Armed Forces: Training
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training areas his Department leases overseas. [115460]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 5 July 2012]: The Ministry of Defence does not lease any training areas overseas.
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which firearms training facilities are funded by his Department; and what the cost of running such establishments was in each of the last five years. [115630]
10 July 2012 : Column 197W
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence operates and manages 542 firing ranges.
The cost of running these ranges cannot be separated from the overall regional costs.
Armed Forces: Vehicles
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which overseas military personnel or delegations were present at the Defence Vehicle Demonstration (DVD) in Bedfordshire in June 2012; and if he will make a statement. [115634]
Peter Luff: Military personnel and delegations from the Australian, Belgian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish and the US armed forces were present at the DVD in June 2012.
Armed Forces: Young People
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to raising the recruitment age for the armed forces to 18. [115252]
Mr Robathan: The minimum age at which individuals may join the armed forces remains at 16 years. There are no plans to change this. We take pride in the fact that our armed forces provide challenging and constructive education, training and employment opportunities for young people equipping them with valuable and transferable skills.
We believe that our policies on under-18s in service are robust and comply with national and international law. In addition to the comprehensive welfare system that is in place for all service personnel, we remain fully committed to meeting our obligations under the UN convention on the rights of the child optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and have taken steps to bestow special safeguards on young people under the age of 18.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the education and transferable skills acquired by 16 and 17-year-olds (i) recruited and (ii) not recruited to the Army; and what estimate he has made of the employment rate of recruits after they have left the Army. [115253]
Mr Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 July 2012, Official Report, column 624W, about the levels of training and education provided to 16 and 17-year-old recruits by the Army.
The Ministry of Defence seeks to align itself with the Government's agenda on skills, education and training, and we take steps to ensure that personnel have the opportunities to reach their full potential in accordance with the recommendations put forward in the Wolf report.
While we have not commissioned any specific research into the education and transferable skills acquired by 16 and 17-year-old recruits in the Army, the training they receive in, among other subjects, literacy and numeracy, and the apprenticeships they undertake in areas such as information technology, mechanics and engineering, are all widely transferable. Both the Army Foundation college and the Army Technical Foundation college, which deliver training to 16 and 17-year-old Army recruits, were awarded a Grade 2 (good) in all areas of learning
10 July 2012 : Column 198W
in their last Ofsted reports. The apprenticeships they provide are approved to meet national standards and designed with input from the relevant industry sector.
Information on the employment rate of recruits under training who leave the Army is not held in the format requested.
Feedback we have received from all armed forces personnel who leave the Services after completing resettlement under the Career Transition Partnership shows that 92% succeed in becoming settled or gain employment within six months of leaving.
Army
Mr Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel serve in each unit of the Army. [116403]
Mr Robathan: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost; however, figures are available, as at 1 May 2012, for the number of trained regular officers and soldiers by arm and service and these are shown in the following table.
| Army/Service | Number of officers | Number of soldiers | Total |
The above figures include officers (140) and soldiers (3,510) from the Brigade of Gurkhas which are subsumed within those shown for the Army/Service with which they serve.
Figures are for trained regular strength only and therefore exclude full-time Reserve Service.
All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
AWE: Research
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which universities receive funding for research commissioned by the Atomic Weapons Establishment; and what the nature is of such funded research. [113137]
Peter Luff:
I will write to the hon. Member once the information has been collated.
10 July 2012 : Column 199W
Cyprus: Military Bases
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on the management of solar energy installations on the Sovereign Base Areas of (a) Akrotiri and (b) Dehekelia in the last year. [115499]
Mr Robathan: From June 2011 to June 2012, the Ministry of Defence has spent some £107,000 on the management of solar energy installations at the Sovereign Base areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
Defence Industry
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what proportion of the defence industry is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises; [115632]
(2) what proportion of the defence industry based in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises. [115633]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence does not collect information on what proportion of the defence industry comprises of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including how this is broken down across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As many of the SMEs supplying the MOD are also involved in, and have their primary focus in other areas of activity, it would in any case be problematic to define them as part of the defence industry. Data are collected on the volume and value of contracts awarded to SMEs and I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 June 2012, Official Report, column 1086W, to the hon. Member for Stafford (Jeremy Lefroy).
Defence: Procurement
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many projects being delivered by (a) Babcock, (b) Boeing, (c) Cobham, (d) European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, (e) Finmeccanica, (f) General Dynamics, (g) Kellogg-Brown-Root, (h) Lockhead Martin, (i) Marshall Aerospace, (j) Northrup Grumman, (k) Rolls- Royce, (l) Thales and (m) Ultra Electronics for his Department are overrunning in (i) time and (ii) budget; and where each project is located. [111560]
Peter Luff: The information will take time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.
DM Kineton
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on munitions processing in Defence Munitions Kineton in the last three years; and what assessment he has made of the time needed to complete the outstanding munitions processing backlog at DM Kineton. [115629]
Peter Luff: The processing of unused munitions returned from front line units is a continuous and necessary activity which peaks at defence munitions sites, including Defence Munitions Kineton, when military operations and major training exercises are completed.
It is forecast that the existing build-up of munitions at Defence Munitions Kineton will take around 18 months to process. A significant improvement has been made in munitions processing at the site, particularly over the last 12 months where output has increased by 54%.
10 July 2012 : Column 200W
This improvement has been achieved as a result of continued improvements to operational planning and the application of lean techniques and, in part, to the refurbishment of six additional ammunition processing buildings over the last three years.
Energy
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity bills in each of the last 10 years. [113498]
Peter Luff: The MOD's overall expenditure on gas for fuel and electricity is shown in the following table:
| £ million | ||
| Financial year | Gas | Electricity |
The figures do not include expenditure by our Trading Funds as they lie outside the Ministry of Defence accounting boundary and PFI arrangements.
Falkland Islands
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with civilian contractors on the provision of search and rescue helicopters in the Falkland Islands. [115980]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence is currently examining the provision of search and rescue helicopter capability in the Falkland Islands from 2016 onwards. We are not yet in a position to enter into formal discussions with industry although some informal discussions have taken place to aid consideration of the various options. No decisions have yet been made as the project is still in the concept phase.
HMS Victory
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2012, Official Report, column 5W, on HMS Victory 1744, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the resources available to the Maritime Heritage Foundation to undertake the conservation and management of the Victory 1744 site. [115780]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 9 July 2012]: As a Charitable Trust the Maritime Heritage Foundation (MHF) will be able to access a range of resources to support them in their conservation and management of the HMS Victory 1744 site. MHF have also arranged their own Scientific Advisory Committee to advise them on their proposals.The Ministry of Defence will also oversee, through safeguards within the Deed of Transfer, any proposals made by MHF for works at the site taking advice from an advisory group constituted for that purpose.
10 July 2012 : Column 201W
Mercian Regiment
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the future of the 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment (The Staffords); and if he will make a statement. [115189]
Nick Harvey: In his oral statement to the House on 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1087-88, the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced that the 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment (the Staffords) will be removed from the Army Order of Battle.
Military Aircraft
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the projects for the (a) Chinook fleet, (b) Apache fleet, (c) Apache extension, (d) Puma fleet, (e) Puma upgrade, (f) Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, (g) Wildcat fleet, (h) Merlin fleet, (i) assessment phase for the Merlin marinisation, (j) Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, (k) A400M air transporter, (l) Air Seeker surveillance aircraft, (m) C17 strategic airlifter fleet, (n) Typhoon fleet and (o) joint strike fighter fleet are on time and on budget; [109359]
(2) what the (a) total cost and (b) length is of programmes for the (i) Chinook fleet, (ii) Apache fleet, (iii) Apache extension, (iv) Puma fleet, (v) Puma upgrade, (vi) Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, (vii) Wildcat fleet, (viii) Merlin fleet, (ix) assessment phase for the Merlin marinisation, (x) Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, (xi) A400M air transporter, (xii) Air Seeker surveillance aircraft, (xiii) C17 strategic airlifter fleet, (xiv) Typhoon fleet and (xv) joint strike fighter fleet. [109361]
Peter Luff [holding answer 24 May 2012]: For current performance against time and cost criteria for the Puma upgrade, Chinook fleet, Wildcat fleet, Merlin fleet, Voyager air-to-air refueller and troop transporter, A400M air transporter, Airseeker surveillance aircraft, Typhoon fleet and Joint Strike Fighter fleet, I refer the hon. Member to the “Major Projects Report 2011: Ministry of Defence”, published by the National Audit Office on 16 November 2011 (HC 1520-1 and HC 1520-11).
The Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle (Capability Sustainment programme) project is on time and on budget against its latest approval (as at 31 March 2012).
The eighth CI7 strategic airlift aircraft has been delivered and is in service.
The main investment decisions for Apache extension and Merlin Marinisation have not yet been made and until then, timelines and costs will not be confirmed. Apache fleet and Puma fleet are completed projects.
The latest planned length of the projects to completion (from 1 April 2012) are set out in the following table:
| Project | Programme Length (Months) |
10 July 2012 : Column 202W
With the exception of the eighth C17, the latest costs for those projects which are live and have passed their main investment decision are currently being validated by the National Audit Office. These will be published in the Major Projects Report 2012 in the autumn of this year. The eighth C17 will cost £200 million.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of autonomy the UK will have in relation to (a) mission systems and (b) computer systems for the (i) F-35 and (ii) Rivet Joint aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [115636]
Peter Luff: The F35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft has been designed and integrated to meet the requirements of the nine partner nations involved in the programme, including the aircraft mission systems and computer systems. The UK could modify the aircraft and its systems to meet unique needs, on a ‘pay to be different' basis, however this would introduce non-standardisation into the JSF aircraft fleet.
The UK will have the ability to modify the mission systems and computer systems equipment installed on its Air Seeker (Rivet Joint) aircraft and ground systems to meet UK-specific requirements, but this would attract additional support costs. In general the UK will strive to keep the standard of its equipment aligned with the United States Air Force as part of the US/UK Cooperative Programme.
NATO
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what multinational projects the UK will be leading under the Smart defence umbrella following the Chicago Summit. [114421]
Mr Gerald Howarth: The UK will be leading two projects under the Smart defence umbrella. These are the Immersive Training Environments project, which seeks to enhance NATO's training and education capability through the development of synthetic systems, and the Theatre Opening Capability project which seeks to develop a multinational capability for expeditionary operations to establish a port of debarkation and conduct cargo handling and movement operations.
Nuclear Submarines
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the reactor for the seventh Astute class submarine can be completed at existing facilities at the Rolls-Royce Raynesway plant; [114828]
(2) whether redevelopment of the Rolls-Royce Reynesway plant will take place regardless of the 2016 Main Gate decision on Trident replacement. [115014]
10 July 2012 : Column 203W
Peter Luff: All of the Royal Navy's nuclear reactor cores have been manufactured at the Rolls-Royce Raynesway site. After more than 50 years of service, the existing facilities at Raynesway have come to the end of their economic life and a regeneration of the Raynesway site is required to ensure the facilities continue to meet the safety standards set by the Office of Nuclear Regulation. Regeneration of the site has been planned to ensure the delivery of the full planned Astute submarine fleet in line with current requirements.
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects manufacturing of the reactor for the first successor to the Vanguard class submarine to commence. [114829]
Peter Luff: The manufacture of the reactor core for the first Successor submarine is planned to commence shortly after the Successor Main Gate decision in 2016.
Nuclear Weapons
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of whether a nuclear weapons convention would be a viable option to promote nuclear non-proliferation. [115687]
Mr Philip Hammond: The UK Government are committed to the long-term objective of a world without nuclear weapons and has pledged to press for multilateral disarmament. We believe our immediate disarmament priorities must be to reach consensus on the entry into force of the comprehensive nuclear test-ban treaty, and the start of negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty in the Conference on Disarmament.
Until the necessary political and security conditions are in place, attempts to establish a nuclear weapons convention would risk diverting political capital and resources away from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty—which we believe is the best vehicle we have for promoting nuclear non-proliferation and creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons.
Storage
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on storage facilities provided by the private sector in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [115825]
Peter Luff [holding answer 9 July 2012]: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
World War I: Commemoration
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) with which countries his Department has had discussions in respect of (a) joint events and (b) a UK presence at overseas events to commemorate the centenary of the First World War; on what dates any such discussions took place; and if he will make a statement; [114835]
(2) when he last discussed with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport proposals to commemorate the centenary of the First World War; and if he will make a statement; [114843]
10 July 2012 : Column 204W
(3) how many officials in his Department are engaged (a) full-time and (b) part-time in preparations to commemorate the centenary of the First World War; and if he will make a statement. [114845]
Mr Robathan: The Prime Minister has asked my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) to act as his Special Representative and Co-ordinator for World War I Commemorations with Secretariat support being provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
While Defence Ministers have had some limited discussions with their opposite numbers in France and Canada, I understand that my hon Friend has taken part in a series of meetings with international colleagues, including an all nations meeting in Paris in March 2012. In addition he holds monthly meetings with a core liaison group incorporating a number of Whitehall Departments, the Imperial War Museum, Heritage Lottery Fund, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and others to ensure that the UK plays a full and active role in commemorating the centenary of the first world war.
Defence Ministers have not been involved in these discussions but my officials are participating as necessary.
Work and Pensions
Atos Healthcare
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 22 February 2012, Official Report, column 853W, on Atos Healthcare, if he will publish the most recent review of the key performance indicators under the contract between his Department and Atos Healthcare. [115258]
Chris Grayling: The key performance indicators that are currently used in the contract between the Department and Atos Healthcare have been included as an appendix to the response, which will be placed in the Library.
Employment and Support Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason his Department has directed that a Ministry of Justice video advising claimants on how to appeal against a refusal of employment and support allowance should be removed from the website YouTube. [116340]
Chris Grayling: The Department did not direct that the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) video about employment and support allowance appeals be removed from the website YouTube. We sought to correct factual inaccuracies within the video which we brought to the attention of MOJ officials who agreed to revise the content of the video.
We understand that the Ministry of Justice reinstated the video, unamended, due to an administrative error. It has now been removed once more from the website.
Employment Schemes
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will locate Jobcentre advisers at the premises of Work programme providers to simplify the process of signing on. [115491]
10 July 2012 : Column 205W
Chris Grayling: Face-to-face job search reviews within Jobcentre Plus offices have proven successful in terms of helping people leave benefit quicker than would otherwise have been the case.
Local Jobcentre Plus managers currently have the flexibility to arrange signing-on at Work programme provider premises, but the practicalities often make this difficult and not cost-effective.
However, we are testing a number of alternative approaches to see if there are more efficient means of reviewing claimant job search, without undermining the success of the current approach. This includes making use of online technology and alternative approaches to claimants on the Work programme.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether Work Programme performance statistics published in autumn 2012 will include data on the number of job outcomes achieved through (a) employment or self-employment and (b) jobs in each different standard occupational code. [116338]
Chris Grayling: The release plan for statistics on job outcomes and sustainment payments is dependent on the availability, reliability, quality and accuracy of the data. The details of what we will publish are still to be finalised. When details are finalised we will make an announcement.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 427W, on employment schemes, whether his Department will be able to mine the free text collected on job titles for either standard occupational codes or numbers of jobs; and whether he intends to monitor the number of jobs obtained by Work Programme participants through the start and end dates of jobs collected. [116413]
Chris Grayling: The Department does not intend to collate operational data on job types or monitor the number of jobs that Work Programme participants obtain.
The Institute for Employment Studies is conducting an independent evaluation of the Work Programme. This will include a survey of participants which will capture the different types of jobs they secure (including standard occupational and industrial codes) and whether participants have found more than one job. The evaluation will report in 2014.
Employment Schemes: East London
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of long-term unemployed people have participated in a work programme in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency and (b) Tower Hamlets since the programme's inception. [115993]
Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Rushanara Ali:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of those participating in a Work programme in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow
10 July 2012 : Column 206W
constituency and
(b)
Tower Hamlets subsequently found jobs in 2011 and 2012; and how many in each such category participating in previous programmes in 2009-10 subsequently found jobs. [115994]
Chris Grayling: Statistics on how many of those participating in a Work programme in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency and (b) Tower Hamlets subsequently found jobs in 2011 and 2012; and how many in each such category participating in previous programmes in 2009-10 subsequently found jobs are not available.
Employment Schemes: Wales
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people have found employment through the Work programme in Wales; [115697]
(2) how many people have found employment through the Work programme in Islwyn constituency. [115707]
Chris Grayling: Statistics on the number of people who have found employment through the Work programme are not available.
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are on the Work Programme in (a) Wales and (b) Newport East; and how many of them have been successfully placed back into work in both categories above. [116319]
Chris Grayling: Statistics on how many people are on the Work programme in Newport East; are currently unavailable but will be published on 8 August at the following website:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wp
The Department aims to publish official statistics on Work programme job outcomes in autumn 2012 and it is intended that these figures will include a region and constituency breakdown.
Statistics on how many people are on the Work programme in Wales are available on the Department's website at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Housing Benefit
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseekers under the age of 25 in receipt of housing benefit had their jobseeker's allowance (a) stopped and (b) reduced as a result of failure to attend a job-related interview with Jobcentre Plus in the last year for which figures are available. [115886]
Chris Grayling: Information on how many people had their benefit suspended for failing to attend a job interview is not available.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with (a) autism spectrum conditions, (b) learning disabilities and (c) disabilities will be affected by the changes to housing benefit contained in the Welfare Reform Act 2012. [116334]
10 July 2012 : Column 207W
Steve Webb: The estimated impacts of the housing benefit changes on disabled people are published in the relevant equality impact assessments for the Welfare Reform Act, which can be found at
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011.pdf
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-hb-lha-cpi-uprating-wr2011.pdf
Estimates for people with specific conditions are not available.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from (a) people with disabilities and (b) disability charities on the likely effects of changes to housing benefit contained in the Welfare Reform Act 2012 on people with Asperger syndrome. [116335]
Steve Webb: We have received a number of representations concerning the effects of housing benefit changes on those with neuro-developmental disorders, although I am not aware of any representations made concerning Asperger syndrome specifically.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to housing benefit contained in the Welfare Reform Act 2012 on people with Asperger syndrome. [116336]
Steve Webb: The information is not available.
Housing Benefit: Argyll and Bute
Mr Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much housing benefit was paid to tenants of social landlords in Argyll and Bute constituency in each of the last five years; and how much he plans to spend on housing benefit for such tenants in each of the next three years. [116416]
Steve Webb: Housing benefit expenditure is only available broken down by local authority, and not parliamentary constituency. The figures for 2010-11 and earlier years are published at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/index.php?page=expenditure
Figures for 2011-12 will be added on 20 July.
Forecasts for future years at a local authority level are not available.
Housing Benefit: Lone Parents
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of single parents under the age of 25 in receipt of housing benefit work 16 hours per week or more. [114613]
Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
Housing Benefit: Young People
Mr Bain:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged between 16 and 25 are
10 July 2012 : Column 208W
recipients of housing benefit in each
(a)
parliamentary constituency and
(b)
local authority area in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland; and what the average weekly amount paid is in each area. [115267]
Steve Webb: Information is not readily available for housing benefit recipients aged under 25 at parliamentary constituency level, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
The information on caseloads and average weekly amounts by local authority has been placed in the Library.
Universal Credit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the section on universal credit in his Department's 2011 business plan, for what reasons the aim ‘Launch pilot pathfinder in advance of national rollout' has been changed to ‘launch pathfinder in advance of national rollout', and the completion date changed from March to October 2013; and what the implications are of this change for the pathfinder. [115086]
Steve Webb: It is the Department's intention to run a staged pathfinder ahead of the national launch of universal credit. This will trial the process with claimants in a specific location, and then we will move to a gradual national roll-out from October 2013 over a four year period, which is entirely appropriate for such far-reaching changes.
The pathfinder is not a “pilot” because this is real implementation for a specific group of claimants, and will start to run from April 2013 in the Manchester area. From October 2013 we will begin to take new claims to universal credit from unemployed claimants across every region in Great Britain. This will build up from April 2014 as we phase out new claims to employment and support allowance, income support and housing benefit.
Work Experience
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many graduate internships his Department has provided in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [116055]
Chris Grayling: The DWP works in partnership with Cabinet Office to deliver an internship programme for university students in their penultimate or final year of study; this is known as the Summer Diversity Internship Programme. This programme is designed to improve the diversity of the civil service fast stream by giving graduates, from under represented socio economic and diverse backgrounds, a chance to experience the civil service and consider the fast stream as a career path.
In the 12 months to July 2012 a total of 20 interns took up positions within the Department. The Department has recently offered placements to a further 23 individuals, 18 of whom joined from June 2012.