Poverty
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times the word ‘poverty' has been mentioned in his Department's parliamentary answers in Session (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13. [178404]
Esther McVey: The content of the Official Report is a matter of public record and is readily accessible to the hon. Member online and in hard copy.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2013, Official Report, columns 168-9W, on poverty, if he will publish the data on a regional basis. [178485]
Esther McVey: Data are available at a regional level for the number of individuals in households where at least one member is in work and that are in relative low income; and the percentage of individuals from households with at least one member in work that are in relative low income. Figures for regions are presented as three-year averages to overcome volatility.
Figures have been presented in three separate tables; with table 1 providing figures for the North East, North West and Merseyside, Yorkshire and Humberside, and East Midlands; table 2 provides figures for West Midlands, Eastern, London, and South East; and table 3 provides figures for the South West, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
| Table 1: Number of individuals in households where at least one person is in work and that are in relative low income, and the percentage of individuals where at least one person is in work that are in relative low income, for the North East, North West and Merseyside, Yorkshire and Humberside, and East Midlands, Before Housing Costs, 1994/95-1996/97 to 2009/10-2011/12, three year averages | ||||||||
| North East | North West and Merseyside | Yorkshire and Humberside | East Midlands | |||||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
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| Table 2: Number of individuals in households where at least one person is in work and that are in relative low income, and the percentage of individuals where at least one person is in work that are in relative low income, for the West Midlands, Eastern, London, and South East, before housing costs, 1994/95-1996/97 to 2009/10-2011/12, three year averages | ||||||||
| West Midlands | Eastern | London | South East | |||||
| Year | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage |
| Table 3: Number of individuals in households .where at least one person is in work and that are in relative low income, and the percentage of individuals where at least one person is in work that are in relative low income, for the South West, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, Before Housing Costs, 1994/95-1996/97 to 2009/10-2011/12, three year averages. | ||||||||
| South West | Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland | |||||
| Year | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage |
| Notes: 1. The Figures above are from households below average income (HBAI), which is sourced from the Family Resources survey. The latest publication of HBAI can be found using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206778/full_hbai13.pdf 2. Someone is considered to be in relative low income if they live in a household whose income is below 60% of median income for all households. Median income is the income of the household in the middle of the income distribution. Household income is equivalised, which means that income is adjusted for the size and composition of the household; and household income is also deflated, which means that income is adjusted for changes in inflation. 3. In household below average income, a household is defined as a single person or group of people living at the same address as their only or main residence, who either share one meal together or share the living accommodation. This differs from a benefit unit (family), which is defined as a single adult or a married or cohabiting couple, plus any dependent children. From January 2006 same-sex partners (civil partners and cohabitees) are also included in the same benefit unit. A household will consist of one or more benefit units. 4. Figures have been presented on a before housing cost basis, which means that housing costs have not been deducted from income. 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); ground rent and service charges. 5. Figures for government regions are presented as three-year averages. This is to ensure that the sample size is sufficient to produce robust estimates. 6. Figures for Northern Ireland are available only from 2002/03. As such, figures for Northern Ireland can only be presented from 2002/03-2004/05 onwards. 7. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1% and to the nearest 100,000 people. Estimates based on survey data are subject to uncertainty; and are subject to sampling error. Figures may not sum due to rounding error. | ||||||||
The tables above give the number of individuals living in households where at least one person is in work, and that are in relative low income; and the percentage of individuals living in households where at
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least one person is in work that are in relative low income; before housing costs (BHC), by region, between 1994/95 and 2011/12, three year averages.
Social Security Benefits
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions recipients of (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) employment and support allowance failed to keep a signing-on appointment in 2012-13. [178915]
Esther McVey: DWP does not collate data concerning the number of occasions recipients of jobseeker's allowance failed to attend a signing-on appointment.
Recipients of employment and support allowance are not required to attend signing-on appointments.
Social Security Benefits: Appeals
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what amount his Department has spent on appealing cases in the present Parliament. [178598]
Mike Penning: The Department for Work and Pensions does not retain financial data by Parliament or parliamentary Session.
The Department for Work and Pensions' litigation function transferred to the Treasury Solicitor's Department on 18 March 2013. In the period from 18 March 2013 to date the Department for Work and Pensions has incurred £245,713 in external fees and disbursements relating to appeals which the Department has brought or is defending. This sum is inclusive of VAT where applicable.
The Department's records of legal spend prior to 18 March 2013 do not distinguish between the stage of legal proceedings in respect of which each invoice for
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legal representation is paid. Disaggregating the data would take the cost of responding to the question over the disproportionate cost threshold.
The Department does not hold comprehensive data for the cost of internal staff time spent dealing with appeals.
Work Capability Assessment
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) medical training and (b) diagnostic experience his Department requires of Atos Medical Ltd employees contracted to carry out work capability assessments. [178595]
Mike Penning: The contract between DWP and Atos requires that all Atos health care professionals are trained and registered with the relevant professional body—the General Medical Council for doctors, the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses and the Health and Care Professions Council for physiotherapists. They must have a minimum of three years post full registration experience in roles that have a clear relevance to disability assessment medicine.
The contract specifies that all Atos health care professionals undertake a new entrant training course in disability analysis. The content and duration of the course is agreed with the Department.
The Department also requires that Atos health care professionals undertake a programme of continuing professional development. The content of the programme is agreed with the Department on an annual basis.
However, it is not the job of the assessor to provide a medical diagnosis, determining what medical condition an individual has for treatment and prognostic purposes. Instead the Work Capability Assessment is a functional assessment which assesses the impact of a claimant's condition(s) and how this affects them on a day-to-day basis.