§ Mrs. Helen ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will list, by region, incidents of assault in Benefits Agency. Employment Service and Jobcentre Plus offices for 2002; [80791]
(2) if he will list by office, incidents of assaults on staff using the Home Office British Crime Survey definition, which have occurred in Jobcentre Plus Pathfinder offices in the year to 22nd October. [80792]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe Home Office British Crime Survey definitions are set out in legislation and are based on victims' perceptions of an incident. Jobcentre Plus does not use these definitions. Instead, assaults are categorised by what happened in the incident, as follows:
Incident Actual Assault Physical contact has been made Attempted Assault An attempt has been made to touch a member of staff but this was unsuccessful Verbal Assault Threats of verbal abuse Other No member of staff has been involved, for example, an assault by one client on another, or property was damaged. The available information on incidents of assault has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answers of 27 November, Refs 82508, 82511 and 82513, if he will place in the Library the written information about job entry and additional points scores and priorities sent to Jobcentre Plus managers and staff; and if he will list the key 377W stakeholders who were consulted in respect of the selection of the local authority areas attracting additional points scores. [85294]
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown[holding answer 4 December 2002]Managers and staff were informed about job entry and additional point scores and priorities in Jobcentre Plus Targets 2002–03 Achieving the Best: A Handbook for Staff, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
Details of the key stakeholders consulted on the criteria for selecting the local authority areas attracting additional point scores have been placed in the Library.