
(2) what estimate he has made of (a) the costs of a new national procurement process for the Nursery Milk Scheme and (b) the costs to business of the adoption of an e-voucher scheme for providing nursery milk. [175135]
Dr Poulter: The Department has set out possible options for the operation of the Nursery Milk scheme, in its consultation: “Next Steps for Nursery Milk”, published in 2012. An impact assessment which included the costs of a new national procurement process for the Nursery Milk Scheme and the costs to business of the adoption of an e-voucher scheme for providing nursery milk was published at the same time. A copy of the consultation document has already been placed in the Library.
As part of the consultation process we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including parents, child care providers and milk producers. We also engaged specifically with representatives of the dairy industry and local government to seek their views on how they might be affected by the options proposed in the consultation.
A decision on the future operation of the Nursery Milk scheme will be taken after full consideration is given to the final impact assessment, the consultation responses and other relevant information.
Sovereignty: Scotland
Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have had with their counterparts in the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Government's White Paper on Independence. [174389]
Dr Poulter: Departmental Ministers have not held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding their White Paper on Independence.
Sunningdale Park
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often his Department has used Sunningdale Park for civil service events since May 2010; what the nature of each such event was; and what the cost of each such event was. [174402]
Dr Poulter:
The Department books conference facilities through conference facility providers and according to our records we have only made one booking for an
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event at Sunningdale Park since May 2010. This was for a meeting of the Department’s senior team to consider the future strategy of the Department on the 11 and 12 October 2012, at a total cost of £1,800 (including VAT).
Education
Carers' Rights
16. Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on how rights to assessment for people caring for disabled children can be strengthened in line with the rights of other carers. [900998]
Mr Timpson: The Minister for Care and Support and I have had discussions on the subject in the context of both the Care Bill and the Children and Families Bill. We are satisfied that there is a strong framework of support in place for parent-carers of disabled children. There already exists legislation to assess parent-carers' needs within the Children Act 1989 in so far as it meets the needs of individual children in need. Local authorities can provide services to the family members of a child in need with a view to safeguarding or promoting the child's welfare. Unlike for young carers, where the Government has tabled an amendment to the Children and Families Bill, there is a lack of evidence for the need to change the way support is provided. Amending the Children Act 1989 to assess the needs of parent-carers separately from children would risk the needs of the children becoming second to those of their parent.
Government has invested significantly in support for parent-carers of disabled children.
This includes committing over £800 million for local authorities to invest in short breaks for disabled children between April 2011 and March 2015 through unringfenced grants, backed by new duties introduced in 2011. The reforms outlined in the Children and Families Bill, along with wider reforms in education and health, will strengthen the current system further for children and young people with SEN, including those who are disabled, and give much greater, more joined-up support to parent-carers.
Full-face Veils
17. Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on allowing (a) teachers, (b) pupils and (c) parents to wear full-face veils on school premises. [900999]
Michael Gove: This is a matter for schools. We support religious tolerance and freedom of expression. Women should have the freedom to choose what to wear. However, there clearly will be circumstances in which covering the face will be inappropriate, so schools should be free to set their own policies. There should be a common sense balance, which takes into account civil liberties and freedom of religion.
The use of full face veils by school staff is very much an issue for the employer, whether that is the governing body or the local authority. As part of the general terms and conditions of employment agreed with employees, employers should consider an appropriate dress code, relevant to the individual setting, taking into account the requirements of the post and equality and diversity considerations.
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It is for schools to determine their uniform policies. They are best placed to balance the rights of individual pupils against the best interests of the school community as a whole. In thinking about the needs of individual pupils they should consider their religion or belief, ethnicity, disability or other special considerations. The Department recently issued clear guidance to schools on setting a uniform policy which encourages schools to think about policies which promote good behaviour and discipline.
Likewise, it is for schools to determine any requirements they have for visitors to the school, including parents. Again, schools would need to be mindful of their responsibilities under equality law.
Summer-born Children
19. Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what monitoring his Department is carrying out of the implementation of its new advice on the admission of summer-born children. [901001]
Elizabeth Truss: Following recent complaints about the difficulties faced by summer-born children in the admissions process, the Department worked with Bliss, the charity for premature babies, and a small group of parents to produce the advice on the admission of summer-born children that was published on 29 July this year. We expect this advice will inform the allocation and offer of school places for 2014.
We will continue to monitor correspondence on this issue and to work with Bliss and our partners on the Admissions Group to assess the impact of the advice and decide whether the nature of future complaints warrant further action from the Department to ensure that admission authorities do make appropriate use of the flexibility available to them when considering parental requests to vary the school starting age for summer-born children.
Primary Schools: Child Care
21. David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what comparative assessment he has made of the proportion of primary schools offering wrap-around child care services (a) in May 2010 and (b)now. [901003]
Elizabeth Truss: Estimates from the Childcare and Early Years Providers' Survey show that between 2010 and 2011, there was a 5% increase in the number of after school clubs, with the total being 10,000 in 2011—the most recent figure available.
Many parents still find that the high cost and inflexibility of child care is a barrier to working or increasing their hours. We need more schools to be offering 8am to 6pm and holiday care, and the Government are making it easier for them to do so, either themselves or in partnership with providers.
School Facilities: Community Use
22. Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to encourage schools to make their facilities available for community use outside school hours. [901004]
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Elizabeth Truss: Out-of-hours and holiday child care provided by schools as community services have an important role to play in increasing the amount of affordable and flexible care. We need more schools to be offering this sort of community facility.
The Government are removing unnecessary red tape, increasing freedoms, and helping schools to understand how to provide community facilities.
For example, we are aligning staffing and qualification requirements with the school day; removing the need for schools to consult when introducing community facilities, or have regard to guidance from the Secretary of State or local authorities; clarifying the rules on charging for community facilities; and helping schools to learn from those who have done it successfully.
Sure Start Centres
23. Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for Sure Start children's centres. [901005]
Elizabeth Truss: We have made available sufficient funding to maintain a network of children's centres and, earlier this year, issued revised statutory guidance to ensure that children's centres meet their new core purpose, to improve outcomes for the most disadvantaged families and children.
Local authorities are under a statutory duty to ensure they have sufficient children's centres to meet local need and are examining their provision to ensure that services are being delivered efficiently and effectively. In doing so, they are identifying ways of retaining a network that is accessible to all but focused on making a real difference to those most in need.
Free Schools
25. Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on oversight of free schools. [901007]
Michael Gove: Free schools and academies are held more rigorously to account than any other schools.
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the minimum standard for quality in a free school is before that school is deemed by his Department to be failing. [174737]
Mr Timpson: The Department deems free schools to be failing in the same way it deems all schools (whether maintained or not) to be failing: if they receive an Ofsted judgment of ‘inadequate’ and special measures are required to be taken in relation to the school, or it requires significant improvement, or if there is sustained underperformance.
The circumstances in which the Secretary of State for Education can intervene in any individual underperforming free school or academy are set out in the funding agreement between the academy trust running the school and the Secretary of State. Free school and academy funding agreements are published on the Department for Education's website1 as a matter of course once the school has opened.
1http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/
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Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what length of time his Department gives a failing free school before it is (a) forced to close and (b) taken over by new leadership; [174738]
(2) what steps his Department takes to improve a failing free school. [174736]
Mr Timpson: The Secretary of State for Education is responsible for ensuring that underperforming free schools take action to raise standards. In deciding how to respond to underperformance, he will consider whether the free school demonstrates that they have the capacity to take the necessary action.
Each free school is assessed on a case-by-case basis. The Department can provide schools with support from education advisers, or recommend partnership with a stronger organisation, or access to external expertise, where these are likely to prove beneficial. However, the Secretary of State will not tolerate failure and in extreme cases will intervene to bring about a change in leadership or force the free school to close. The Secretary of State's powers to intervene in any particular academy or free school are specified in the funding agreement between the Secretary of State and the academy trust running the school. Free school and academy funding agreements are published on the Department for Education's website1 once the school has opened.
1 http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education who is responsible for buying out existing contracts at a failed free school. [174954]
Mr Timpson: All academies, including free schools, are responsible for fulfilling their contractual obligations.
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the framework for the monitoring visits of free schools carried out by his Department in their first year of operation; and who is responsible for resourcing improvements required. [174955]
Mr Timpson: The framework for monitoring free schools is based on the Ofsted monitoring framework, which is published on the Ofsted website.
All free schools receive a visit from an education adviser in their first term to assess progress since opening, with follow up monitoring in terms two and three where required. The education advisers report back any issues to the Department.
Where education advisers identify areas for improvement during the monitoring visit, these are raised with the relevant school's Trust and it is the Trust's responsibility to resolve any issues.
Curriculum
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how he proposes to respond to the Youth Select Committee report on a curriculum for life; [175121]
(2) what evidence was submitted by his Department as part of the call for evidence by the Youth Select Committee on its report on a curriculum for life. [175066]
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Elizabeth Truss: The Department welcomes the work of the committee. We agree that schools have a fundamental role in equipping young people with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. We will publish our response to the recommendations in due course.
The Department presented written evidence on 4 June, which is available on the British Youth Council website1. In addition, one of the Department's senior officials gave evidence to the committee on 5 July and responded to questions at the launch event.
1http://www.byc.org.uk/uk-work/youth-select-committee/submitted-evidence.aspx
Health Education: Drugs
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he has issued to schools regarding education on the effects of legal highs; and if he will make a statement. [174815]
Elizabeth Truss: Effective education is essential in tackling drug and alcohol misuse. Pupils will learn about the effects of drugs on their bodies as part of the new science national curriculum at key stages 2 and 3, which will be taught in schools from September 2014. Teachers can also cover the issue through personal, social, health and economic (PSHE), drawing on specialist resources. For example, the PSHE Association has issued a revised programme of study which includes references to drug education1, and the new drug and alcohol information and advice service for practitioners, delivered by Mentor UK, provides accurate, up-to-date information and resources2.
The Home Office ran communication activity from July to October this year, targeted at 13 to 19-year-olds contemplating using legal highs. The activity used online and radio channels to raise awareness of the risks and harms of legal highs, directing the audience to
www.talktofrank.com
to find out more. In addition to this, the Home Office offers partners literature, which includes information on legal highs, to distribute among young people.
1 http://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=1004
2 http://mentor-adepis.org/
Kings Science Academy
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) when he was first informed of allegations of financial irregularities at Kings Science Academy, Bradford; [174470]
(2) what role any Minister in his Department played in the decision to refer the internal audit report into Kings Science Academy, Bradford to the police for their information only; [174471]
(3) for what reasons the police were notified of the internal audit report into Kings Science Academy, Bradford for information only and not for criminal investigation; [174472]
(4) whether the internal audit into financial irregularities at Kings Science Academy, Bradford, reviewed whether a fair rent had been agreed by the school for the lease of land from a company owned by Mr Alan Lewis; [174473]
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(5) when he first (a) received and (b) read the departmental internal audit report on Kings Science Academy, Bradford. [174474]
Mr Timpson: The Secretary of State for Education, is kept fully briefed on all important issues at free schools and academies. The Secretary of State was made aware at the time that an investigation had taken place and was informed of the actions arising from that investigation when it was completed in April 2013.
Information arising from the investigation report was referred to Action Fraud on 25 April 2013. The Department followed all correct procedures in reporting this incident. Action Fraud has apologised to the Department for an administrative error on their part, which saw the case filed as an information report rather than a crime report. The Department was informed of this error by Action Fraud on 1 November.
The investigation was into financial irregularities at the academy and the fairness of the lease arrangements was not within its scope. Advice had been sought prior to opening on the lease arrangements. This confirmed, on the basis of property search work and the due diligence exercises carried out, that the lease offered value for money.
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether Kings Science Academy, Bradford received an independent valuation before awarding a contract for lease of land from a company owned by Mr Alan Lewis. [174568]
Mr Timpson: The Department commissioned and received an independent valuation of the Northside Business Park in Bradford, on behalf of the Kings Science Academy Trust. Such valuations are obtained before proceeding with any site purchase or entering into a commercial lease arrangement.
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) for what reasons his Department did not enquire for at least six months about the progress of a police investigation into fraud allegations at Kings Science Academy, Bradford, referred to Action Fraud by his Department in April 2013; [174570]
(2) what role the Principal of Kings Science Academy, Bradford had in the appointment of (a) Dr Waheed Hussain and (b) other governors of the school. [174567]
Mr Timpson: The matter was referred to Action Fraud on 25 April 2013. The Department contacted Action Fraud just over four months later to inquire about progress, on 5 September. Action Fraud then wrote to the Department to state that the case had been passed to the National Fraud Investigation Bureau, who had assessed the case and determined there should be no further action. On 1 November a call was received from Action Fraud in which they apologised, stating that they had wrongly categorised the case. A police investigation is consequently now under way.
As part of the application process we ask free school proposers to set up an academy trust, a charitable company, limited by guarantee, which will run the school. To set up an academy trust proposers need to identify at least one member and three directors. They then build
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up their governing body and membership through pre-opening, to ensure a sufficiently broad mix of skills and experience. The governing body appoints the Principal. Companies House holds the incorporation documents for Kifsa Ltd, the trust behind Kings Science, confirming its founding member as Sajid Hussain, and its three founding directors as Waheed Hussain, Sajid Hussain and Nadim Qureshi.
Playgrounds
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much has been spent on the playground building programme in each year since its inception. [174423]
Mr Laws: Between 2008 and 2010 the Department for Education's three-year play investment strategy allocated capital funding to local authorities in England for them to run local programmes, as set out in the following table:
| £ million | |
Local authorities, other local agencies and the Big Lottery fund also invested their own funding in local playground projects in this period, though we do not hold this information centrally.
Schools
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average number of hours per week devoted to (a) personal and social learning, (b) history, (c) music and (d) religious education was in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in each of the last 30 years. [174417]
Elizabeth Truss: The Schools Workforce Census, which was introduced in 2010, records the total numbers of hours taught for these subjects in secondary education (years seven to 13) in a typical week.1
Before this time, Secondary Schools Staffing and Curriculum Surveys were carried out at five yearly intervals but information on taught time was not recorded in numbers of hours.
Figures are not collected for the numbers of hours taught for specific subjects in primary schools.
1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2012
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2011
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-workforce-in-england-november-2010-provisional
Schools: Construction
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have cancelled plans for upgrading in each region since May 2010. [174509]
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Mr Laws: We do not collect information from schools on their plans to undertake upgrade work and do not, therefore, hold any detail on those plans that may have subsequently been cancelled. The Department does, however, administer a number of capital programmes centrally and I can confirm that two schools, one in Middlesbrough and one in Stoke-on-Trent, cancelled their plans to use funding allocated to them from the Department's Academies Capital Maintenance Fund.
Schools: Governing Bodies
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) policies and (b) statutory obligations each school governing body is required to keep under review. [R] [174790]
Mr Timpson: The policies and statutory obligations on school governing bodies vary depending on the legal status and characteristics of the school. A list of the policies and other documents that different types of schools are required to have by law is available on the Department's website at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/toolsandinitiatives/cuttingburdens/a00201669/statutory-policies-for-schools
In addition, The Governors' Handbook, published in May this year, provides governing bodies with all the essential information they need to fulfil their role.
Schools: Playing Fields
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Coventry South of 6 September 2013, Official Report, column 550W, on schools: playing fields, if he will publish the title of the document, including the page reference, from which the figure of 2,540 was drawn. [174696]
Mr Laws: As stated in the answer of 6 September, these figures were produced by Fields in Trust, formerly the National Playing Fields Association, in 2005 and were widely reported at the time.
Sunningdale Park
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how often his Department has used Sunningdale Park for Civil Service events since May 2010; what the nature of each such event was; and what the cost of each such event was. [174398]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department cannot access this information directly from its accounting system and providing it would incur disproportionate costs.
Work and Pensions
Child Maintenance
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the (a) number of absent mothers and (b) proportion of such mothers who pay their child's maintenance. [174747]
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Steve Webb: As at June 2013, the total CSA live and assessed caseload where the non resident parent is female was 52,200. A liability to pay maintenance exists in 36,600 of these cases. Of the 36,600 liable cases, some maintenance was paid in the quarter in 29,200 (80%) cases.
Cold Weather Payments
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the variations in local temperatures as a result of differing topography in relation to the cold weather payment. [175126]
Steve Webb: The linking of weather stations to specified postcodes is based on expert advice from the Met Office. Linkages are reviewed annually to ensure that stations are as representative as possible of the conditions in the areas they cover.
In making its recommendations the Met Office examines the Geographic Information System database showing topography, postcode areas, weather stations, built-up areas and 1 km-gridded winter mean air temperature for 1981 to 2010, i.e. the latest 30 year measurement of winter mean temperature used to calculate various weather parameters.
It is not feasible for the cold weather payment scheme to reflect precisely all local temperature variations, and the variable terrain in the UK makes weather station selection complex. The aim therefore is to achieve sensible national coverage with a reasonable level of local sensitivity.
Cold Weather Payments: Wales
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the need for a weather station in Arfon to better record local temperatures in relation to the cold weather payment. [175099]
Steve Webb: The cold weather scheme is reviewed after the end of each winter season (31 March). Expert advice is sought from the Met Office and changes made where appropriate before the start of the next winter period. As well as reviewing the structural parts of the scheme, we also consider representations made during the previous winter about the suitability of individual weather stations and the links with postcode districts. We will be reviewing the coverage of weather stations in consultation with the Met Office again in the summer. Individual Members' comments, such as whether there is a need for a weather station at Arfon, will form part of that review. Following completion of the review, Members will be informed of the outcome separately, in writing.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people with multiple sclerosis currently accessing the Motability Scheme are in receipt of the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance; and how many such people lease a (a) car, (b) scooter and (c) powered wheelchair; [174827]
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(2) how many people with multiple sclerosis are currently accessing the Motability Scheme. [174828]
Mike Penning: As at February 20131, there were 1,791,730 recipients of the higher rate mobility component of DLA and 62,650 of these recipients had listed multiple sclerosis as their main disabling condition. Information on how many of the 62,650 recipients have chosen to transfer their higher rate mobility component to Motability is not routinely collated by the Department and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
1 Latest available DWP data
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on giving claimants a choice between remaining on the higher rate mobility of disability living allowance and taking responsibility for attending all NHS medical appointments personally and not having this allowance and giving this responsibility to the NHS. [174968]
Mike Penning: Recipients of disability living allowance are free to use their benefit, including any amount of the higher rate mobility component awarded, according to their own priorities. Recipients may additionally be entitled to help with their travel costs under NHS health care travel costs schemes depending on their, or their partner's, income or savings.
Future Jobs Fund: Wales
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people were placed on the Future Jobs Fund programme in Vale of Clwyd constituency in each month of that programme's existence. [174934]
Esther McVey: The number of individuals starting a Future Jobs Fund placement in Vale of Clwyd constituency is provided as follows:
| FJF starts | |
| Notes: 1. Due to data protection protocols, vales less than 10 are suppressed and marked with a dash to avoid unnecessary disclosure. Additionally, any figures above 10 are rounded to the nearest 10. Due to rounding, totals may not be the sum of individual cells. 2. Months are calendar months Source: DWP LMS opportunities evaluation dataset (November 2010). | |
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Jobseeker's Allowance
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many sanctions have been issued to jobseeker's allowance claimants in each of the last 12 months. [174710]
Esther McVey: From 22 October 2012, new regulations introduced a regime of fixed period sanctions, which replaced the existing sanction rules and moved claimants closer to the sanction regime planned for universal credit in 2013. These data, up to June 2013, can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions
Guidance for users is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203439/tab-tool-guidance.pdf
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2013, Official Report, column 794W, on jobseeker's allowance, what (a) number and (b) proportion of unemployed people have been signposted to local voluntary and community sector organisations by his Department by (i) region and (ii) parliamentary constituency. [175083]
Esther McVey: The information requested is not available.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Wales
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people there were on jobseeker's allowance for 12 months or more in each constituency in Wales in each month since May 2010. [174935]
Esther McVey: Statistics on the number of JSA claimants, by geography, duration and month can be found at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp
Guidance for users can be found at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp
Personal Independence Payment
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the average time is between receipt of a new completed claim form for personal independence payment and a first decision being notified to the claimant; [174309]
(2) what the longest waiting time has been between the submission of a successful new claim for personal independence payment and the receipt of the first payment; [174310]
(3) what the average waiting time is from receipt of a successful completed new claim for personal independence payment until receipt of the first such payment. [174311]
Mike Penning:
Personal independence payment started from April 2013 and although limited data has started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish
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statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on personal independence payment from spring 2014.
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect on his Department's expenditure plans of the delay in the national rollout of the personal independence payment; and if he will make a statement. [174603]
Mike Penning: As is the case after each fiscal event, updated expenditure forecasts, including for personal independence payment and disability living allowance, will be published on
www.gov.uk
following the autumn statement.
Separated People: Finance
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2013, Official Report, columns 618-9W, on separated people: finance, when each of the seven voluntary and third-sector projects established in March 2013 under the Help and Support for Separated Families Innovation Fund will start working with customers directly. [174807]
Steve Webb: The start dates for working directly with customers vary for the seven projects established in March 2013 under the Help and Support for Separated Families Innovation Fund.
The projects by Malachi, Resolve Cymru, Spurgeons and Howells started working with clients in April 2013. The Resolution project began working with clients in three sites, Crewe in April, Newcastle in May and Oxford in June 2013. The digital projects to be delivered by Relate and OnePlusOne are due to commence working directly with customers in December 2013.
Sickness Absence: Depressive Illnesses
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the annual cost of depression to the UK economy in terms of lost days at work and reduced productivity. [174341]
Mike Penning: The data are not available to calculate the annual cost of depression to the UK economy.
We acknowledge however that employment rates for people with depression, anxiety and other common mental health problems are relatively low. This is why the Government are exploring new integrated approaches across the mental health and employment system. We are currently working on a range of measures to support people with mental health problems to remain in and return to work. This includes improving access to talking therapies for people who are out of work, and the introduction of a new health and work assessment and advisory service from late 2014 which will make occupational health expertise more widely available to those employees and employers who need it most.
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Sickness Absence: Stress
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many working days were lost due to stress-related illnesses in the latest period for which figures are available. [174313]
Mike Penning: Data are not captured at a sufficiently detailed enough level to determine the number of working days lost each year due to stress related conditions.
We acknowledge however that employment rates for people with depression, anxiety and other common mental health problems are relatively low. This is why the Government are exploring new integrated approaches across the mental health and employment system. We are currently working on a range of measures to support people with mental health problems to remain in and return to work. This includes improving access to talking therapies for people who are out of work and the introduction of a new health and work assessment and advisory service in late 2014 which will make occupational health expertise more widely available to those employees and employers who need it most.
Social Security Benefits
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefit monies remain unclaimed for (a) the UK and (b) each region of the UK. [174830]
Esther McVey: On 23 February 2012 the Department for Work and Pensions published the report ‘Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up in 2009-10’ which contained the latest estimates of the total amount of the main income-related benefits in Great Britain estimated to have been left unclaimed. The benefits covered are income support and employment and support allowance (income-related), pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based).
The full report can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up
The next report, for the years 2010-11 and 2011-12 combined, is expected to be published in summer 2014.
Matters of social security in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Statistics produced by Northern Ireland on unclaimed benefits are available here:
http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/statistics_and_research-take_up
Estimates of take-up are not sufficiently robust to present below the level of Great Britain.
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average (a) weekly and (b) monthly value is of (A) an education support allowance, (B) a jobseeker's allowance and (C) an income support claim. [175098]
Esther McVey: Statistics on the number of jobseeker's allowance and income support claimants and average weekly amounts in payment can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool
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Guidance for users is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/203439/tab-tool-guidance.pdf
Information on educational support allowance is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/plans-to-end-the-education-maintenance-allowance-ema-programme
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claiming (a) employment and support allowance, (b) income support and (c) incapacity benefit were engaged in permitted work in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010, (iv) 2011, (v) 2012 and (vi) January to October 2013. [178467]
Esther McVey: Detailed information on supported permitted work is not available for employment and support allowance (ESA) and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The latest available information for claimants of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance is shown in the following table:
| Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants with supported permitted work, Great Britain, time series | |
| IB/SDA claimants engaged in permitted work | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Figures have been produced using the 5% sample data and have been rated up proportionately using the Great Britain WPLS 100% IB/SDA totals. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. Information on permitted work is not collected on the Income Support data. The information in the table however will include those who are receiving both IB/SDA and income support. 4. Permitted Work Categories (current rates): Permitted Work Lower Level (Up to £20 pw for unlimited period) Supported Permitted Work (Up to £99.50 pw for unlimited period (*supported)) Permitted Work Higher Limit (Up to £99.50 pw and < 16 hours for up to 26 weeks) Permitted Work Higher Level Subsequent (PWHL after 52 week gap (*supported)) The support must be given by a person employed by a public or local authority or voluntary organisation. Further information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/incapacity-benefit Source: DWP, Information Governance and Security Directory, 5% Samples. | |
It should be noted that the number of people in receipt of IB/SDA has reduced steadily since we began reassessing people for ESA in 2011.
Sunningdale Park
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how often his Department has used Sunningdale Park for Civil Service events since May 2010; what the nature of each such event was; and what the cost of each such event was. [174410]
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Mike Penning: Following a review of learning and development across Government, the National School of Government, which delivered training on the Sunningdale Park site, closed in March 2012. Information such as dates on which individuals may have used the site or what events have been held there, has not been retained.
Universal Credit
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions the ministerial oversight group for universal credit has met in the last 12 months; and when that group is scheduled to meet again. [174812]
Esther McVey: The Ministerial Oversight Group for Universal Credit has met on 10 occasions in the last 12 months and will meet again before Christmas.
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what amounts have been paid to date to each (a) IT service provider and (b) consultant in relation to the universal credit programme. [174813]
Esther McVey: The information is as follows:
(a) The amounts that have been paid to each IT service provider are contained within the NAO report: Universal Credit: Early progress, HC 621, published on 5 September 2013.
(b) The total cost of the consultants employed on the Universal Credit programme in each of the last three years is as follows:
£5.6 million in 2011-12; and
£3.2 million in 2012-13.
There was no consultancy expenditure in 2010-11 recorded against the Universal Credit programme.
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans he has to use staff who process housing benefit for district and unitary councils to process universal credit; [174852]
(2) what discussions he has had with Ministers and officials in other departments regarding the effect of the introduction of universal credit with regard to (a) staffing levels at local authorities which currently process housing benefit, (b) redundancy costs for those staff and (c) whether those staff could process universal credit. [174853]
Esther McVey: The closure of existing benefits and credits will have a significant impact on those organisations and staff delivering current services. Local authorities will continue to have a key role, with a significant number of welfare reform relying on local authority delivery and/or support. We will continue to consult local authorities in reaching further decisions on the design and delivery of universal credit.
Work Capability Assessment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the number of people who have committed suicide just (a) after and (b) before a work capability assessment. [174289]
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Mike Penning: The information requested is not available.
Chris Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of successful appeals have been made against work capability decisions in each (a) local authority area, (b) parliamentary
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constituency and (c) of his Department's areas. [174345]
Esther McVey: The number of successful appeals made against work capability decisions in each Region can be found in the following table.
| Number of Fit for Work decisions and outcomes of appeals heard against Fit for Work decisions at initial WCA for new ESA claims: October 2008 to May 2012 | |||||
| Outcome of appeals heard on Fit for Work decisions | |||||
| Region | Total caseload with a Fit for work decision (a) | Caseload for Initial decision overturned (b) | Caseload for Initial decision upheld (c) | Proportion of all Fit for Work decisions overturned (b/a) % | Proportion of Fit for Work appeals heard decisions overturned (b/b+c) % |
| "*" indicates a nil or negligible value. Notes: 1. Figures are for initial assessments only and numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Data on appeals includes ESA claims up to the end of May 2012 (the latest month where we have sufficient volumes of appeals heard to include in the publication) where the person claiming has been assessed to be Fit for Work, they subsequently appeal the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by Tribunals Service. 3. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard. Therefore these figures should be treated as emerging findings rather than final at this stage. 4. Information on appeals against repeat assessment, incapacity benefit reassessment and Work Related Activity Group outcomes are not included. 5. Region: Formerly known as Government Office Regions. Source: Department for Work and Pensions benefit administration dataset | |||||
The information requested for local authority and parliamentary constituency are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many terminally ill people who were expected to live between six and 12 months and were tested for work capability by Atos have been declared fit for work to date; how many such people appealed the decision; and how many such appeals were successful. [174541]
Mike Penning: This information is not available.
However, terminally ill claimants will not need to undergo a face-to-face assessment; and will be, as defined within legislation, placed in the Support Group.
Work Programme
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how his Department measures Work programme customer satisfaction. [174855]
Esther McVey: To ensure that providers are delivering the minimum standard of service they promise for each participant, the Department conducts a monthly survey of a sample of claimants from each contract, requiring providers to rectify any shortcomings identified. The Department also requires providers to collate and submit monthly returns on the number and nature of complaints raised by customers. These form part of Work programme quality monitoring.
Work Programme: Wales
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the performance of the Work programme in (a) Vale of Clwyd constituency and (b) North Wales. [174931]
Esther McVey: Assessment has not been made of individual geographic areas of Wales.
Deputy Prime Minister
Sovereignty: Scotland
Pamela Nash: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have had with their counterparts in the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Government's White Paper on Independence. [174387]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I have not held any discussions with the Scottish Government regarding its White Paper on Independence.
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Sunningdale Park
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how often his Office has used Sunningdale Park for Civil Service events since May 2010; what the nature of each such event was; and what the cost of each such event was. [174397]
The Deputy Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude).
Women and Equalities
Males
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent steps she has taken to ensure that men fulfil their potential. [174198]
Mrs Grant: ‘Building a Fairer Britain’, published in December 2010, set out Government's equality strategy, focusing on the principles of equal treatment and equal opportunity. The Children and Families Bill 2013 will extend the right to request flexible working to all employees, removing a significant barrier for men in the workplace, and introduce a new system of shared parental leave which will enable working fathers to take a more active role in caring for their children.
Publications
Bridget Phillipson:
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will publish a list of all independent reports commissioned by (a) Ministers in the Government
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Equalities Office and
(b)
the Permanent Secretary of her Office since May 2010. [174256]
Mrs Grant: The GEO has commissioned seven independent reports in the period from May 2010 to November 2013. These are:
Evaluation of the Implementation of the Equality Act 2010 (Centre for Research into Social Policy);
Evaluation of the Equality Act 2010: Evidence Dossier (Equality and Diversity Forum);
Voluntary gender equality reporting in organisations with 150 to 249 employees (Institute for Employment Studies);
Body confidence rapid evidence assessment and research reports (NB Research);
Body confidence academic reports;
Women's Business Council report: Maximising women's contribution to future economic growth (Women's Business Council); and
The independent Steering Group's report of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED steering group).
Reports commissioned prior to May 2010 but published after this date have not been included. Similarly, reports towards which the GEO makes a financial contribution but does not formally commission are excluded, as are reports formally commissioned by other Government Departments with the endorsement/involvement of GEO Ministers.
Sovereignty: Scotland
Pamela Nash: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what discussions (a) she and (b) her ministerial colleagues have had with their counterparts in the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Government's White Paper on Independence. [174388]
Mrs Grant: This Department’s Ministers have not held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding its White Paper on Independence.