§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures his Department has in place to protect Benefits Agency staff from assault. [31714]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownRegular health and safety risk assessments and safety inspections are conducted to ensure the safety of staff in Benefits Agency offices. These assessments are reviewed whenever new services are introduced.
§ Mr. RandallTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many(a) Benefits Agency and (b) Job Centre staff have been assaulted at their place of work in each of the last seven years in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) the Uxbridge constituency. [31728]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownThe information requested is in the table. These cases cover all case of physical contact of any kind including throwing of small items or touching of any kind. Data are not held at constituency level and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
In recent years a possible under-reporting of incidents concerned both management and trade unions. An improved reporting form was introduced in April 1999, followed by a campaign by the Public and Commercial Services Union on reporting in 2000. The rise in reported incidents in the years from 1999 reflects this.
Data from before 1997 in the Benefits Agency and 1999 in the Employment Service are not broken down by country. The Department does not hold information on Northern Ireland as this is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Benefits Agency staff have been(a) threatened and (b) assaulted in each of the past five years. [32971]
§ Mr. Nicholas Brown[holding answer 4 February 2002]: Over 20 million people pass through BA offices every year. Against that background, the table shows the number of cases of physical contact of any kind between a member of staff and a client (which could include spitting, the throwing of small items such as paper clips or rolled up forms, or touching of any kind), and those which did not involve any such contact. The second category includes verbal abuse, threats or incidents where clients damaged equipment.
In recent years, both management and trade unions became concerned by a possible under-reporting of incidents. An improved reporting form was introduced in April 1999, followed by a PCS campaign on reporting in 2000. As the PCS accepts, in their evidence to the Social Security Select Committee, the rise in reported incidents in the calendar years 2000 and 2001 reflects this.
Year Cases of physical contact Cases not involving physical contact 1997 100 3,426 1998 41 3,092 1999 129 3,561 2000 164 5,148 2001 134 4,863 Notes:
1. Following further investigation of data held for 1999 and 2000 these figures have been revised.
2. For 2001 the figures are based on information to date. These figures are based on the reports so far received, other incidents may have occurred but may not yet have been reported.