here - United Kingdom Parliament

869W
Written Answers
1 DECEMBER 2010
Written Answers
870W
Jobseeker’s Allowance: Hearing Impaired
Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions what provisions are in place at
Jobcentre Plus centres to assist jobseekers with hearing
impairments; and whether interpreters are provided at
each such location. [24953]
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus
is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus,
Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide my hon.
Friend with the information requested.
Letter from Darra Singh:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question
asking what provisions are in place at Jobcentre Plus centres to
assist jobseekers with hearing impairments and whether interpreters
are provided at each such location. This is something that falls
within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of
Jobcentre Plus.
In Jobcentre Plus we recognise the diverse range of customers
we serve and we are fully committed to providing equal accessibility
and availability of services to all customers. Customers arriving in
a Jobcentre are met by a Customer Services Manager who identifies
the reason for their visit and who is able to direct them appropriately.
When a deaf or hard of hearing customer arrives at an office
the Customer Services Manager takes the customer to the Customer
Service Support Leader who will communicate with them at a
desk set up with a hearing loop facility, if this is appropriate.
If the customer is profoundly deaf or cannot use a hearing aid,
a member of staff who is British Sign Language (BSL) qualified
will act as interpreter. If no qualified member of staff is available,
we will arrange for a communicator, for example a BSL interpreter,
lip speaker or deaf/blind interpreter as appropriate, to attend the
office and book an appointment for the customer to return then.
If customers wish, they may bring their own interpreters. If a
customer provides their own professional qualified interpreter,
they can be reimbursed with reasonable travel costs. Customers
often choose to bring friends and relatives to interpret.
If the customer attends the Jobcentre to look for work, touch
screen Jobpoints are available in our offices to search for and
access vacancies. Staff will support the customer in progressing
any applications for work, for example, by making contact with
the employer.
For customers with an appointment requiring an interpreter
we currently have three contracted providers that provide BSL
interpreters nationally.
Jobcentre Plus is committed to providing a first class service
and ensuring we fully support our most vulnerable customers.
I hope this information is helpful.
Mobility Allowance: Children
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions (1) whether the removal of mobility
allowance for disabled children after 84 days in residential
care will also apply to children in residential education
settings; [24964]
(2) whether residential schools for disabled children
will be classified as care homes for the purposes of the
proposed changes to the mobility element of disability
living allowance. [24965]
Maria Miller: The spending review announced that
the mobility component of disability living allowance
would be removed from adults in residential care and
children in residential schools.
Proposals for disability living allowance reform will
be informed by responses to the consultation document
which we will publish shortly.
We will be making clearer as we move towards the
Bill exactly how the measure to cease paying mobility
component of DLA to people in care homes will affect
particular groups.
Mortgage Payments
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions whether his Department plans to provide
support to households with disabled residents who can
no longer afford their mortgage payments as a result of
changes to the rate of support for mortgage interest to
fund alternative accommodation. [23663]
Steve Webb: We have no plans to increase the amount
paid by way of support for mortgage interest, or to
change the current standard interest rate for this group.
It was necessary for the Government to put support
for mortgage interest on a more sustainable footing,
and to better reflect mortgage costs, which is why we set
the standard interest rate at a level equal to the Bank of
England’s published monthly average mortgage rate
from 1 October. The rate is currently 3.63%. The previous
rate of 6.08% was too generous and resulted in the vast
majority of people getting more than their eligible
mortgage interest liability, which was unfair to taxpayers.
The plans of the previous Government would have
meant that the standard interest rate would have reverted
to a formula—the Bank of England base rate plus
1.58%—which, at present, would produce a rate of
2.08% from January 2011.
There are other funding streams available to households
with disabled residents, for example, Disabled Facilities
Grants and the Mortgage Rescue Scheme.
Disabled Facilities Grants are provided by local
authorities to help meet the cost of adapting a property
for the needs of a disabled person. The Mortgage
Rescue Scheme was introduced in 2009 to help people
in priority need, including those who are vulnerable
because of old age or a physical/mental impairment.
The scheme involves a Housing Association taking on
full or part ownership of the property being repossessed.
Poverty: Children
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions how many children in (a) England,
(b) the East of England and (c) Bedford constituency
were living in families with no parents in employment
in October each year from 2000 to 2010. [26539]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility
of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority
to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated November 2010:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I
have been asked to reply to your question asking how many
children in a) England b) East of England and c) Bedford
Constituency were living in families with no parents in employment
in October each year from 2000 to 2010. (26539)
The figures requested come from the Annual Population Survey
(APS) household datasets. These are currently available for 2004
to 2009. The attached table shows estimates for England and East
of England for these years.