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3 Nov 2008 : Column WA1
Written Answers
Monday 3 November 2008
Access to Work Scheme
Baroness Scott of Needham Market asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the access to work programme applies to elected councillors, in the absence of a contract of employment. [HL5742]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): One of the basic eligibility criteria for access to work is that applicants should be in or about to start paid employment. Councillors and elected officials who receive payment only for expenses such as travel and subsistence are treated as voluntary workers and are not eligible for access to work. Some councillors, however, receive allowances over and above payment for expenses. Where these allowances are classed as taxable income by HM Revenue and Customs we can treat the person as in employment and provided other conditions are satisfied, we can pay access to work.
We are reviewing our guidance to access to work advisers to ensure it is clear.
Alcohol
Lord Jones of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people in England and Wales under the age of 18 were (a) prosecuted, and (b) cautioned for attempting to purchase alcohol in each year since 2005. [HL5669]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The number of young persons who were proceeded against at magistrates' courts or issued with a reprimand/final warning for the offence of purchasing alcohol whilst under the age of 18 years can be viewed in the attached tables one and two. From June 2000, cautions for offenders under 18 years old were replaced by reprimands and final warnings. The data have been broken down by age and police force area.
The number of young persons aged 16 to 17 who were issued with a penalty notice for disorder (PND) for the offence of purchasing alcohol whilst under the age of 18 years can be viewed in the attached table three. (The PND scheme was rolled-out to all police forces in England and Wales in 2004)
Court proceedings and PND data for 2007 will be available in November 2008.
3 Nov 2008 : Column WA2
- Buying or attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18. Section 149(1)of the Licensing Act 2003 (c.17)
3 Nov 2008 : Column WA3
- (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, other agencies, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
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