Specialised Disability Fund (Hansard, 14 June 2004)

§ Mrs. Fitzsimons
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have gained work through the New Deal programme. [178533]

§ Jane Kennedy
520 lone parents in the parliamentary constituency of Rochclale have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the start of the programme in October 1998. Figures for lone parents who have gained work through other New Deal Programmes are not available.

§ Mrs. Fitzsimons
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale have benefited from(a) the New Deal for Lone Parents and (b) the New Deal for Partners since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [178534]

§ Jane Kennedy
Through the New Deal we have introduced a wide range of initiatives to help individuals improve their employment prospects by giving them the skills, support and confidence they need to move into work. From 12 April we enhanced the New Deal for Partners in order to offer partners taking part in that programme the same level of help and support as our successful New Deal for Lone Parents programme. Also from this April we have started to roll out Work Focused Interviews for Partners, offering greater-support to partners of benefit recipients.
920 women have started New Deal for Lone Parents in the parliamentary constituency of Rochdale since the beginning of the programme in October 1998, of whom, 490 have gained a job. Information on the number of women who have benefited from the New Deal for Partners is not available.

§ Mrs. Fitzsimons
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in the parliamentary constituency of Rochclale have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997; and what percentage are(a) women and (b) of Asian origin. [178542]

§ Malcolm Wicks
The number of senior citizens in the Rochdale constituency who have benefited from a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) and identified by gender is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters and ethnic origin is not available.732W

Payments made

All Men Women Percentage
of women

1999–2000 14,285 5,495 8,785 61.5

2000–01 15,635 6,820 8,810 56.3

2001–02 15,685 6,965 8,720 55.6

2002–03 15,845 7,115 8,730 55.1

2003–04 15,795 7,085 8,710 55.1

Notes:

1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.

2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). Since most of the payments made in late payment runs are to people who are not receiving another benefit from DWP and whose claims had not been received by the qualifying week, most are to men aged 60.

Source:

IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Payments made
	All	Men	Women	Percentage of women
1999–2000	14,285	5,495	8,785	61.5
2000–01	15,635	6,820	8,810	56.3
2001–02	15,685	6,965	8,720	55.6
2002–03	15,845	7,115	8,730	55.1
2003–04	15,795	7,085	8,710	55.1
Notes:
1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). Since most of the payments made in late payment runs are to people who are not receiving another benefit from DWP and whose claims had not been received by the qualifying week, most are to men aged 60.
Source:
IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.