§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what sums have been spent, by grade, on staff costs for the jobseeker's allowance project in Lytham St. Annes. [9788]
§ Mr. ForthThe grade of staff undertaking work on the jobseeker's allowance project at Lytham St. Annes has varied depending on the work in hand. It would therefore involve disproportionate costs to provide the detailed information requested.
Around 110 staff from the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service between the grades of grade 6 to administrative assistant—or agency grade equivalents—have been involved at any one time. The salary costs since October 1994 have been £2,063,871.
There is also a contract with Information Technology Services Agency for work mainly on the JSA computer system. Staffing levels fluctuate, but about 135 people are involved. It is not possible to give the salary cost of ITSA staff since the departmental information technology/information systems financial regime means that salaries make up only part of the total paid to ITSA and are not identified separately.