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20 Jul 2004 : Column 159W—continued
Civil Servants (Staffing Plans)
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide a breakdown of the estimated civil service staff (a) reductions and (b) relocations within his Department and its business units in each of the next four years, as set out in the Spending Review. [185060]
Maria Eagle: Following the Spending Review announcement, detailed business and staffing plans continue to be developed across all parts of the Department in order to manage the reduction of 30,000 posts by March 2008, and the planned relocation of work from London and the south east. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a written statement to the House on 29 June outlining the first phase of this transformation. We will inform the House as further planning decisions are made.
Unemployment Statistics (Over-50s)
Paul Holmes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of people between the age of 50 and state pension age who are not working are claiming benefit, broken down by gender;
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how many of these rely on benefits to make up more than half of their income, broken down by gender; how much is being spent on benefits for this group; and if he will make a statement. [172532]
Mr. Pond: The estimated expenditure on incapacity related benefits, Jobseekers Allowance, other income-related benefits and disability or carer benefits for claimants aged 50 to state pension age is estimated to be £11.6 billion in 2003–04. Total expenditure on all claimants aged 50 to state pension age in 2003–04 is estimated to be £12.5 billion.
In 2001–02, the latest year for which information is available, benefits made up over half of individual income for 82 per cent. of men and 89 per cent. of women, overall 84 per cent. of people, aged 50 to state pension age receiving any benefit other than those with just Child Benefit or Winter Fuel Payment 1 and not working.
The available information on the number of people aged 50 to state pension age claiming benefits, and the number in this age group who are not in work is in the table.
1 Individual incomes data 2001–02. Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are not considered as benefit income or part of total income.
| Men | Women | All | |
|---|---|---|---|
| People claiming key benefits other than Disability Living Allowance November 2003(6) | 1,015,600 | 545,500 | 1,561,100 |
| As above but excluding cases identified as in work or Income Support cases in residential care | 1,002,100 | 533,800 | 1,535,900 |
| Estimated number of individuals in private households not in work autumn/winter 2003 | 1,410,000 | 1,231,000 | 2,641,000 |
(6) Figures include people claiming Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance.
Source:
Number of people claiming benefits—5 per cent. sample of administrative data. Estimated numbers not in work—Labour Force Survey.
Income Thresholds
Andy King: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the income thresholds used in paragraph 7 of the reply by the Government to the Second Report of the Work and Pensions Committee of Session 2003–04, Cm 6200 are in weekly cash amounts of income (a) before housing costs, (i) for the relative low income and (ii) for the absolute low income and (b) after housing costs (A) for the relative low income and (B) for the absolute low income. [183821]
Mr. Pond: The information is in the tables.
| Household type | Before housing costs | After housing costs |
|---|---|---|
| Couple with no children (equivalised income benchmark) | 194 | 172 |
| Couple with two children aged 5 and 11 | 283 | 253 |
| Single with two children aged 5 and 11 | 207 | 175 |
| Couple with one child aged 5 | 235 | 208 |
| Single with one child aged 5 | 159 | 131 |
| Household type | Before housing costs | After housing costs |
|---|---|---|
| Couple with no children (equivalised income benchmark) | 166 | 140 |
| Couple with two children aged 5 and 11 | 242 | 206 |
| Single with two children aged 5 and 11 | 178 | 143 |
| Couple with one child aged 5 | 201 | 170 |
| Single with one child aged 5 | 136 | 107 |
Notes:
1. Estimates relate to the household's status at the time they were interviewed for the FRS.
2. The threshold '60 per cent. of median' (equivalised weekly household income) is the most commonly used in reporting absolute and relative trends in low income.
3. The estimates are based on sample counts, which have been adjusted for non-response using multipurpose grossing factors that control for tenure, council tax band and a number of other variables. Estimates are subject to both sampling error, and to remaining variability in non-response which is not corrected by the grossing regime.
4. Equivalised incomes use the McClements equalisation scale.
5. When reporting numbers of individuals in 'relative low income', we apply 60 per cent. of the median income for the year in question; therefore, this threshold changes from one year to the next.
6. When reporting numbers of individuals in 'absolute low income', we take a single level of real equivalised income, which is set at 60 per cent. of the 1996–97 median income, which is £166 before housing costs and £140 after housing costs, at 2002–03 prices. Equivalised income adjusts household income for household size and composition. The corresponding cash values for this absolute threshold, for different family types are shown in the table.
7. All figures are in pounds per week, in 2002–03 prices, rounded to the nearest pound, and are consistent with current National Statistics conventions.
8. The figures relating to absolute and relative low income were derived from "Households Below Average Income—An analysis of the income distribution for 1994–95—2002–03" (HBAI). Copies are available in the Library.
Source:
Family Resources Survey (FRS).
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New Deal
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people have joined the Young New Deal scheme in each year since its inception. [184308]
Jane Kennedy: The information is in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 212,930 |
| 1999 | 192,290 |
| 2000 | 174,770 |
| 2001 | 162,700 |
| 2002 | 164,230 |
| 2003 | 171,900 |
| 2004 | 45,120 |
| Total | 1,123,930 |
Notes:
1. All figures are for January to December except 2004 which is January to March.
2. All figures are starts rather than individuals and include people who may have started New Deal more than once.
3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
4. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
Source:
DWP Information and Analysis Directorate
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HEALTH
Agenda for Change
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2004, Official Report, column 606W, on Agenda for Change, which of the early implementer-sites are testing the new system for (a) community nurses and (b) allied health professionals; and if he will make a statement. [184205]
Mr. Hutton: Community nurses are employed in eight of the 12 early implementer sites. Allied health professions are employed in 10 sites.
A list of the sites who are currently testing the system for these staff groups is shown in the table.
| Community nurses | Allied health professions |
|---|---|
| Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership | Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust |
| Central Cheshire Primary Care Trust | Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership |
| City Hospitals Sunderland | Central Cheshire Primary Care Trust |
| Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital National Health Service Trust | City Hospitals Sunderland |
| Herefordshire NHS Primary Care Trust | Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust |
| James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust | Herefordshire NHS Primary Care Trust |
| South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust | James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust |
| West Kent and Social Care Trust | Papworth Hospital NHS Trust |
| South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust | |
| West Kent and Social Care Trust |
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