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877W Written Answers 1 DECEMBER 2010 Written Answers 878W Number and monetary value of 156 warrant cases Number Amount of overpaid benefit (£) 149 33,735.64 150 37,465.39 151 39,906.59 152 46,406.20 153 53,319.36 154 54,864.22 155 55,494.13 156 58,550.01 Source: FRAIMS The Department will instigate criminal proceedings irrespective of the amount of overpayment where it is in the public interest to do so. For example, an attempt by a fraudster to falsely obtain a national insurance number to gain access to the benefit system may have criminal proceedings instigated against them whether or not there was an overpayment. Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2010, Official Report, column 350W, on social security benefits: fraud, what steps are being taken to recover the suspected fraud identified in the cases; what steps he plans to take to recover from them the legal and other costs of pursuing those cases; what estimate he made of the cost to the public purse of taking legal and other action to pursue those cases; and what steps are being taken to arrest the persons concerned in the 550 cases. [24720] Chris Grayling: Once a decision has been made that an overpayment is recoverable the steps taken to effect recovery include deductions from ongoing benefits, instalments, a lump sum or through the courts. Overpayments are not written off if the debtor cannot be immediately located. Comprehensive efforts are made to trace debtors and debts may be pursued over a considerable period of time. The Department seeks prosecution costs awards in all cases: it is not limited to those dealt with by warrant. Standard costs are £100.00 in guilty plea and £250.00 in not guilty plea cases heard in the magistrates courts. In the Crown court, applications for prosecution costs start at £350.00 and rise substantially depending on the seriousness, complexity and plea entered. Decisions to award prosecution costs are made by presiding magistrates or judges on a case by case basis. Information is not available of the cost to the public purse of taking legal and other action to pursue the 550 cases. The Department has nominated staff whose duties include checking all outstanding warrants every month against departmental records and informing the warrant holder, who is normally either based at the local police or court, of changes and requesting immediate execution of warrants. The responsibility to arrest rests with the police. Social Security Benefits: Reform Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the evidential basis is for the estimate in his Department’s White Paper on welfare reform that his proposed benefit reforms will take 300,000 people out of poverty; and over what period he expects this to be achieved. [26169] Chris Grayling: We expect that by the time it is fully implemented, universal credit will have moved 350,000 children and 500,000 working-age adults out of poverty, due to increased benefit entitlement and improved take-up rates. This is estimated using the Department’s policy simulation model. These poverty impacts do not take any account of any positive impacts of more people moving into work. Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who will no longer be in poverty in (a) Haslingden and (b) Hyndburn as a result of implementation of his proposed reforms to the welfare system. [26170] Chris Grayling: The information is not available for the geographical areas requested. We estimate that for Great Britain, by the time it is fully implemented, the impact of universal credit will be a net poverty reduction of 350,000 children and 500,000 working-age adults. Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to have their (a) housing benefit, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) jobseeker’s allowance withdrawn as a result of implementation of the proposals in his Department’s White Paper on welfare reform. [26189] Chris Grayling: No one will experience a reduction in the benefit they are receiving as a result of the introduction of universal credit. At the point of transition onto the new system, those households whose circumstances remain unchanged and who would otherwise experience a reduction in income will receive cash protection to make up the difference. Universal Credit: Welfare Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to paragraph 14 of his White Paper entitled Universal Credit: welfare that works, when he plans to set out proposals for a new system of financial sanctions to provide greater incentives for people to meet their responsibilities. [24900] Chris Grayling: Our current proposals for financial sanctions are set out in chapter three of our White Paper, ‘Universal Credit: welfare that works’. Universal credit will make sure that work pays. In return, claimants can reasonably be expected to look for and prepare for work. We also believe that it is fair to ask some claimants to do more to find work in return for receiving current benefits and ahead of the introduction of universal credit we intend to increase the level of labour market conditionality applied to some claimants; introduce a claimant commitment to ensure claimants fully understand what is expected of them; improve the sanctions regime so that it more effectively encourages claimants to meet their responsibilities; and introduce full-time mandatory work activity.
879W Written Answers 1 DECEMBER 2010 Written Answers 880W These changes will form the basis of the labour market conditionality and sanctions system under universal credit. Those measures that require primary legislation will form part of the Welfare Reform Bill to be introduced in the new year. Vacancies: Peterborough Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of vacancies for (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment in Peterborough city council area on (i) 1 April 2008, (ii) 1 April 2009, (iii) 1 April 2010 and (iv) 1 September 2010; and if he will make a statement. [21162] Chris Grayling: The information requested is in the following tables. The figures provided relate just to vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus and, as such, represent a market share of vacancies throughout the whole economy. Comprehensive estimates of all job vacancies and not just those notified to Jobcentre Plus, are available from the ONS Vacancy Survey. However, the ONS survey is currently designed to provide national estimates only. August 2010 is the most recent available data. Number of notified vacancies for the months of April 2008, April 2009, April 2010 and August 2010: Peterborough local authority Date Full-time vacancies Part-time vacancies April 2008 973 198 April 2009 608 228 April 2010 1,113 278 August 2010 1,451 420 Number of live unfilled vacancies for the months of April 2008, April 2009, April 2010 and August 2010: Peterborough local authority Date Full-time vacancies Part-time vacancies April 2008 1,336 221 April 2009 500 146 April 2010 813 252 August 2010 918 419 Source: Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System. Asbestos: Employers’ Liability Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that those with asbestos-related illnesses are eligible to claim on employers’ insurance if the exposure to asbestos occurred while at work. [24113] Chris Grayling: The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires employers carrying on business in Great Britain to insure their liability to their employees for bodily injury or disease sustained in the course of their employment. This Act ensures that those with asbestos-related diseases can claim compensation against their employers’ liability insurance, where the employer has been negligent in exposing them to asbestos while at work. However, a recent Court of Appeal case has considered how the wording of these employers’ liability insurance policies affects civil compensation for mesothelioma sufferers and we had hoped that the judgment would have provided a general principle on how these policies should deal with their mesothelioma claims. The court decided that the policies should be interpreted based on the actual policy wording, which means that some sufferers may not be able to claim compensation if the insurance policy was worded in such a way that prevents a claim from being made. We expect this judgment to be appealed to the Supreme Court. In February 2010 the previous Government published their consultation document, ‘Accessing Compensation— Supporting people who need to trace employers’ liability insurance’, which set out proposals for people who need to find their employers’ liability insurance policies in order to claim compensation. The consultation closed on 5 May 2010. There were two proposals; firstly an Employers’ Liability Tracing Office, that would manage a database of EL policies. Secondly, an Employers’ Liability Insurance Bureau which would be a compensation fund of last resort for those individuals who are unable to trace EL insurance records, ensuring they are able to receive compensation for injuries or diseases sustained during the course of their employment. We are in active discussions with all stakeholders on how this situation can be addressed and we will publish our response to the consultation in due course. CABINET OFFICE Banks: Finance Mr MacNeil: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the Office for National Statistics calculation of public sector net debt takes account of the recapitalisation of banks. [27859] Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply to the hon. Member. A copy of their response will be placed in the Library. Big Society Bank Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what date he expects the Big Society Bank to (a) be established and (b) commence distributing funds. [27275] Mr Hurd: The Government aim to have some functions of the Big Society Bank in place by April, then building towards a fully operational Bank. It will be ready to make initial investments by early summer, which is when we expect the first dormant accounts money will become available. Charity Commission Mrs Ellman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the proposed changes to the operation of the Charity Commission; and if he will make a statement. [26453] Mr Hurd: The Charity Commission, like other Government Departments, is facing tough decisions about its future priorities following the spending review. It is undertaking a strategic review to focus on the key
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