§ Mr. HopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements have been made for renewing awards when the Earnings Top-Up pilot ends. [87594]
§ Angela EagleEarnings Top-Up (ETU) is a three-year pilot which was introduced in October 1996 to explore the effects of an in-work benefit for people without dependent children. The pilot was designed to run from 8 October 1996 to 4 October 1999 in eight areas and full evaluation findings will be available during 2001.
183WWhen the pilot was first set up, the plans included three renewal awards for people receiving Earnings Top-Up when it closed down. However, since May 1997, a range of new initiatives to help low paid workers has been introduced. Measures already introduced include the National Minimum Wage and Tax and National Insurance Contribution changes. In view of this, ETU renewals at the end of the pilot will be restricted to a single six month award.
Companies the Government have made payments to for consultancy regarding the computerisation of the Benefits Agency in the last three years Project Contract dates Contract award value (£) Successful company Current status Programme Accounting Group (PAG)—Consultancy Support 12/11/1996 to 31/12/1996 36,450 KPMG Finished Programme Accounting Group/Programme Accounting 21/10/1996 to 21/12/1996 63,508 SEMA Finished Computer System (PACS)—Consultancy Support 21/10/1996 to 31/12/1996 138,300 KPMG Programme Design Authority (PDA)—Implementation Group Support — 135,000 Andersens Finished Card Access Payment System (CAPS)—Programme and Card Payment Delivery Review 11/11/1996 to 28/2/1997 122,800 Ernst & Young Finished Card Access Payment System (CAPS)—Migration Conformance Manager 1/4/1997 78,000 PA Consulting Finished Programme Accounting Group (PAG)—IT Consultant 1/4/1997 to 30/6/1997 31,500 PricewaterhouseCoopers Finished Card Access Payment System (CAPS)—Consultancy Support 9/6/1997 to 8/6/1999 19,767,220 Andersens Ongoing 613,662 A.S.E. Ongoing Financial and Management Information System (FAMIS)—Study of Private Sector Partnership potential 20/5/1997 to 27/6/1997 34,900 KPMG Finished Card Access Payment System (CAPS)—Migration Strategy 3/2/1997 to 31/3/1997 263,221 Andersens Finished Programme Accounting Group 12/2/1997 to 28/3/1997 29,750 KPMG Finished Audit Trail Analysis System (ATAS)—Tool Development 17/3/1997 to 11/4/1997 30,000 ICL Finished Programme Accounting Group (PAG)—Consultancy Support 14/7/1997 to 31/1/1998 63,000 KPMG Finished Programme Accounting Group (PAG)—Technical Architect 15/9/1997 to 30/4/1998 135,240 A.S.E. Finished Banking and Accountancy Branch (BAB)—Implementation Management 3/2/1998 to 31/3/1998 76,150 SEMA Finished Review of BA IS/IT Strategy 11/8/1998 to 4/9/1998 16,500 PA Consulting Finished Card Access Payment System (CAPS)—Review of Change Management 2/2/1999 to 8/3/1999 18,800 Admiral Finished Banking and Accountancy Branch (BAB)—IT Consultant 15/2/1999 to 26/3/1999 29,023 PA Consulting Finished BA Decision Making and Appeals Implementation Programme 8/6/1998 to 30/11/1999 360,000 Andersen Consulting Ongoing