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Entry Policy (EC)
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has held and proposes to hold in connection with proposals to operate a common policy of entry at all European Economic Community ports of entry ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hurd : I have attended a series of meetings of Trevi Ministers and European Community Immigration Ministers in which these and related issues have been extensively discussed. For information about the most recent of these meetings in Athens, and about future work to be undertaken by the supporting meetings of officials, I refer the hon. Member to my answers to questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 14 December at columns 576-77 and 15 December 1988 at column 709. These consultations will continue.
Waterloo-South Bank (Incidents)
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis a list of incidents reported or investigated by the Metropolitan police that occurred during the past year in the area between the south bank centre and British Rail's Waterloo station in the evening hours.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : I understand from the commissioner that such a list is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. If the hon. Member has a specific problem in mind he is welcome to write to my right hon. and noble Friend about it.
Firearms Amnesty
Mr. Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the weapons handed in during the recent amnesty were disposed of ; and whether any effort was made to realise their cash value.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Weapons surrendered under the recent firearms amnesty were destroyed, save for those of historical significance which, under special arrangements, were acquired by museums. None was offered for sale.
Mr. Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show how many of the firearms and other weapons listed in his reply to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East of 13 December 1988 Official Report, columns 509-510, were handed in to each police force ; and if he will list them as in his reply of 13 December.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information is as follows :
Column 509
Table 3
Other firearms surrendered to the police during the firearms amnesty September 1988 by police force area
England and Wales Number of items surrendered
Police force area |Prohibited |Air rifles and air |Others including |Total other firearms
|pistols |imitations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |3 |211 |25 |239
Bedfordshire |- |86 |14 |100
Cambridgeshire |5 |70 |11 |86
Cheshire |8 |151 |19 |178
Cleveland |- |59 |27 |86
Cumbria |2 |60 |- |62
Derbyshire |1 |85 |14 |100
Devon and Cornwall |2 |219 |100 |321
Dorset |1 |169 |86 |256
Durham |- |63 |21 |84
Essex |2 |170 |18 |190
Gloucestershire |- |69 |11 |80
Greater Manchester |2 |331 |177 |510
Hampshire |2 |319 |83 |404
Hertfordshire |1 |165 |- |166
Humberside |- |107 |11 |118
Kent |1 |166 |34 |201
Lancashire |12 |172 |69 |253
Leicestershire |1 |100 |37 |138
Lincolnshire |- |98 |44 |142
London, City of |1 |2 |1 |4
Merseyside |1 |208 |101 |310
Metropolitan Police District |1 |576 |320 |897
Norfolk |- |106 |4 |110
Northamptonshire |- |83 |39 |122
Northumbria |1 |169 |31 |201
North Yorkshire |- |93 |13 |106
Nottinghamshire |- |148 |23 |171
South Yorkshire |- |94 |2 |96
Staffordshire |- |102 |43 |145
Suffolk |3 |81 |27 |111
Surrey |1 |144 |4 |149
Sussex |8 |253 |134 |395
Thames Valley |7 |203 |38 |248
Warwickshire |- |54 |5 |59
West Mercia |- |124 |45 |169
West Midlands |- |247 |82 |329
West Yorkshire |- |228 |124 |352
Wiltshire |3 |104 |20 |127
Dyfed Powys |- |27 |- |27
Gwent |- |41 |11 |52
North Wales |- |67 |19 |86
South Wales |- |102 |35 |137
|--- |--- |--- |---
All forces |69 |6,126 |1,922 |8,117
Table 3
Other firearms surrendered to the police during the firearms amnesty September 1988 by police force area
England and Wales Number of items surrendered
Police force area |Prohibited |Air rifles and air |Others including |Total other firearms
|pistols |imitations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |3 |211 |25 |239
Bedfordshire |- |86 |14 |100
Cambridgeshire |5 |70 |11 |86
Cheshire |8 |151 |19 |178
Cleveland |- |59 |27 |86
Cumbria |2 |60 |- |62
Derbyshire |1 |85 |14 |100
Devon and Cornwall |2 |219 |100 |321
Dorset |1 |169 |86 |256
Durham |- |63 |21 |84
Essex |2 |170 |18 |190
Gloucestershire |- |69 |11 |80
Greater Manchester |2 |331 |177 |510
Hampshire |2 |319 |83 |404
Hertfordshire |1 |165 |- |166
Humberside |- |107 |11 |118
Kent |1 |166 |34 |201
Lancashire |12 |172 |69 |253
Leicestershire |1 |100 |37 |138
Lincolnshire |- |98 |44 |142
London, City of |1 |2 |1 |4
Merseyside |1 |208 |101 |310
Metropolitan Police District |1 |576 |320 |897
Norfolk |- |106 |4 |110
Northamptonshire |- |83 |39 |122
Northumbria |1 |169 |31 |201
North Yorkshire |- |93 |13 |106
Nottinghamshire |- |148 |23 |171
South Yorkshire |- |94 |2 |96
Staffordshire |- |102 |43 |145
Suffolk |3 |81 |27 |111
Surrey |1 |144 |4 |149
Sussex |8 |253 |134 |395
Thames Valley |7 |203 |38 |248
Warwickshire |- |54 |5 |59
West Mercia |- |124 |45 |169
West Midlands |- |247 |82 |329
West Yorkshire |- |228 |124 |352
Wiltshire |3 |104 |20 |127
Dyfed Powys |- |27 |- |27
Gwent |- |41 |11 |52
North Wales |- |67 |19 |86
South Wales |- |102 |35 |137
|--- |--- |--- |---
All forces |69 |6,126 |1,922 |8,117
Table 3
Other firearms surrendered to the police during the firearms amnesty September 1988 by police force area
England and Wales Number of items surrendered
Police force area |Prohibited |Air rifles and air |Others including |Total other firearms
|pistols |imitations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |3 |211 |25 |239
Bedfordshire |- |86 |14 |100
Cambridgeshire |5 |70 |11 |86
Cheshire |8 |151 |19 |178
Cleveland |- |59 |27 |86
Cumbria |2 |60 |- |62
Derbyshire |1 |85 |14 |100
Devon and Cornwall |2 |219 |100 |321
Dorset |1 |169 |86 |256
Durham |- |63 |21 |84
Essex |2 |170 |18 |190
Gloucestershire |- |69 |11 |80
Greater Manchester |2 |331 |177 |510
Hampshire |2 |319 |83 |404
Hertfordshire |1 |165 |- |166
Humberside |- |107 |11 |118
Kent |1 |166 |34 |201
Lancashire |12 |172 |69 |253
Leicestershire |1 |100 |37 |138
Lincolnshire |- |98 |44 |142
London, City of |1 |2 |1 |4
Merseyside |1 |208 |101 |310
Metropolitan Police District |1 |576 |320 |897
Norfolk |- |106 |4 |110
Northamptonshire |- |83 |39 |122
Northumbria |1 |169 |31 |201
North Yorkshire |- |93 |13 |106
Nottinghamshire |- |148 |23 |171
South Yorkshire |- |94 |2 |96
Staffordshire |- |102 |43 |145
Suffolk |3 |81 |27 |111
Surrey |1 |144 |4 |149
Sussex |8 |253 |134 |395
Thames Valley |7 |203 |38 |248
Warwickshire |- |54 |5 |59
West Mercia |- |124 |45 |169
West Midlands |- |247 |82 |329
West Yorkshire |- |228 |124 |352
Wiltshire |3 |104 |20 |127
Dyfed Powys |- |27 |- |27
Gwent |- |41 |11 |52
North Wales |- |67 |19 |86
South Wales |- |102 |35 |137
|--- |--- |--- |---
All forces |69 |6,126 |1,922 |8,117
Column 515
Mr. Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East Official Report, columns 509-10, 13 December, if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show how many of the firearms listed in each category in the reply were (a) held illegally, (b) held previously and (c) currently held on (i) firearms certificates, (ii) shotgun certificates and (iii) did not require any certificate, or as much of such information as is available to him.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : This information was not collected. since there was no obligation on those in legal possession of firearms to hand them in, most of those surrendered are thought to have been held illegally.
Mr. Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is (a) collected by the police, and (b) sent or held by his Department, in relation to (i) firearms and (ii) shotguns held on certificates ; and whether such information was collected on each firearm, shotgun and other weapon handed in during the recent firearms amnesty.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : In addition to an applicant's personal details, information relating to the type, calibre, maker's name and serial number of weapons held on a firearm certificate is collected by the police. This information is not held by the Home Office. Corresponding information about weapons held on a shotgun certificate will not be collected by the police until the provisions of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 relating to notification of transactions involving shotguns are introduced later this year. Under the arrangements for the amnesty there was no obligation on any person surrendering a weapon to provide details of this kind but, where available, information on the calibre, type, maker's name and identification of weapons was recorded, for purposes of description and categorisation.
Breath Tests
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner), 18 January, Official Report, column 202, whether he will give the number of positive breath tests for each police force area together with the number of (a) fatal and (b) other personal injury accidents in the period 19 December 1988 to 1 January 1989.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The official breath test and road accident statistics for 1988 will not be available until later this year. The Association of Chief Police Officers has, however, collected provisional figures for the number of positive breath tests and accidents involving personal injury (including fatalities) in each police force area between 19 December 1988 and 1 January 1989. These are given in the table :
Police force area |Number of positive breath|Number of injury
|tests |accidents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |113 |145
Bedfordshire |45 |50
Cambridgeshire |47 |73
Cheshire |93 |111
City of London |15 |9
Cleveland |51 |53
Cumbria |45 |34
Derbyshire |78 |88
Devon and Cornwall |142 |146
Dorset |57 |20
Durham |72 |54
Dyfed-Powys |45 |51
Essex |149 |223
Gloucestershire |50 |64
Greater Manchester |422 |272
Gwent |58 |57
Hampshire |170 |114
Hertfordshire |84 |108
Humberside |81 |69
Kent |130 |110
Lancashire |139 |205
Leicestershire |79 |70
Lincolnshire |62 |90
Merseyside |135 |175
Metropolitan |980 |887
Norfolk |33 |58
Northamptonshire |45 |63
Northumbria |137 |112
North Wales |92 |43
North Yorkshire |71 |97
Nottinghamshire |101 |90
South Wales |108 |132
South Yorkshire |120 |75
Staffordshire |121 |115
Suffolk |43 |69
Surrey |76 |97
Sussex |81 |88
Thames Valley |213 |169
Warwickshire |43 |36
West Mercia |121 |92
West Midlands |259 |310
West Yorkshire |182 |194
Wiltshire |73 |41
|------ |------
Total |5,261 |4,272
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the grounds on which a police officer may require a motorist to take a breath test ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The current police powers to require breath tests are contained in the Road Traffic Act 1972 (as amended by the Transport Act 1981). Under section 159, a police constable in uniform has the power to stop any vehicle ; and under section 7 to require a breath test :
(a) where there is reasonable cause to suspect that the driver has alcohol in his body ; or
(b) where there is reasonable cause to suspect that the driver has committed a moving traffic offence ; or
(c) where there is reasonable cause to believe that the driver has been involved in an accident.
Viraj Mendis
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has as to the total costs to date to his Department of the Viraj Mendis case.
Mr. Renton : It is unfortunately not practicable to identify the staffing and other resources spent by the Department in connection with the case, but they were considerable.
Women Prisoners
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of females
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sentenced to a period of imprisonment during 1987 and 1988 in England and Wales ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information requested for 1987 can be found in table 7.15 "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1987" (Cm. 498), copies of which are in the Library of the House. Information for 1988 is not yet available.
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the female prison population in England and Wales at the most recent date available.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : At unlocking on Friday 20 January, 1,765 female inmates were held in prison service establishments in England and Wales.
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many females with dependent children under the age of five years were sentenced to a period of imprisonment in England and Wales during 1987 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. A census on 11 August 1986 revealed that 340 females in custody were known to be the mothers of 455 children aged five years or under.
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of places available in prison establishments for female detainees with dependent children and babies in England and Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Three female prison establishments provide a total of 39 places for mothers with babies up to the age of 18 months.
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many females gave birth during the currency of a prison sentence during 1987 and 1988 in England and Wales ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Information for calendar years is not readily available. Between 1 April 1986 and 31 March 1987, 55 sentenced females gave birth during their sentences. Between 1 April 1987 and 31 March 1988, 64 did so.
Mr. Bermingham : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of females currently serving a prison sentence in England and Wales ; what is the proportion and number of such females who have committed an offence involving robbery or violence ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The information is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (table 1.8 of the latest issue, for 1987). I shall reply as soon as possible giving provisional information for 1988.
Column 518
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Mr. Maples : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the statement by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on his strategy for 1989.
Mr. Hurd : I am placing copies of the commissioner's strategy statement for 1989 in the Library of the House today. I am also sending copies to all right hon. and hon. Members whose constituencies fall wholly or partly within the Metropolitan police district. I hope to meet London Members soon to discuss the strategy.
Prisons
Mr. Summerson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he intends to make in the rules governing the conduct of adjudications within prisons ; and if he has decided to accept the recommendation of Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons, in his report on grievance procedures, that the offences of making a false and malicious allegation against an officer and of repeatedly making groundless complaints should be abolished.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Revised prison rules, which will be laid before the House shortly, will simplify and clarify the code of offences in the current prison rule 47 under which prisoners may be charged. Many of the changes are designed to give effect to the Government's response to the Prior committee report, contained in a White Paper published in October 1986.
It has been decided, in the context of these changes, to abolish the current offences under rule 47(12), of making a false and malicious allegation against an officer, and prison rule 47(16), of repeatedly making groundless complaints. The so-called "simultaneous ventilation" rule, contained in prison standing orders, is also to be abolished.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Incomes
Mr. Lester : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the weekly disposable incomes of a married couple and a lone parent, each with two children aged four and six years and each paying average local authority rents and rates, in each of the following circumstances (a) out of work on income support, (b) participating in the new employment training scheme, (c) in part-time work earning £25 and (d) in full-time work earning £150.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is set out in the table. The results are arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people. The use of average rent and local authority rates means these illustrations do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay.
Column 519
Current benefit system: average local authority rent and rates.
Lone mother with two children aged 4 and 6
|Earnings |Tax |NI |Rent |Rates |Housing benefit |CHB |FSM |FWM |Net income after housing
|costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Not working
Income support
45.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |67.49
(b) Working part-time-earning £25
Income support
35.35 |25.00 |0.00 |0.00 |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |82.49
(c) On the new Employment Training Scheme.
Training allowance plus income support
55.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |77.49
Notes:
<1> Lone mother assumed to be over 25 years.
<2> Lone mother assumed to have been on basic rate of Income Support prior to acceptance on Employment Training Scheme.
Current benefit system: average local authority rent and rates.
Lone mother with two children aged 4 and 6
|Earnings |Tax |NI |Rent |Rates |Housing benefit |CHB |FSM |FWM |Net income after housing
|costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Not working
Income support
45.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |67.49
(b) Working part-time-earning £25
Income support
35.35 |25.00 |0.00 |0.00 |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |82.49
(c) On the new Employment Training Scheme.
Training allowance plus income support
55.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |77.49
Notes:
<1> Lone mother assumed to be over 25 years.
<2> Lone mother assumed to have been on basic rate of Income Support prior to acceptance on Employment Training Scheme.
Current benefit system: average local authority rent and rates.
Lone mother with two children aged 4 and 6
|Earnings |Tax |NI |Rent |Rates |Housing benefit |CHB |FSM |FWM |Net income after housing
|costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Not working
Income support
45.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |67.49
(b) Working part-time-earning £25
Income support
35.35 |25.00 |0.00 |0.00 |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |82.49
(c) On the new Employment Training Scheme.
Training allowance plus income support
55.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |77.49
Notes:
<1> Lone mother assumed to be over 25 years.
<2> Lone mother assumed to have been on basic rate of Income Support prior to acceptance on Employment Training Scheme.
Current benefit system: average local authority rent and rates.
Lone mother with two children aged 4 and 6
|Earnings |Tax |NI |Rent |Rates |Housing benefit |CHB |FSM |FWM |Net income after housing
|costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Not working
Income support
45.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |67.49
(b) Working part-time-earning £25
Income support
35.35 |25.00 |0.00 |0.00 |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |82.49
(c) On the new Employment Training Scheme.
Training allowance plus income support
55.35 |- |- |- |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |77.49
Notes:
<1> Lone mother assumed to be over 25 years.
<2> Lone mother assumed to have been on basic rate of Income Support prior to acceptance on Employment Training Scheme.
Mentally Handicapped Persons
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost falling to the social security budget resulting from the transfer of care for mentally handicapped persons in Bexley from the local authority to a private company.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I regret that the information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate expense.
Social Fund
Mr. Nigel Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the overall spending on the social fund during each month in 1985, 1986 and 1987.
Column 520
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The first part of the social fund, relating to regulated payments for maternity and funeral expenses came into operation on 6 April 1987. Discretionary payments under the social fund for community care grants, budgeting and crisis loans, came into operation on 11 April 1988. Expenditure for calendar months in 1987 was as follows :
|£
------------------------------
April |935,565
May |2,087,250
June |2,829,890
July |2,569,383
August |2,867,333
September |2,363,906
October |2,409,383
November |2,976,350
December |1,648,302
Column 521
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time for the most recent year for which figures are available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : From January 1988 until 25 July, when the Department of Health and Social Security was divided into two separate Departments of State, 611 of the 748 oral questions tabled to the Secretary of State for Social Services received a written reply. From 25 July to the end of the year 132 oral questions were tabled to the Secretary of State for Social Security, 114 of which received a written reply.
These figures do not include oral questions which were subsequently withdrawn, unstarred or transferred to other Departments.
YTS
Ms. Short : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evaluations or research his Department has commissioned into the operation of YTS since the introduction of benefit changes in September 1989 ; and when the results will be available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : None. We are, however, closely watching the impact of the reformed social security system on all client groups, including 16 and 17-year-olds.
Column 522
Oldham and Failsworth Local Offices
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many new claims for income support were made each month since 11 April 1988 at the Oldham and Failsworth offices of his Department ; and how many claims were determined each month ;
(2) what was the average number of new claims and cases since 11 April 1988 awaiting review at the Oldham and Failsworth offices of his Department which were recorded as outstanding each month ; and how many related to (a) supplementary benefit claims and (b) single payment claims ;
(3) how many items of unlinked correspondence were recorded each month since 11 April 1988 at the Oldham and Failsworth offices of his Department ;
(4) what load of current cases have the Oldham and Failsworth offices of his Department carried in the past six months.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information available is set out in the tables.
The figures on unlinked post are supplied from local office records. The source of the live load figure is the 100 per cent. count of cases in action and is available only on a quarterly basis. The figures given include a small number of cases not actually in receipt of benefit.
Column 521
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oldham ILO
Income support
Claims
Intake |690 |1,181 |1,152 |1,361 |1,260 |1,217 |1,098 |1,147 |856
Processed |503 |1,241 |1,080 |1,402 |1,301 |1,160 |1,131 |1,157 |816
Outstanding |187 |127 |199 |158 |117 |174 |141 |131 |171
Assessment review outstanding |46 |38 |19 |20 |59 |10 |79 |3 |70
Unlinked post |19 |13 |7 |11 |12 |8 |10 |10 |17
Live load |16,197 |15,854
Supplementary benefit work outstanding
Claims |86 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Single payments |3,500 |2,690 |1,218 |585 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Additional requirements |2,200 |1,911 |932 |193 |40 |0 |0 |0 |0
Failsworth ILO
Income support
Claims
Intake |479 |591 |690 |804 |742 |761 |745 |639 |484
Processed |388 |595 |674 |812 |757 |728 |769 |645 |494
Outstanding |91 |87 |103 |95 |80 |113 |89 |83 |73
Assessment review outstanding |42 |36 |30 |41 |12 |25 |34 |36 |40
Unlinked post |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1 |2 |1 |34
Live load |12,247 |11,855
Supplementary benefit work outstanding
Claims |44 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Single payments |1,081 |277 |127 |36 |20 |6 |2 |1 |2
Additional requirements |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund applications were made each month since 11 April 1988 at the Oldham and Failsworth offices of his Department for (a) budget loans,
Column 522
(b) crisis loans, and (c) community care grants ; and how many applications in each of these categories were determined in each month.Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information on the numbers of applications for social fund loans and grants processed
Column 523
and awarded, listed by local office, including information on budget allocations and expenditure, is available from the details held in the Library.Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for Oldham and Failsworth offices of his Department the current staffing complement, broken down by staffing grades of (a) how many permanent staff are currently in post ; (b) how many temporary staff are currently in post ; (c) how many staff members are currently being trained ; and (d) the annual turnover of permanent staff.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is as follows :
Permanent Staff
|Oldham ILO |Failsworth ILO
------------------------------------------------------------------
Grade 7 |1.0 |1.00
SEO |1.0 |1.00
HEO |9.5 |9.00
LO1 |55.0 |42.50
LO2 |102.5 |77.50
AA |25.0 |18.00
Typing Manager |1.0 |-
Typist |4.0 |3.00
Security Guard |- |2.00
Messenger |3.0 |1.00
Telephonist |2.0 |1.00
|------ |------
|204.0 |156.00
Temporary Staff |- |<1>2.00
|------ |------
Total Staff |204.0 |158.00
Annual Turnover |8.9 |6.94
Staff Under Training |0.0 |0.00
<1> AA Grade.
Note: ILO-Integrated Local Office.
Mr. Viraj Mendis
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to the total amount of social security benefits paid to Mr. Viraj Mendis since 1973.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : It is not the Department's policy to release information from social security records of individuals, which is obtained and held in confidence, without the individual's approval.
Pensions
Mr. John Stanley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what percentage the basic state pension has been increased since May 1979 ; and what was the percentage increase in the retail price index inflation to the latest month for which figures are available.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The basic state pension has been increased from £19.50 in November 1978 to £41.15 in April 1988 , representing an increase of 111 per cent. The corresponding percentage increase in the retail price index was 106 per cent.
The level of pension in payment in May 1979 came into force in November 1978.
The level of pension currently in payment came into force in April 1988.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimates he has as to the number
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of women aged (a) 60 to 62 years and (b) 62 to 65 years in the United Kingdom ; and how many are in receipt of state retirement pensions ;(2) what estimates he has as to the number of men aged (a) 60 to 62 years and (b) 62 to 65 years in the United Kingdom ; and how many are in receipt of state retirement pensions.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Actual population figures for 1988 are not available. Projected population figures for that year for Great Britain indicate that there were approximately 893,000 women and 837, 000 men aged 60-62, and 934,000 women and 808,000 men aged 63-65. The Department's records show that, as at March 31 1988, 590,000 women aged 60-62 and 811,000 women aged 63-65 were in receipt of retirement pension. Retirement pension is paid to men aged 65 and over. Source : Government Actuary's Department.
Based on mid-1985 data.
Note : information provided is for Great Britain.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning the possibility of reducing the retirement age for men to (a) 60 years or (b) 62 years and increasing the retirement age for women to that age ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Between 13 January 1988 and 10 January 1989 we received a total of 364 representations about state pension age. Records do not indicate the precise ages about which correspondents wrote.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimates he has as to the cost to public funds of (a) reducing the retirement age for men to 60 years and (b) reducing the retirement age for men to 62 years and raising the retirement age for women to 62 years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information is not available in the form requested. The most recent estimates, which are based on 1985-86 benefit rates, are that the net annual cost to public funds of equalising state pension age at 60 years would be approximately £3, 000 million, and at 63 years the net costs would be approximately £800 million.
Benefits and Allowances
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Great Britain were receiving (a) attendance allowance at (i) the higher rate, and (ii) the lower rate, (b) invalid care allowance, (c) mobility allowance, (d) invalidity benefit, (e) severe disablement allowance, (f) industrial disablement pension, (g) war disablement pension, (h) retirement pension, (i) income support, and (j) supplementary benefit at the latest dates for which figures are available ; and what are those dates.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The information requested is as follows :
Benefit |Number of recipients|Date ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attendance allowance (i) higher rate |287,000 |March 1988 (ii) lower rate |425,000 |March 1988 Invalid care allowance |109,000 |January 1989 Mobility allowance |557,000 |January 1989 Invalidity benefit |967,900 |April 1987 Severe disablement allowance |260,200 |April 1987 Industrial injuries disablement pension |183,000 |April 1988 War disablement pension |197,800 |December 1988 Retirement pension<1> |9,300,000 |March 1988 Income support<2> |4,354,000 |May 1988 Supplementary benefit<2> |4,834,000 |November 1987 <1> Excludes cases where graduated pension only is payable. <2> Source: Quarterly Statistical Enquiries.
Sir Michael McNair-Wilson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefits are available to an employed person who has to be admitted to hospital for a serious illness or operation ; for how long such benefits are paid ; and if he will give similar information for a self- employed man or woman.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : An employed person who is sick and incapable of work will usually qualify for statutory sick pay (SSP) from his employer. SSP is payable for up to 28 weeks of incapacity, providing the contract of employment continues. If there is no title to SSP or entitlement ends before 28 weeks, state sickness benefit is payable, subject to the satisfaction of the relevant contribution conditions. Sickness benefit and/or SSP is replaced by invalidity benefit after incapacity has lasted 28 weeks. SSP sickness and invalidity benefits continue in payment whilst the claimant is in hospital, but sickness and invalidity benefit are reduced after six weeks free in-patient treatment. A further reduction is made at the 12 months stage. A self-employed person is not entitled to SSP, but qualifies for sickness and invalidity benefit on the same basis as an employed person.
There may be other social security benefits payable while a person is in hospital, depending on his particular circumstances. If my hon. Friend has a specific case in mind, I should be happy to look at it.
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Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants in Wales were paid under the cold weather payments scheme for the last five years ; how much benefit has been paid in each of the last five years ; and how many claims were refused.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information is as follows :
} Winter |Number of claimants paid|Amount paid £ |Number of claims refused ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1984-85 |11,494 |92,679 |Not known 1985-86 |38,769 |1,039,294 |Not known 1986-87 |<1>61,000 |640,295 |31,592 1987-88 |1,735 |8,675 |697 <2>1988-89 |nil |nil |5 <1> Estimate based on the number of £5 payments made. <2> To date. Detailed information as above not collected before 1984-85.
Lone Parents (Spending Power)
Sir Ian Gilmour : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the net spending power of a lone mother with two children aged three and five years, paying average local authority rent and rates, who is (a) not working, (b) working part-time earning £15, £25 and £40 a week, and paying £5 for travel costs to work, (c) in the new employment training scheme, and (d) working full- time, earning £100, £150 and £200 a week, and paying £55 for travel to work and child minding costs.
Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 6 December 1988] : The information is set out in the table.
As specified in the question, net weekly spending is assumed to be benefits plus earnings less housing costs and other identified expenditures. The results are arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people. The use of average rent and local authority rates means the answers do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can actually pay.
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Training allowance plus |Fares to work |Rent |Rates |Housing benefit |CHB |FSM |FWM |Net weekly spending power income support -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) On the new employment training scheme with £5.00 fares to work and £50.00 child care costs 55.35 |5.00 |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |72.49 Notes: 1. £50.00 child care costs are paid by Department of Employment direct to the childminder. 2. Lone mother assumed to be over 25 years. 3. Lone mother assumed to have been on basic rate of Income Support prior to acceptance on Employment Training scheme.
Training allowance plus |Fares to work |Rent |Rates |Housing benefit |CHB |FSM |FWM |Net weekly spending power income support -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) On the new employment training scheme with £5.00 fares to work and £50.00 child care costs 55.35 |5.00 |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |72.49 Notes: 1. £50.00 child care costs are paid by Department of Employment direct to the childminder. 2. Lone mother assumed to be over 25 years. 3. Lone mother assumed to have been on basic rate of Income Support prior to acceptance on Employment Training scheme.
Training allowance plus |Fares to work |Rent |Rates |Housing benefit |CHB |FSM |FWM |Net weekly spending power income support -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) On the new employment training scheme with £5.00 fares to work and £50.00 child care costs 55.35 |5.00 |19.90 |8.20 |26.46 |19.40 |2.55 |1.83 |72.49 Notes: 1. £50.00 child care costs are paid by Department of Employment direct to the childminder. 2. Lone mother assumed to be over 25 years. 3. Lone mother assumed to have been on basic rate of Income Support prior to acceptance on Employment Training scheme.
HEALTH King's College Hospital
13. Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will pay an official visit to King's College hospital, Denmark Hill, to discuss the funding of services.
Mr. Freeman : The South East Thames regional health authority is currently having discussions with Camberwell health authority about its financial allocation for 1989-90. It would not therefore be right for me to visit the hospital specifically to discuss funding at this time.
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