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North Wales Police
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many racially motivated crimes were committed in the North Wales police area in (a) 1999, (b) 1994 and (c) 1997. [145392]
Mr. Charles Clarke: Information recorded centrally shows that the number of racially motivated incidents recorded by the police in North Wales for 1994-95 was three, for 1997-98 was 12 and for 1998-99 was 36. Information for 1999-2000 will be published on 18 January 2001 in "Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System", a copy of which will be placed in the Library. These are incidents recorded either under the Association of Chief Police Officers' definition of a racial incident:
- any incident in which it appears to the reporting or investigating officer that the complaint involves an element of racial motivation; or any incident which includes an allegation of racial motivation made by any person.
which applied until February 1999 or under the new simplified definition of a racist incident proposed by the Lawrence Inquiry which was adopted at that time:
- any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person.
WALES
Legislation
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has discussed with the Welsh Cabinet the possibility of a fast-track procedure for Welsh legislation. [144068]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the First Secretary, including the progress through Parliament of primary legislation affecting Wales.
The current procedure for progressing Welsh legislation through Parliament since the establishment of the National Assembly is working very well and I see no need for change at present. There are already procedural options for dealing with Welsh-only primary legislation and each piece of legislation will be considered on its merits.
Child Detention
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many children under 16 years of age are detained at Her Majesty's pleasure in Wales; [145884]
- (2) how many children aged 16 and 17 years are detained at Her Majesty's pleasure in Wales. [145883]
Mr. Boateng [holding answer 16 January 2001]: I have been asked to reply.
17 Jan 2001 : Column: 279W
No child or young person under the age of 18 is currently detained at Her Majesty's pleasure in Wales.
Child Statistics
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children are ordinarily resident in Wales. [145885]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Based on the Registrar General's mid-year estimate, there were, in Wales, 596,800 persons under the age of 16 in 1999.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Social Fund
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications were made to the Social Fund in each of the last three years; and of (a) how many resulted in crisis loans in (i) Inverclyde and (ii) Scotland. [144499]
Angela Eagle: The administration of the Social Fund is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 17 January 2001:
- The Parliamentary Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications were made to the Social Fund in each of the last three years; and of (a) how many resulted in crisis loans in (i) Inverclyde and (ii) Scotland.
- The information is not available in the format requested. Social Fund data is collated by Benefits Agency District Office areas rather than by constituency areas. The constituency of Inverclyde is included within the Clyde Coast and Renfrew District Office area.
- The attached appendix shows details of the numbers of Budgeting Loans, Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans awarded and refused for the last three years for Scotland and the District Office Area for Clyde Coast and Renfrew.
- The data provided for the number of Crisis Loans awarded, cannot be broken down to identify Crisis Loans awarded due to the result of the refusal of another loan from the Social Fund.
- Figures for 2000-01 are for the period April 2000 to December 2000 only as this is the latest available data.
- I hope this reply is helpful.
| Scotland | Clyde Coast and Renfrew | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | ||
| Awarded | 44,892 | 3,990 |
| Refused | 142,187 | 11,828 |
| 1998-99 | ||
| Awarded | 42,589 | 4,052 |
| Refused | 141,529 | 11,867 |
| 1999-2000 | ||
| Awarded | 44,421 | 4,151 |
| Refused | 69,723 | 5,229 |
| 2000-01(42) | ||
| Awarded | 34,619 | 3,059 |
| Refused | 43,245 | 3,189 |
(42) The data are for the period April 2000 to December 2000
17 Jan 2001 : Column: 280W
| Scotland | Clyde Coast and Renfrew | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | ||
| Awarded | 128,660 | 9,389 |
| Refused | 82,323 | 7,833 |
| 1998-99 | ||
| Awarded | 132,886 | 9,749 |
| Refused | 75,283 | 7,319 |
| 1999-2000 | ||
| Awarded | 144,057 | 12,771 |
| Refused | 94,215 | 8,163 |
| 2000-01(43) | ||
| Awarded | 130,816 | 9,445 |
| Refused | 53,786 | 5,041 |
(43) The data are for the period April 2000 to December 2000
| Scotland | Clyde Coast and Renfrew | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | ||
| Awarded | 150,333 | 22,050 |
| Refused | 69,391 | 8,202 |
| 1998-99 | ||
| Awarded | 178,400 | 28,794 |
| Refused | 78,489 | 13,069 |
| 1999-2000 | ||
| Awarded | 201,071 | 31,903 |
| Refused | 114,737 | 17,525 |
| 2000-01(44) | ||
| Awarded | 141,973 | 23,631 |
| Refused | 73,698 | 10,913 |
(44) The data are for the period April 2000 to December 2000
Disability Benefits (Scotland)
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people with disabilities in Scotland are claiming state benefits. [145145]
Mr. Bayley: Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is as follows. At May 2000, about 623,000 people (across all age groups) in Scotland were receiving one or more of the following benefits: Attendance Allowance; Disability Living Allowance; Severe Disablement Allowance or Incapacity Benefit including 'credits only' cases; Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance with a disability-related premium; Retirement Pension with an invalidity addition or a reduction.
Travel Allowance
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors determined the cost limit of 80p on the travel allowance for claimants attending benefit offices; and what plans he has to review the limit. [143285]
Mr. Bayley: If customers are required to attend a benefit office in connection with their claim, their reasonable travelling expenses can be reimbursed. This is not limited to 80p.
17 Jan 2001 : Column: 281W
Winter Fuel Payments
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Winter Fuel Payments were paid in each of the last two years in (a) the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Inverclyde and (b) Scotland. [144500]
Mr. Rooker: Last winter (1999-2000) around 900,000 Winter Fuel Payments were made in Scotland, of which 11,944 were made to those entitled in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Inverclyde.
Latest information for this winter shows that, of around 1 million payments made in Scotland, 12,881 have been in Greenock and Inverclyde.
Figures cannot be precise because the scheme has been extended to make payments to those entitled from the age of 60--some of whom need to claim. Claims are still being received.
Pensions (Scotland)
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people of pension age in Scotland are claiming the state pension. [145144]
Mr. Rooker: At 31 March 2000, there were 900,700 pensioners residing in Scotland in receipt of a state pension.
- Source:
- 5 per cent. sample from the Pension Strategy Computer System at 31 March 2000.
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