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West Yorkshire Police
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information was obtained by unauthorised persons gaining access to the West Yorkshire Police internal communications system; and what assessment he has made of the current security of the system. [76977]
Mr. Boateng: I understand that an individual gained access to the West Yorkshire Police voicemail system and was able to access messages left on voicemail boxes that had not been password protected. He also gained access to the Crimestoppers Line.
The security of the communications system is an operational matter for West Yorkshire Police. I understand they have implemented a number of security measures to prevent further breaches. Calls to the Crimestoppers line now go directly to a manned extension and are no longer on the internal voicemail system.
European Elections
Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if votes will be published by constituencies as well as by regions in the European elections. [77758]
Mr. George Howarth: Votes will be counted at Westminster Parliamentary constituency level though the regulations will provide that where the same person is acting returning officer for two or more constituencies he or she will be able to combine them for counting purposes. Local results will be communicated to the regional returning officers who will perform the seat allocation calculation for each of the 11 regions.
The results of all local counts will be made public as well as the final regional result.
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Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of the West Mercia Police Force police officer posts for 1998-99 were vacant at the latest available date; and what was the average length of such vacancies. [77324]
Mr. Boateng
[holding answer 18 March 1999]: It is for the Chief Constable to determine the number of police officers in the force, within the resources available. I understand from the Acting Chief Constable of West Mercia that there are 2,063 budgeted posts in the force. On 1 March the force had 52 full-time equivalent vacancies. The average number of vacancies in 1998-99 has been 45, which represents 2 per cent. of the budgeted posts available. It is not possible for the force to provide information on the average length of a vacancy during 1998-99.
Sir Brian Mawhinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire can expect a reply to his letter of 19 January on behalf of his constituent, Sir Stephen Hastings. [77445]
Mr. Boateng
[holding answer 18 March 1999]: I am sorry that the right hon. Member did not receive an earlier reply to his letter. A full reply was, however, sent on 16 March.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name the Ministers in his Department who are regular users of electronic Red Boxes. [76175]
Mr. Straw:
I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office on 16 March 1999, Official Report, column 651.
Pensioners (Minimum Income Guarantee)
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he held with pensioners' groups before increasing the minimum income guarantee for pensioners; and if he will make a statement. [77363]
Mr. Timms: We meet representatives of pensioners' organisation regularly to discuss a broad range of issues. We are determined that even the least well off of today's pensioners should share in rising national prosperity, and the proposed increase from next April in line with earnings will build further on the significant boost we are giving to the incomes of these pensioners this year.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who will have an income below the minimum income guarantee level who will not qualify for the minimum income guarantee. [77552]
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Mr. Timms:
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 11 March 1999, Official Report, column 346.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners he estimates will be ineligible for the minimum income guarantee, following the Budget, due to the level of their savings; and if he will make a statement. [77362]
Mr. Timms:
This information is not currently available. Estimates of the number of pensioners ineligible for the Minimum Income Guarantee due to the level of their savings are based on the data used to produce the published estimates of take-up of income-related benefits. These estimates are currently being revised following the discovery in December of an error, the effect of which was to understate income brought to account. The estimates will be republished in May. We will then be in a position to provide an answer to this question.
Mrs. Gilroy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are estimated to be eligible for benefits under the minimum income guarantee for pensioners aged (a) 60 to 74 years, (b) 75 to 79 and (c) over 80 years, (i) in total and (ii) by gender. [75858]
Mr. Timms:
The information is not currently available in the form requested.
In total, we estimate there are approximately 1.5 million pensioners in receipt of Income Support who will be eligible for the Minimum Income Guarantee in 1999-2000. Additionally, we estimate there are between about 400,000 and 700,000 pensioners who are not claiming Income Support but who would be entitled to it if they claimed. The estimate is provisional, as revised estimates of the take-up of income-related benefits are currently being worked on.
We will in a position to provide final estimates and the breakdown requested in May, when revised estimates of the take-up of income-related benefits are due to be published.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who will be undertaking the Minimum Funding Requirement review; and if he will list all those involved in the review. [77553]
Mr. Timms:
The Pensions Board of the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries have been asked to carry out the review in partnership with this Department. The Department is also advised by the Government Actuary. The Pensions Board may decide to set up technical working groups to research particular aspects. The Confederation of British Industry, Trades Union
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Congress, National Association of Pension Funds and the Association of British Insurers have been invited to comment on the scope of the review.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recruitment or contracting companies have been required to administer statutory sick pay to workers they contract to other companies since 1998; and what has been the consequent average additional annual (i) premiums for professional indemnity, public liability and employee's liability insurance and (ii) time which a company has had to spend administering the new rules. [77807]
Mr. Bayley:
The legislation governing the payment of Statutory Sick Pay to employees engaged on short-term contracts has remained unchanged since 1982. Those provisions were clarified in a Court of Appeal judgment in October 1996 and further guidance to reflect that judgment was issued to employment agencies in 1998. Information on the effect, if any, on insurance premiums and the amount of time on which a company has to spend administering the scheme is not available.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the percentage of those pensioners who are entitled to claim income support who actually do so. [77364]
Mr. Timms:
The latest available figures suggest that between 68 per cent. and 79 per cent. of pensioners entitled to Income Support actually claim it. These figures are, however, a provisional estimate following the discovery of an inaccuracy in the published estimates of take-up of income-related benefits. Work continues towards a fully revised set of figures to be published in May.
Notes:
1. "Pensioners" for the purposes of the Minimum Income Guarantee, means single persons aged 60 or over, and couples where at least one partner is aged 60 or above.
2. The figure is rounded to the nearest quarter of a million and does not include pensioners living in residential care and nursing homes.
Note:
"Pensioners" in the context of Income Support, means pensioner benefit units--a single person aged 60 or over, or a couple (counted as one "benefit unit") where one or both members is aged 60 or over.
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