Employment and Support Allowance
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether an employment and support allowance (ESA) claimant who successfully appeals following a mandatory reconsideration will have their reinstated ESA backdated to cover the full time period of the reconsideration. [175943]
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Esther McVey: If the original disallowance decision is overturned at appeal, payment of employment and support allowance will be reinstated and backdated to the effective date of the decision in their case. Any payments owed for this period will be restored. Equally, if the original disallowance decision is reversed after mandatory reconsideration and no appeal is then necessary, payment of employment and support allowance will be reinstated and backdated in the same way.
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether a claimant of employment and support allowance will prejudice or influence the outcome of their mandatory reconsideration if they make a claim for jobseeker's allowance during or before the reconsideration period. [175987]
Esther McVey: The DWP decision-maker’s decision at the mandatory reconsideration stage for employment and support allowance is intended to be an independent step in the process. Therefore, whether the claimant has claimed jobseeker's allowance or not in the intervening period will have no bearing on the mandatory reconsideration decision. Work Capability Assessment decisions are binding—a jobseeker's allowance decision- maker cannot decide that a claimant is too ill to work if this contradicts the ESA decision-maker's decision. However, the claimant must agree to the jobseeker's agreement/claimant commitment to be eligible.
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long he intends the mandatory reconsideration of employment and support allowance to take; and if he will introduce a maximum time limit for this process. [176001]
Esther McVey: There are no plans to introduce a timescale for completion of the mandatory reconsideration process. However, the process will be monitored to avoid any unnecessary delays. The time it takes to complete a mandatory reconsideration will vary depending on the circumstances of the case, but DWP will contact the claimant once the mandatory reconsideration process is complete.
If no further information is needed and the case is straightforward, the mandatory reconsideration process for employment and support allowance could be completed relatively quickly. We would usually expect this to take around 14 days, but it could take longer. For example, if further information is needed, the law states that DWP have to give people one month to provide it and this may be extended further at the decision-maker's discretion, so cases like this may take longer.
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants for employment and support allowance were placed in the (a) support group and (b) work related activity group by assessment centre in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14. [176284]
Esther McVey: This information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
The information we do have for claimants of employment and support allowance (ESA) by phase of claim by region, Jobcentre Plus district, local authority or parliamentary constituency is available at:
www.nomisweb.co.uk
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Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants for employment and support allowance were placed in the (a) support group and (b) work related activity group by each Jobcentre Plus office in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14. [176290]
Esther McVey: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
The information we do have for claimants of employment and support allowance (ESA) by phase of claim by region, Jobcentre Plus district, local authority or parliamentary constituency is available at:
www.nomisweb.co.uk
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the suitability of employment and support allowance assessments for people with progressive diseases; and if he will make a statement. [177095]
Mike Penning: The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is based on an individual's functional ability rather than the condition itself. It is therefore important to review claimants appropriately to ensure they are receiving the correct level of support.
We are committed to ensuring that the WCA assesses people as fairly and as accurately as possible, which is why it is subject to continuous review and refinement. We are looking forward to the fourth independent review, which is being conducted by Dr Paul Litchfield and is due to be published on 12 December.
Employment Schemes: Young People
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the financial incentives used in (a) Jobs Growth Wales and (b) the Work programme in attracting and keeping young people on to work and training programmes. [176811]
Esther McVey: Jobs Growth Wales is a Welsh Government programme, and so it is for the Welsh Government to make an assessment. The programme operates on a wage incentive basis.
The Work programme gives providers the freedom to refer claimants to any support that is appropriate for their circumstances, including training and employment support. Providers are able to make use of financial incentives for both employers and training providers. The results of the programme are published in our official statistics releases; these set out how many claimants have been moved into sustained work by providers, but do not make an assessment of the different models of support that the providers have used.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve the integration of UK and Welsh Government initiatives to return young people to the jobs market. [176812]
Esther McVey:
Department for Work and Pension officials hold regular meetings with officials from the Welsh Government to discuss policy. On 21 November
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2013, Ken Skates, Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology in the Welsh Government, and I discussed improving the integration of initiatives that the UK Government and the Welsh Government have available to young people.
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve recruitment services for young unemployed people in Portsmouth South constituency. [176823]
Esther McVey: To support the young unemployed people in Portsmouth South the personal advisers in the Jobcentre deliver the following:
Group information sessions (GIS) for 18 to 24-year-old jobseekers every Wednesday afternoon, covering attitudes and behaviours, the importance of a CV being of a recognised standard and effective jobsearching, including the role social media plays in looking for work. We also cover how to complete application forms to meet the expectations of today's employers. When possible we endeavour to involve local employers who support the Youth Contract. These sessions have developed as a result of consultation with our staff and customers and participants have been extremely positive in their feedback.
We refer all jobseekers who do not have a CV, who require basic skills development or who are in need of additional support in undertaking job search activities to the appropriate provision. This ensures they are always taking steps closer to finding and then staying in work.
We actively promote work trials and work experience to our young people, providing marketing material and working closely with local employers.
The National Careers Service (NCS) holds monthly GIS for young jobseekers in need of extra support. The GIS covers;
How to market yourself
Transferable skills
CVs—good and bad examples
Job hunting techniques
Interview techniques
Use of social media
Work trials/work experience
The NCS are on site in Portsmouth Jobcentre daily, providing support to our customers, particularly focusing on the standard of CVs and undertaking mock interviews. They are interviewed using competency-based questions, as this is typical of current recruitment practice. Constructive feedback is given on how they might consider alternative responses which would better promote them to a prospective employer.
Our advisers use the on site suite of internet access devices (IADs) to support claimants to set up e-mail accounts, construct a CV, apply online for vacancies and make best use of Universal Jobmatch, the Government's online recruitment portal.
We also provide ‘Shaping my future’ (delivered by Support Contract) a four-week course aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds in receipt of jobseeker's allowance. The module delivers two weeks of classroom-based training, immediately followed by two weeks of full-time work experience. The classroom-based activity delivers soft employability skills, personal development, self-esteem, presentation, work environments (expectations/behaviour)
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as well as functional skills such as how to job search, registering with agencies and volunteering. Work experience placements are in the following sectors; administration, retail, IT, catering, leisure and manual work. This four- week course is held bi-monthly in Portsmouth but is also available in Havant and Southampton for our young people to access.
‘Make it work’ provides the same module as ‘Shaping my future’ and is delivered by Highbury college, but with additional support provided by Reed employment agency, both during the course and for 13 weeks after, helping our customers find employment or apprenticeships.
We hold weekly work experience GIS for jobseekers who lack work experience and are in need of improving their job prospects and gaining an insight into the working environment. These are delivered by our employment adviser and 18 to 24-year-olds adviser and we also provide customers with self-marketing material.
We also run fortnightly wage incentive GIS for 18 to 24-year-olds who have been in receipt of jobseekers allowance for five months plus. This workshop delivers job-specific information regarding what an employer is looking for when recruiting staff and why it is important to research the company to understand what they are looking for from staff. It also covers how to self-market and promote wage incentive to employers. Whenever possible we include local employers to co-deliver this workshop.
We produce a young persons newsletter promoting further help and support available in the local area from our partners, ie Prince's Trust, Catch 22 and “Fresh”, a new community project funded by the BIG Lottery aimed to inspire and encourage positive life changes and improve employment opportunities along with apprenticeships.
We work closely with 18 to 24-year-olds and focus our employer work on helping young people into work. Portsmouth has a long established network of organisations and our employer team work closely with these to achieve this and overcome barriers to work. This includes support organisations, colleges and training providers including Portsmouth city council.
Further examples of the work our employer team and our young person's advisory team do includes:
Working with incoming employers such as The Range and Unbeatable Car to ensure young unemployed people are recruited and well represented in the workforce. The wage incentive available through the Youth Contract helps employers to do this. We also work with many employers across the local area to match young people to vacancies and encourage employers to offer opportunities to young people. We encourage employers to come into the Jobcentres to talk to young people at workshops and to interview potential employees.
Delivering a range of sector-based work academies, Pre Employment Training and Employability Skills courses covering sectors where there are local employment opportunities. Sectors include; hospitality, adult social care, retail, contact centres, security and coach driving. In addition we help young people gain industry certification and occupational skills such as SIA (security) and CSCS (construction).
Working closely with Portsmouth city council employment initiatives manager to ensure young people benefit from the employment and training opportunities where section 106 Employment and Skills Plan are in place.
Voluntary work experience with a range of private, public and third sector employers has proved to be one of the most successful ways of helping young people develop the skills and experience
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they need to gain employment. We offer a work experience placement to any young person who would benefit from this and many young people secure employment as a result.
Delivering events in partnership with Portsmouth city council. Examples include Making Choices (an event to bring young people together with apprenticeship providers and employers) and Journey Back to Work (an annual jobs fair at the Cascades).
Working in partnership with the National Careers Service, who are based in both Cosham and Portsmouth Jobcentres, to deliver careers advice and support to develop CVs and interview skills.
Specialist adviser support for young unemployed people with health conditions and disabilities and young single parents.
Employment Tribunals Service
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claims at employment tribunals have been lodged against his Department on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity discrimination in each of the last five years; and how many such cases were found against his Department. [176564]
Mike Penning: DWP currently holds a centralised database of employment tribunal cases which dates from January 2010. Since 2010 only one employment tribunal claim has been lodged against DWP on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity discrimination. The case is ongoing.
Prior to January 2010, DWP Solicitors (Legal Group) recorded employment law cases under generic headings; therefore, if there had been any pregnancy or maternity discrimination claims these would have been recorded along with all other types of sex discrimination claims. Information can only be extracted by requesting individual files.
Employment: Disability
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Government plan to publish the disability employment strategy. [176442]
Esther McVey: The Government will publish the employment strategy for disabled people and people with health conditions before the end of the year. The strategy will set out the Government's proposals to enable more disabled people and people with health conditions to move into, remain in and progress in work.
Energy
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress he has made in improving the energy efficiency of his Department. [176153]
Mike Penning: The Department for Work and Pensions has significantly reduced its total energy consumption and improved its energy efficiency over recent years. Between 2009-10 and 2012-13 the Department reduced energy consumption by 84,178,243 kWh. This figure may change slightly as 2012-13 data are yet to be validated.
Gas Masks
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will restrict the use and sale of Second World War gas masks for demonstration purposes. [176214]
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Mike Penning: The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation places restrictions on the sale and supply of products that contain asbestos. These will apply to Second World War gas masks, if they contain asbestos. REACH does permit the continued use of existing asbestos containing articles. However the Health and Safety Executive's advice is that, while the overall risk is low, it is not appropriate to wear or handle, for demonstration purposes, Second World War gas masks that could contain asbestos. There are some types of gas mask that do not contain asbestos, and others that have had asbestos removed. These can continue to be used for practical demonstration purposes.
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to prevent the online sale of Second World War gas masks containing asbestos. [176231]
Mike Penning: The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation prohibits the importation, manufacture and supply of asbestos fibres, or articles containing asbestos fibres. So, selling or supplying gas masks that contain asbestos is a breach of the REACH Regulation. However, there are some types of gas mask which do not contain asbestos and others which have had asbestos containing elements removed, and these can be sold online.
The Health and Safety Executive is currently evaluating whether asbestos is present in a range of gas masks and will in due course inform online retailers of the scale of the problem and work with them to restrict the sale of those known to contain asbestos.
Industrial Health and Safety
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what plans the Government have to support and develop the Health and Safety Executive “Do your bit” campaign to improve worker involvement in assisting employers develop effective risk management systems; [176021]
(2) what steps he has taken to promote greater worker involvement in promoting health and safety; [176050]
(3) with reference to the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) evaluation of the HSE worker involvement training courses: final report, HSE Research Report 694, published in March 2013, what promotional activity the (a) Government and (b) HSE have undertaken to promote worker representative training since the launch of the report; and which press releases the HSE has published on this matter. [176104]
Mike Penning: The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) strategy ‘The Health and Safety of Great Britain \\ Be part of the solution’ underlines the value of involving employees in effective management of health and safety.
HSE's website provides materials to assist employers and employees, including free training products developed for the successful “Do your bit” campaign.
HSE continues to work with key industry and employee representative organisations and professional bodies on this. This includes support for current initiatives by the quarrying and waste management industries.
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Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend or delete the rights workers have under Article 11(2) of the Council directive of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work. [176051]
Mike Penning: Article 11(2) of this directive was transposed in Great Britain by Regulation 3 of the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996. The Government have no plans to change these regulations.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate the Health and Safety Executive has made of the proportion of employees in the UK who are not being adequately consulted under the (a) Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977, as amended, and (b) Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996. [176102]
Mike Penning: HSE has made no such estimate. However, survey sources suggest that more than two thirds of workers feel fully involved when health and safety procedures are reviewed in the workplace.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what enforcement action the Health and Safety Executive has taken by way of (a) prosecutions, (b) prohibition notices, (c) improvement notices and (d) material breaches under the Fee for Intervention process in relation to the consultation rights identified in the (i) Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, as amended, and (ii) Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 in each year from 2000 to date. [176103]
Mike Penning: There have been no prosecutions instituted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under (i) the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 (SR and SC Regs 1977), as amended, or under the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 (CWE Regs 1996) in any of the years from 2000 to date.
The number of prohibition and improvement notices issued by HSE inspectors citing (i) the SR and SC Regs 1977 or (ii) the CWE Regs 1996 since 2000 is provided in the following table:
Number | ||
Prohibition notices | Improvement notices | |
1 Up to 15 November 2013. |
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The improvement notice issued in 2013-14 gave rise to a material breach under the Fee for Intervention scheme. Information concerning material breaches of (i) the SR and SC Regs 1977 or (ii) the CWE Regs 1996 since 1 October 2012 where enforcement notices were not served can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Jobcentre Plus
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many personal improvement plans were initiated for Jobcentre Plus staff in each year since 2009-10. [175720]
Mike Penning: The Department, which includes Jobcentre Plus, does not centrally maintain fully comprehensive records of all employees who have been placed under performance improvement plans as many of these are dealt with informally.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people used jobcentre computers in each of the last four years. [176525]
Esther McVey: We do not gather this information.
There are around 2,200 web-enabled computers currently in jobcentres across the country.
On 10 July the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), publicly announced that we will be replacing our Jobpoints with 6,000 computers to help claimants in their job search.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total number of claimants of jobseeker's allowance was in (a) May 2010, (b) October 2010, (c) October 2011, (d) October 2012 and (e) October 2013; and what the total cost of such claims was in each such period. [175993]
Esther McVey: The information requested is shown in the following table:
Jobseeker's allowance caseload (thousand) and expenditure (£ million) | |||||
May 2010 | October 2010 | October 2011 | October 2012 | October 2013 | |
Source: The caseloads are from the Office for National Statistics NOMIS series and are for Great Britain and are not seasonally adjusted: http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/ Notes: 1. Expenditure figures are from DWP accounting data and are net of accounting adjustments and benefit recoveries. 2. October 2013 expenditure is not currently available. |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many seasonal workers have unsuccessfully claimed jobseeker's allowance at the end of their period of seasonal employment in each of the last three years. [176217]
Esther McVey: The information requested is not available.
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Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants who have (a) been sanctioned and (b) had their claim denied have subsequently received employment and support allowance in each of the last three years. [176222]
Esther McVey: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department issues on the annualised average hours of work required for seasonal workers to be eligible for jobseeker's allowance. [176216]
Esther McVey: There is no specific guidance issued about the annualised average hours of work required for seasonal workers to be eligible for jobseeker's allowance. There is jobseeker's allowance procedural guidance about averaging the hours and earnings of claimants and their partners who work part time.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of jobseeker's allowance claimants sanctioned by his Department have subsequently become homeless. [176220]
Esther McVey: The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Pensioners: Social Security Benefits
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners did not take up benefits in (a) April 2010 and (b) the most recent date for which figures are available. [176123]
Steve Webb: On 23 February 2012 the Department for Work and Pensions published the latest estimates of the take-up of the main income-related benefits in Great Britain. This includes pension credit.
The publication provides estimates for April 2009 to March 2010.
The full report can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-related-benefits-estimates-of-take-up
Personal Independence Payment
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2013, Official Report, column 592W, on Personal Independence Payment, how many children aged 15 years old who have received a letter notifying them that they will need to apply for the personal independence payment on turning 16 live in the four pilot areas for the new assessment process. [176457]
Mike Penning:
Reassessment of disability living allowance (DLA) claims to personal independence payment (PIP) is being undertaken gradually and not through a pilot or trial of the system. The assessment criteria and processes being used in the reassessment of DLA claimants are the same as those which have been in place since 8
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April 2013 for new claims. The only difference to the reassessment process (from DLA to PIP) is the issue of the initial invitation to claim.
Approximately 3,600 letters have been issued to DLA claimants approaching their 16th birthday who are living in Wales, west Midlands, east Midlands and East Anglia.
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2013, Official Report, column 592W, on Personal Independence Payment, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on his Department of the changes to the planned rollout of the personal independence payment. [176458]
Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I provided to her on 11 November 2013, Official Report, column 517W.
Poverty
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many working-age adults with children who were classed as living in poverty there were in (a) April 2010 and (b) the most recent date for which data are available; [175996]
(2) what proportion of people were classed as living in deep poverty in (a) April 2010 and (b) the most recent date for which data are available; [176011]
(3) how many working-age adults without children were classed as living in poverty in (a) April 2010 and (b) the most recent date for which data are available. [176012]
Esther McVey: The following tables gives the number and percentage of working-age adults with children that are in relative low income, and the number and percentage of working-age adults without children that are in relative low income, both before housing costs (BHC) and after housing costs (AHC), between 2010/11 and 2011/12.
Figures are not available for single months, as figures are sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS), which is collected on an annual basis. Figures have therefore been provided for 2010/11, as April 2010 is in the 2010/11 financial year; and for 2011/12, which is the latest year for which data are available.
The Government do not have an official definition for deep poverty. As such, we are unable to provide figures in response to this question.
Number (million) and percentage of working-age adults with children in relative low income, before housing costs (BHC) and after housing costs (AHC), 2010/11 to 2011/12 | |||||
BHC (No.) | AHC (No.) | BHC (%) | AHC (%) | Total number of working-age adults with children | |
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Number (million) and percentage of working-age adults without children in relative low income, before housing costs (BHC) and after housing costs (AHC), 2010/11 to 2011/12 | |||||
BHC (No.) | AHC (No.) | BHC (%) | AHC (%) | Total number of working-age adults without children | |
Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). 2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. Someone is defined as being in relative low income if their household income is below 60% of the income of the middle household. Household income is defined as disposable household income, adjusted for household size and composition, and adjusted for changes in inflation. 4. Figures have been presented on a before housing cost and an after housing cost basis. Housing costs include: rent (gross of housing benefit); water rates, community water charges and council water charges; mortgage interest payments; structural insurance premiums (for owner-occupiers); and ground rent and service charges. 5. Figures are rounded to the nearest percent and to the nearest 100,000 individuals. Figures may not sum due to rounding. 6. UK poverty figures are publicly available in the Household Below Average Income publication available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/households-below-average-income-hbai--2 Source: HBAI 2010/11-2011/12. |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the population were in material deprivation in (a) April 2010 and (b) the last date for which data are held. [176356]
Esther McVey: Material deprivation is measured for children and pensioners; there are no measures of material deprivation for working-age adults or for the whole population. Material deprivation measures for children are combined with low income.
Figures are not available for single months, as figures are sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS), which is collected on an annual basis. Figures have therefore been provided for 2010-11, as April 2010 is in the 2010-11 financial year; and for 2011-12, which is the latest year for which data are available.
In 2010-11, 13% of children were in material deprivation and low income; while in 2011-12, 12% of children were in material deprivation and low income (source HBAI 2010-11 to 2011-12).
In 2010-11, 9% of pensioners were in material deprivation; while in 2011-12, 8% of pensioners were in material deprivation (source HBAI 2010-11 to 2011-12).
Notes:
1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS).
2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response.
3. To determine whether someone is in material deprivation, individuals are asked questions around whether they can afford certain goods and services, and their responses to these questions will determine whether they are deemed to be in material deprivation. A child is considered to be in material deprivation and low
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income if that child is in material deprivation, and lives in a family whose household income is below 70% of the income of the middle household.
4. Household income is defined as disposable household income, adjusted for household size and composition, and adjusted for changes in inflation.
5. Figures are rounded to the nearest percent.
6. UK data on low income and material deprivation are publicly available in the Household Below Average Income publication available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/households-below-average-income-hbai--2
Child Poverty
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were in poverty in (a) April 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which figures are available. [176489]
Esther McVey: This information is not available for all periods requested.
The Child Poverty Act 2010 sets four income-based UK-wide targets to be met by 2020. The targets are based on the proportion of children living in households with relative low income, combined low income and material deprivation, absolute low income and persistent poverty (all before housing costs have been taken into account).
Estimates of these are published in the National Statistics Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or “equivalised”) for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living. This information is captured using the Family Resources Survey.
Due to the sample size of this survey, sufficient data are not collected within a single month needed to provide a robust child poverty estimate for April 2010 only. All child poverty figures reported are therefore in financial years only.
Figures on the number of children in relative and absolute low income as well as in combined low income and material deprivation for 2010-11 and 2011-12 (the latest period for which figures are available) can be found in the latest HBAI publication, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/households-below-average-income-hbai-199495-to-201112 (ISBN 978-1-78153-531-8).
Relevant figures can be found in Table 4.3tr, 4.4tr and 4.5tr (on pages 104-06).
Persistent child poverty figures have only been published up to 2005-08, therefore figures for the requested periods do not exist and cannot be provided.
We want to develop better measures of child poverty, which include, but go beyond, income to provide a more accurate picture of the reality of child poverty and drive the right action. Our consultation on how best to measure child poverty closed on 15 February. The complexity of the issue means that we need to take time to ensure we have the best option for measuring child poverty. We will publish our response as soon as we can.
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Recruitment: Poole
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to improve recruitment services for young unemployed people in Poole constituency. [176004]
Esther McVey: To support the young unemployed people in Poole the personal advisers in the Jobcentre deliver the following:
Group information sessions over a four-week period covering Attitudes and Behaviour, CV writing, Interview Techniques and the final part is a mock interview with two members of our staff. Participants are asked to provide feedback at the end of the four sessions and to date this has been extremely positive, especially the mock interview. These sessions have developed as a result of consultation with our staff and customers.
We run half-day CV clinics for claimants in our Internet Access Device (IAD) suite. These sessions cover how to write a quality CV and utilise internet sites which will help with this. They provide the participant the opportunity to ask questions and collate the information they need to construct their own CV to a recognised standard.
We also run half-day group sessions where we promote the benefits of work experience. When possible we endeavour to involve one of our work experience employers in co-delivering these sessions. This enables participants to see how beneficial a work experience placement can be. Participation in work experience will provide claimants with a reference, recent work experience to record on their CV and experience of working as part of a team.
Poole Jobcentre is a Digital Jobcentre and provides the use of web access devices and internet access devices. Advisers are able to use these devices to support claimants to set up email accounts, construct a CV, apply on line for vacancies and make best use of Universal Jobmatch, the Government's online recruitment portal.
We arrange the mock interviews and ask them to come in dressed as though they were attending an actual interview. They are interviewed using competency based questions, as this is typical of current recruitment practice. Throughout the interview we provide constructive feedback on how they might consider alternative answers which would better promote them to a prospective employer.
Our Employer Team work closely with the 18 to 24-year-old claimant group and focus employer activity on this particular area.
Set up an ongoing Sector Based Work Academy (SBWA) which focuses on Wage Incentive eligible customers (young people)
Delivering additional SBWAs in:
Security
Hospitality
Telecoms
Customer Services
Construction/Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)
Retail.
We are working with local authorities (LA) and their economic development teams to ensure future builds provide work opportunities for young people including apprenticeships and work experience. This includes the
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North Poole site, Pilkington Tile site, Bourne Estate Job Hub, Hamworthy site and Twin Sails Bridge.
We bring employers into our Jobcentres through our JobZone area, where employers and agencies have delivered interviews and training sessions directly to young people on job search techniques.
Impact of these services on Poole youth unemployment figures:
13 April: 710; 13 October: 515—reduction of 37.8%
13 September: 550; 13 October: 515—(month on month) reduction of 6.79%
12 October: 585; 13 October: 515—(year on year) reduction of 13.5%.
Social Rented Housing: Portsmouth
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many social housing households in Portsmouth South constituency are subject to the under-occupancy penalty. [176830]
Esther McVey: The information requested regarding the number of social housing households in Portsmouth South affected by the under-occupancy penalty can be found at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm
Social Security Benefits
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) employment and support allowance, (c) incapacity benefit, (d) lone parents, (e) income support and (f) other out-of-work benefits there were in (i) May 2010, (ii) May 2013; and what the annual spend was on each such benefit. [175973]
Esther McVey: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
Caseload (thousand) | ||
May 2010 | May 2013 | |
Annual expenditure (£ million) nominal | ||||
2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |
Outturn | Outturn | Estimated outturn | Forecast | |
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Sources: DWP Statistical and Accounting data and administrative data from local authorities. |
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which benefits employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants will be able to apply for during the period when their ESA is undergoing mandatory reconsideration; and what the criteria of eligibility are for each such benefit. [175984]
Esther McVey: A person's eligibility for alternative benefits will depend upon their individual circumstances. However, as employment and support allowance will not be payable during the mandatory reconsideration period, the claimant may choose to claim jobseeker's allowance or income support if they satisfy the entitlement criteria:
To qualify for jobseeker's allowance (JSA) someone will usually have to be 18 or over (but below state pension age) and able and available for work.
To qualify for income support, someone will usually need to meet specific conditions, including having no income or a low income, working less than 16 hours a week and will not have signed on as unemployed.
Social Security Benefits: Appeals
Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the changes made to the disputes and appeals process on 28 October 2013. [177067]
Esther McVey: The changes to the disputes and appeals process were introduced on 28 October 2013; as such, it is too early to fully assess the impact of the reforms because it will be some time until people have been through the whole process. However, we will be monitoring outcomes carefully, looking at information from a wide range of sources to understand the impact from an operational, claimant, project and benefits realisation perspective.
Travel
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of travel within the UK was for his Department in each year since 2010; and how much of this was spent on (a) hire cars, (b) helicopter hire, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence. [176827]
Esther McVey:
In line with the Government's austerity agenda, the Department for Work and Pensions has taken vigorous actions to enhance its business travel policy. The DWP's business travel policy actively discourages
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travel, unless other alternatives have been examined and exhausted. Where travel is deemed appropriate, the most cost effective mode of transport must be utilised to ensure value for money.
The costs of travel within the UK for the Department for Work and Pensions in each year since 2010 are as follows:
Total spend | |
£ | |
The amount of spend on hire cars was as follows:
Hire cars | |
£ | |
The increase in hire costs for 2012-13 can be explained as a result of travel policy changes that reduced the Department's fleet numbers, which changed travel behaviours towards using other means of conducting business travel eg rail as well as hire cars.
The Department does not engage in helicopter hire and any use of this mode of transport would be as a scheduled flight booking. We are unable to identify helicopter use as a separate feature of air travel, the costs of which are included in the total spend amounts shown above.
UK hotel accommodation costs are:
England (£) | |
The amount spent on subsistence by the Department in each year since 2010 is given in the following table.
Subsistence | Total (£) |
This information should be viewed in the context of a Department employing around 100,000 staff.
Unemployment: Young People
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of how much youth unemployment was reduced in the Leeds city region with the funds made available by the Government to tackle youth unemployment between (a) 2005 and 2010 and (b) May 2010 and November 2013; how much the funds were in each case; and what estimate he has made of how much youth unemployment will be reduced in the same area by the £4.6 million investment announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on 14 November 2013. [176113]
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Esther McVey: The Department undertakes and publishes evaluations of labour market programmes for young people, including, where possible, estimates of their impacts on benefit receipt and employment. These estimates cannot, however, be disaggregated to local level. A figure for the amount of Government funding to tackle youth unemployment in the Leeds city region is also not available.
The £4.6 million investment in the Leeds city region, to help young people into work, is part of a larger source of funding from Government for cities across the UK to invest over the next three years. It is estimated this funding will help more than 25,000 young people into work across all of the cities involved.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will make a statement on the youth unemployment summit he attended in Paris on 12 November 2013; [177001]
(2) what EU funding is available for delivery of the EU Youth Guarantee in the UK following the Paris summit on youth unemployment on 12 November 2013; [177002]
(3) what arguments he made in relation to the proposed European Youth Jobs Guarantee at the youth unemployment summit in Paris on 12 November 2013. [177003]
Esther McVey: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), attended the youth unemployment summit in Paris to highlight what the UK is doing to tackle unemployment among the hardest to reach young people.
The UK's allocation from the Youth Employment Initiative is €192.5 million (in 2011 prices). At least 90% of this must be spent in the five areas in the UK with youth unemployment above 25% (Inner London, Merseyside, Tees Valley and Durham, West Midlands, and South West Scotland) and must be matched with the same amount from the UK's European Social Fund (ESF) allocation. Outside these areas, tackling youth unemployment will be a key priority for the rest of our ESF allocation in England (the use of structural funds in a devolved matter).
The European Commission is encouraging member states to use this to implement the Youth Guarantee, but this remains a non-binding EU recommendation. Although we support the aims of the Youth Guarantee and agree with much of the supporting guidance, we do not believe a four-month guarantee is right for the UK, since over 80% of 18 to 24-year-olds flow off jobseekers' allowance within six months. We will instead be using the money in England on other interventions designed to tackle youth unemployment and to complement the Government's substantial existing investment.
Universal Credit
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the use of the post office network by disabled people likely to receive universal credit. [177110]
Esther McVey:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 November 2013, Official Report, column 947, to the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute (Mr Reid);
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the DWP, Post Office Ltd and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have begun detailed discussions concerning the future needs of customers beyond the end of the contract between DWP and Post Office Ltd to provide the Post Office Card, to ensure that access to pensions or other welfare benefits is not put at risk.
Work Capability Assessment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the effect of audio recording of work capability assessments on the (a) number, (b) cost and (c) success rate of appeals. [175945]
Mike Penning: The current evaluation of audio recording within the work capability assessment does not look at its effect on the number, cost or success rate of appeals.
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department issues to Atos staff on awareness of (a) disabilities and (b) hidden disabilities when conducting work capability assessments. [176133]
Mike Penning: The core guidance for Atos Healthcare professionals completing work capability assessments is contained in the WCA handbook for health care professionals. A copy of the handbook can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/work-capability-assessment-handbook-for-healthcare-professionals
All other guidance is detailed within schedule 28 of the contract between Atos and DWP. This schedule is currently being reviewed and a copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library by the end of February 2014.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average waiting time for an Atos medical assessment was in each region of the UK in each of the last three years. [176221]
Mike Penning: The following table shows what the average waiting time (days) for both employment and support allowance and incapacity benefit Reassessment Work Capability Assessments. This is shown for each medical centre covering the whole of the UK in each of the last three years.
Medical centre | 1 November 2010 to 31 October 2011 | 1 November 201 to 31 October 2012 | 1 November 2012 to 31 October 2013 |
Mr George Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in England and Wales who were (a) tested for work capability by
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Atos or
(b)
waiting to be tested for work capability by Atos have committed suicide in 2013; and if he will make a statement. [176303]
Mike Penning: The requested information is not available.
Work Programme
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, columns 273-4W, on disability: employment schemes, whether participants in the Work programme are permitted to receive remuneration for their work under the rules of that programme. [176782]
Esther McVey: Work programme providers have the discretion to mandate participants to a work placement which is intended to boost confidence and foster a work habit and must be of community benefit. Participants continue to receive their benefit entitlement while on a work placement but do not receive any additional remuneration.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what key statistical indications he uses to judge the effectiveness of the Work programme; [176807]
(2) what steps he takes to measure the job outcomes in the Work programme for men and women. [176809]
Esther McVey: Work programme performance analysis and job outcome information can be found through the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/work-programme-statistics--2
Work Programme: Vale of Clwyd
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were placed on the Work programme in the Vale of Clwyd in each month since its introduction. [176418]
Esther McVey: Statistics on how many people were referred to the Work programme in the Vale of Clwyd in each month since its introduction can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool
Guidance for users is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance
Work Programme: Wales
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department has had with the Welsh Government on the relationship between the Work programme and Jobs Growth Wales. [176144]
Esther McVey: Department for Work and Pension officials hold regular meetings with officials from the Welsh Government to discuss policy. On 21 November 2013, Ken Skates, Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology in the Welsh Government, and I discussed the Work programme and Jobs Growth Wales.
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Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people referred to the Work programme in Wales continued their employment at the end of the six-month intervention. [176145]
Esther McVey: The Work programme is a two-year programme with no six-month intervention.
Work programme job outcome information can be found through the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/work-programme-statistics--2
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of how the Work programme interacts with skills training provided by the Welsh Government. [176810]
Esther McVey: Work programme providers cannot currently refer claimants to skills training provided by the Welsh Government. I would like this to change, and on 21 November I had a discussion with Ken Skates, Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology in the Welsh Government, about this issue.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the proportions of job outcomes were for the Work programme in each local authority area in Wales in the latest period for which figures are available. [177058]
Esther McVey: Work programme job outcome information for local authorities can be found through the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/work-programme-statistics--2
Health
Physiotherapy
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the number of physiotherapists working in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [177081]
Dr Poulter: Health Education England (HEE) is committed to ensuring that we have a work force in the right numbers, with the right skills, values and behaviours to deliver high-quality care for patients.
To this end HEE has recently published the first comprehensive work force planning guidance, setting out a clear and transparent process for the system. During the year each employer will have shared their forecast needs with regard to the future work force with their Local Education and Training Board (LETB). The LETBs have used these forecasts as the basis for conversations with commissioners and other local stakeholders, before developing their work force investment plans and submitting them to HEE. HEE is now in the process of aggregating and assuring these 13 plans.
HEE reports that the strategic health authorities’ forecasts indicate there would be 1,511 newly qualified physiotherapists in 2013-14 from the commissions they decided in 2009; this represents approximately 8% of the work force.
For future years, the initial Workforce Investment Plan for England will set out the education commissions we intend to make with universities, including physiotherapy
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commissions, for places commencing in September 2014, and subject to the approval of HEE's board, they will publish this on 5 December.
Abortion
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government have taken to tackle the problem of selective-sex abortions in the UK. [176105]
Jane Ellison: The Chief Medical Officer wrote to all medical practitioners and others involved in abortion care on 22 November 2013, reminding them of their duties under the Abortion Act. On gender-selection abortion the letter highlights that termination of pregnancy on the grounds of gender alone is illegal. The recent decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) not to prosecute doctors investigated for certifying gender-selection abortions does not alter this. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.
Further, more detailed guidance will now be developed by the Department in partnership with the General Medical Council, the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the CPS.
All allegations of abortions failing to comply with the Act are taken very seriously. Any allegation of an illegal abortion should be reported to the police, who will, if appropriate, conduct a criminal investigation.
Antibiotics: Agriculture
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will consider amending the Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy to take stronger measures against the intensive use of antibiotics in farming. [177005]
Jane Ellison: The UK’s five-year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy, which was published on 10 September this year, promotes the need for the responsible use of antibiotics in all sectors, including farming. We are developing outcome measures to assess the impact of the strategy in the different sectors, including the veterinary sector. These will be considered by the cross-Government High Level Steering Group, which will oversee implementation, and is due to meet shortly.
Autism
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether awareness of autism has improved among health and social care professionals since the publication of the Adult Autism Strategy. [176018]
Norman Lamb: The current review of the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy for England “Fulfilling and rewarding lives” includes looking at whether awareness of autism has improved among health and social care professionals.
“Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities and NHS organisations to support implementation of the Autism Strategy”, issued in December 2010, made clear to local authorities, NHS bodies and NHS foundation trusts
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that they should seek ways to make autism awareness training available to all staff working in health and social care.
We will issue shortly a report which summarises the listening stage of the review.
Breastfeeding
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made on his plans to introduce payments for mothers who breast feed; what estimate he has made of the likely cost of the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [177160]
Dr Poulter: The Department has made no plans to introduce payments for mothers who breast feed.
The Department believes the main way to promote breast feeding is not financial incentives, but to make sure women have all the information they need to make an informed decision.
Cancer: Dorset
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Dorset received funding from the Cancer Drugs Fund in each of the last three years. [176073]
Dr Poulter: Information on the number of patients who have had cancer drugs funded by South West strategic health authority (SHA) for the period October 2010 to end March 2013 is shown in the table.
Number of patients funded in: | ||||
SHA | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | Total number of patients funded October 2010 to end March 20131 |
1 Some individual patients may be double-counted where a patient has received more than one drug treatment through the Cancer Drugs Fund. |
Information on patients funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund is not collected at county level.
NHS England took responsibility for the fund from April 2013 and is collecting data on the use of the fund from four regional teams. We are advised that between 1 April and end of September 2013, 2089 patients in the South of England area were funded.
Source:
Information provided to the Department by SHAs
Community Interest Companies
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2013, Official Report, column 158, what assessment his Department has made of the compliance with European state aid regulations of the funding of community interest companies competing to take business away from the private sector. [175933]
Norman Lamb:
The assessment of compliance with European state aid regulations was part of the due diligence undertaken for each award made under the Department's Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF).
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SEIF is now closed and no new awards are being made. The issue of funding for this sector now rests primarily with the Cabinet Office.
Diabetes
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the cost to the NHS was of primary care related to diabetes in each year since 2006; [176147]
(2) what the cost to the NHS was of secondary care related to diabetes in each year since 2006. [176270]
Jane Ellison: The programme budgeting data provide estimates of primary care trusts' (PCT) expenditure on diabetes. However, the majority of expenditure relating to primary care appointments is included within Category 23a GMS/PMS so it is not possible to provide estimates of the cost to national health service of primary care related to diabetes.
The programme budgeting data do provide a breakdown by care setting and do contain expenditure on primary
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care prescribing and are set out in the following table. This information was not available as part of the programme budgeting collection prior to 2010-11.
Expenditure on diabetes in the in-patients, out-patients and other secondary care settings was £254 million in 2010-11 and £263 million in 2011-12. This information was not available as part of the programme budgeting collection prior to 2010-11.
For in-patients, expenditure is allocated on the basis of primary diagnosis, so will not capture expenditure where diabetes has been recorded as a secondary diagnosis. For out-patients, expenditure is allocated on the basis of the treatment function code. This means that the diabetes figures will not capture expenditure relating to areas such as general medicine because this cannot be attributed to specific condition based programmes.
The table provides a breakdown of diabetes expenditure by care setting for 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Expenditure (£ million) | ||
Care setting | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
Notes: 1. Expenditure data are taken from PCT programme budgeting returns to the Department of Health for 2011-12. 2. Calculating programme budgeting data is complex and not all healthcare activity or services can be classified directly to a programme budgeting category or care setting. When it is not possible to reasonably estimate a programme budgeting category, expenditure is classified as ‘Other'. Expenditure on General Medical Services and Personal Medical Services cannot be reasonably estimated at disease specific level, and is separately identified as a subcategory of ‘Other' expenditure. 3. The allocation of expenditure to programme budgeting subcategories is not always straightforward, and subcategory level data should therefore be used with caution. 4. Estimates of expenditure are calculated using price paid for specific activities and services purchased from healthcare providers. PCTs follow standard guidance, procedures and mappings when calculating programme budgeting data. 5. The analysis of programme budgeting data by care setting was introduced for the first time in 2010-11. For this reason, programme budgeting data within individual care settings should be interpreted with caution. 6. Due to differences in the level of information available to PCTs on A&E attendances, a national split has been applied to PCT total A&E expenditure to apportion it across programme budgeting categories. |
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many prescriptions were issued for drugs for the treatment of diabetes in (a) primary and (b) secondary care settings in each year since 2006; [176262]
(2) what the value was of prescriptions issued for drugs for the treatment of diabetes in (a) primary and (b) secondary care settings in each year since 2006. [176263]
Norman Lamb: Information is not collected centrally on prescriptions issued in primary care, only those issued and dispensed. Secondary care information is collected on medicines issued.
Quantity and cost of medicines used to treat diabetes, in England, as defined by British National Formulary Section 6.1 ‘Drugs used in diabetes’ | ||||
Primary care | Secondary care | |||
Prescription items (thousand)1 | Cost (£000)2,3 | Volume (thousand)1 | Cost (£000)4 | |
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1 Information gathered for primary and secondary care volume is not comparable due to measuring different activity, (items v. packs respectively). 2 The net ingredient cost (NIC) of prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed, in the community, in England. 3 Some medicines supplied through homecare providers may not be included. 4 Represents the cost of medicines at NHS list price and not necessarily the price paid. 5 Q1 of 2013 (January to March) is the latest available quarter covering both primary and secondary care. Sources: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system. The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Prescribing and Primary Care Services. IMS data. IMS HEALTH: Hospital Pharmacy Audit. |
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure a clear distinction is made between the autoimmune condition type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes in the language used by (a) his Department and (b) the Government; [176293]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to increase the provision of insulin pumps for people with type 1 diabetes; [176294]
(3) what plans he has to increase the provision of structured education courses for people with type 1 diabetes. [176295]
Jane Ellison: NHS England's National Clinical Director for Diabetes, Dr Jonathan Valabhji, uses every available opportunity to highlight to health care professionals and to the population at large the differences between type l and type 2 diabetes, in terms of different pathophysiology and different health care needs.
NHS England is also developing a service specification for clinical commissioning groups to use, if they so choose, that serves to go some way to meet the aspirational quality goals of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) quality standards. This will clearly define the service requirements of type 1 diabetes where they are different to those of type 2 diabetes.
NICE recommends pump therapy as an option for adults and children over the age of 12 years with Type 1 Diabetes, provided that multiple-daily insulin therapy has failed. It also recommends that insulin pump therapy can be used for children younger then 12 years with type 1 Diabetes, provided specific criteria are met.
Insulin pump therapy can make a difference to glycaemic control and quality of life in some people but it is not appropriate for everyone. All decisions about insulin pump therapy must be made in consultation between the patient (and/or their parents or carer) and their health care professional.
For patients with type 1 diabetes, patient empowerment and self-care through education is a major priority in NHS England, as for all with long-term conditions. As of 1 April this year, there are two additional levers in play to promote provision of structured education for those with type 1 diabetes:
A new Quality Outcomes Framework indicator has been introduced, incentivising provision of structured education within nine months of first diagnosis.
If someone with type 1 diabetes is admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis, a new best practice tariff rewards the provision of structured education within three months of hospital discharge.
Energy
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made in improving the energy efficiency of his Department. [175990]
Dr Poulter: By the end of September 2013 the Department had reduced its energy usage by 24% compared to the baseline year 2009-10. This is on track to meet the Greening Government Commitment target.
The Department has implemented a range of projects and initiatives to reduce energy consumption. These include:
lighting upgrades, including the introduction of LED lighting;
heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades;
energy efficient air filters;
boiler upgrades; and
improved energy monitoring and bill validation.
There have also been a range of information and communication technology related projects to reduce energy consumption, including the replacement of desktop personal computers with thin client dynamic desktop devices.
General Practitioners
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, as part of his reforms to the GP contract, he will take steps to reduce the number of boxes that GPs are required to tick for each patient appointment. [176992]
Dr Poulter: NHS Employers and the British Medical Association have reached agreement on the General Medical Services (GMS) contract. Details are available on the NHS Employers website:
www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/GeneralMedicalServicesContract/GMSContractChanges/Pages/Contractchanges201415.aspx
From April 2014 the size of the Quality and Outcomes Framework will be reduced by more than a third. This will enable general practitioners to focus more on ensuring personalised, joined-up care for their patients. The GMS contract aims to provide more personalised and proactive care for those aged 75 or over and those with most complex health needs.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met representatives of GPs and clinical commissioning groups to discuss GP appointments; and if he will make a statement. [177082]
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Dr Poulter: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), regularly meets with representatives of national health service organisations and professional groups, including those of general practitioners and clinical commissioning groups.
Since April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for the day-to-day running of the NHS.
General Practitioners: Dorset
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from GP surgeries wishing to participate in the extended-hours pilot scheme for GPs in the Dorset area. [176074]
Dr Poulter: NHS England has yet to receive any representations from general practitioners (GPs) in the Dorset area who wish to participate in the scheme.
More details on the process for selecting and supporting the pilot sites will be set out in December by NHS England, which will work with a wide range of professional organisations and an external reference group to identify innovative GP practices.
Health Education
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to implement the draft guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in 2010 on personal social and health education focusing on sexual health and alcohol. [177146]
Norman Lamb: Work on this draft public health guidance has been suspended and there are no immediate plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to resume its development.
Health Services: Overseas Students
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the potential administrative cost to the NHS of charging international students for their treatment. [176228]
Jane Ellison: The Immigration Bill, currently before Parliament, proposes to introduce a requirement for non-European economic area (EEA) temporary migrants coming to the United Kingdom for more than six months to pay an annual health surcharge with their visa application fee. This includes international students.
The estimated administration cost to the national health service in England for the total number of estimated non-EEA migrants who will be covered by the health surcharge is £0.3 million per year. International students represent approximately 300,000 out of a total of around 500,000 visas granted to non-EEA temporary migrants. This was published in the Home Office impact assessment, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Health Visitors
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many full-time equivalent health visitors were expected to be employed by the NHS under the Health Visitor Implementation Programme in July 2013; and how many such health visitors were employed at that time; [176149]
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(2) when he expects to achieve the increase of 4,200 health visitors set out in the Health Visitor Implementation Plan published in February 2011. [176269]
Dr Poulter: Plans are in place to deliver the increase of 4,200 health visitors by April 2015. The number of health visitors planned to be employed in England at August 2013 was 9,096 full-time equivalents. Work force data published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre for August 2013 show that the total number of health visitors actually employed was 9,066 full-time equivalents.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress he has made on implementation of the health visitor implementation plan; and if he will make a statement. [177149]
Dr Poulter: The activities of the Department and its partners are ensuring that we remain on track to deliver the coalition commitment to increase health visitor numbers. As at August 2013 (the latest available workforce data1), there are 9,066 full-time equivalent health visitors nationally, just 0.3% below the workforce trajectory. This is 974 more health visitors compared to the May 2010 baseline of 8,092, and equates to 23.2% of the 4,200 extra health visitors required by April 2015. We expect that between September and November this year, the total number of health visitors will grow by around 1,200. A total of 2,732 health visitor student training places have been commissioned for 2013-14.2
1 Workforce data published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre on 21 November 2013.
2 Includes full, part-time and Return to Practice students.
In addition, NHS England has agreed a service specification for use with its Area Teams to commission the new four-tier health visitor service model. A range of activities have been delivered to bolster professional leadership and mobilisation, including further development of professional pathways, guidance and support, as well as regional events that engage health visitor students.
In June this year, the Department published the ‘National Health Visitor Plan: progress to date and implementation 2013 onwards’. This reflects progress at approximately the half-way stage of the Health Visitor programme, as well as the new roles of the Department and the programme's partner organisations, NHS England, Health Education England and Public Health England.
The Department publishes quarterly update reports on the Health Visitor programme and the next report is due to be published by the end of November 2013 on the Department's website.
Home Care Services
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve social care provision within domiciliary settings. [176094]
Norman Lamb:
Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to receive good quality care, whether in their own homes, in hospital or in care homes. More than 300,000 people in England rely on homecare services. The great majority of care is very
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good, but there are still examples of poor practice. We are determined to drive up quality and stamp out poor care.
For people receiving state funding for care services, we recognise the importance of each local authority's purchasing decisions. We are working with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Local Government Association to develop standards for local authority commissioning that will support sector-led continuous improvement that should lead to more effective purchasing and better quality services being provided. The Care Bill sends a clear message that commissioning services without properly considering the impact on individuals' well-being is unacceptable.
We are strengthening the Care Quality Commission's (CQCs) regulatory function. The new Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, Andrea Sutcliffe, will have widespread powers to take firm action on poor care and to hold both councils and providers to account for the quality of services. The Care Bill will also give the CQC the power to publish performance ratings on the quality of social care provision, which will give the public a clear and simple way of determining which providers are offering the best services.
Good quality homecare involves a wide range of actors: local authorities, individual care workers, care providers, care service users and their carers and a wide range of health care professionals. This is why, in partnership with The Guardian, we have established the Homecare Hub.
Through the Hub, we are encouraging people across all groups to talk about their experiences of homecare and to share their ideas about how to improve it.
The Homecare Hub is attracting tens of thousands of visitors who have an interest in homecare, whether as users of services, their carers and families or care professionals. During its launch, people were asked to complete an online survey, which generated nearly 1,500 responses and over 8,000 individual comments and ideas. We intend to share these ideas and experiences and use them to encourage improvement in homecare. We shall be working with leaders in homecare to refine these ideas and to develop ways in which they can work together to improve homecare for service users, their carers and their families.
Hospital Wards: Gender
Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breaches of his Department's guidance on same-sex accommodation have been reported by mental health trusts (a) in total and (b) by trust in each of the last three years. [176014]
Dr Poulter: The information requested is set out on the following table.
Number of mixed sex accommodation (MSA) breaches | |||
Mental health and learning disability NHS organisation | December 2010 to March 2011 | April 2011 to March 2012 | April 2012 to March 2013 |
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Notes: 1. Data on the number of occasions that provider organisations were in breach of the Department's guidance on same-sex accommodation (MSA) were collected by provider organisations for the first time in December 2010. 2. Figures published during the early months of the collection, from December 2010 to March 2011, should be treated with a degree of caution as providers were implementing and embedding new data collection procedures. From April 2011 the data became mandatory for all national health services providers, including foundation trusts. It is therefore expected that data submitted from April 2011 onwards are of a higher quality than in previous months. 3. For the purpose of this question, the list of mental health and learning disability trusts is as defined by the Health and Social Care Information Centre as part of its 2012-13 collection of estates data. |
Hospitals: Food
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on food served to patients in NHS hospitals. [177148]
Dr Poulter: The Department collects data from the national health service annually through the estates return information collection under the section “food services”. These data cover: the cost of feeding one in-patient per day (patient meal day); ward food wastage (expressed as the number of unserved meals); the total number of in-patient main meals requested; and the gross cost of in-patient (food) services. This information is available on the Health and Social Care Information Centre website at:
www.hefs.ic.nhs.uk/ERIC.asp
Further information on hospital food is collected by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, on behalf of NHS England, via the food and hydration section of the patient-led assessments of the care environment. This information can be accessed via the following link:
www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-Search? productid=12322&q=Patient+led&sort=Relevance&size=1 0&page=l&area=both#top
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