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Mr. Scott : I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) earlier today.
Residential Care Homes
42. Mr. Colvin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average increase in costs of residential care homes for the elderly since 1 April.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information is not available in the form requested.
The Government take account of a number of different pieces of evidence in reviewing the amount of income support available to people in residential care homes each year. These include detailed and differing representations received from various sources about the level of costs in homes. The results of this review will be announced shortly.
Transitional Protection
47. Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants he expects will not receive the full uprating of their benefit next April as a result of transitional protection.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) earlier today.
Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation
48. Mr. Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how may people were in bed-and-breakfast accommodation at the latest available date ; and what was the equivalent figure five years previously.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The latest available information is that there were 88,500 income support beneficiaries living in board and lodging accommodation in February 1989.
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No figures are available for February 1984 but there were 106,000 supplementary benefit recipients living in board and lodging accommodation in December 1984.Family Credit
49. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the number of eligible families who fail to claim family credit.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The latest information relates to 1988 when a special examination of family expenditure survey returns indicated that the total eligible employee population was then about 500,000 families. This compared with an average live load (including eligible cases awaiting award) during the same period of about 253,000. The live load is now around 315,000, but the number of eligible families cannot be estimated until information from the 1989 family expenditure survey becomes available.
Single Payments
50. Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the amount paid in single payments in the last full year in which such payments were last available.
Mr. Scott : The amount paid in single payments in 1987-88 was £214 million.
Child Poverty Action Group
51. Mr. McCrindle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met the Child Poverty Action Group ; and what matters were discussed.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : My right hon. Friend met representatives of the Child Poverty Action Group on Tuesday 10 October. Discussion ranged widely and covered a large number of topics.
Mobility Allowance
53. Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether further changes are planned to the rules governing mobility allowance.
Mr. Scott : We shall be looking at mobility allowance in common with all other benefits for the long-term sick and disabled as we assess the implications of all the results of the OPCS surveys.
Personal Pension Plans
54. Mr. Sumberg : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest figure he has for the number of people opting for personal pension plans.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Just over 3.5 million people have so far applied for an appropriate personal pension.
Family Benefits
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail the benefits which would be available to (a) a single unemployed parent with two school-age children, (b) a married unemployed couple
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with two school-age children, (c) a single working parent with two school-age children and (d) a married couple with one parent working with two school-age children on (i) half average earning, (ii) national average earnings and (iii) twice average earnings.Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The information requested is shown in the tables.
Married couple 2 children aged 13 and 16
Multiples of Average
Earnings<1> (£pw)
|Not Working|" |1 |2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income support |84.95 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Gross earnings |0.00 |137.55 |275.10 |550.20
Family credit |n/a |20.83 |0.00 |0.00
Rent rebate<3> |21.80 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Rate rebate<3> |7.20 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Child benefit |14.50 |14.50 |14.50 |14.50
|--- |--- |--- |---
Total net income |97.65 |119.35 |189.31 |380.94
Lone Parent 2 children aged 13 and 16
Multiples of Average
Earnings<2> (£pw)
|Not Working|" |1 |2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income support |63.75 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Gross earnings |0.00 |91.90 |183.80 |367.60
Family credit |n/a |41.92 |0.00 |0.00
Rent rebate<3> |21.80 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Rate rebate<3> |7.20 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Child benefit |19.70 |19.70 |19.70 |19.70
|--- |--- |--- |---
Total net income |81.65 |115.52 |134.25 |259.39
Unemployed families receiving income support are also eligible for free
school meals and exemption from NHS charges. Working families receiving
family credit are eligible for exemption from NHS charges.
<1> Average male earnings 1989-90 assumed to be £275.10 a week.
<2> Average female earnings 1989-90 assumed to be £183.80 a week.
<3> Each family is assumed to live in local authority accommodation
appropriate to its size and paying estimated average rent and rates.
Notes:
Family credit for both family types runs out at gross earnings of £182 pw.
Family credit eligibility is conditional upon one adult in the family
working 24 or more hours a week.
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the current level of child benefit was fixed ; and by how much inflation has since increased.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The current level of child benefit is £7.25 per week and came into effect on 6 April 1987. The movement in the index of retail prices between April 1987 and September 1989 was 14.6 per cent.
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when was the present level of single-parent child benefit increased last and by how much inflation has since risen.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : One-parent benefit was last increase in April 1989. Between April and September the index of retail prices rose by 2.1 per cent.
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Young People
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assistance is given by his Department to young people leaving local authority children's homes to live as independent adults, and whether he has any proposals for further assistance.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Those 16 and 17 year olds living independently who were in care immediately before their sixteenth birthday may claim income support for a period of 12-16 weeks after they leave school (known as the child benefit extension period), provided that they register for YTS or work. They may also claim housing benefit.
Certain categories of young people are eligible to claim income support beyond the child benefit extension period. In addition, the Secretary of State has the power to direct that, where unavoidable hardship would result if benefit were withheld, a young person will be entitled to income support even though that person would not originally be entitled to it.
Since July 1989, all 16 and 17-year-olds who have good reason to live independently, including those leaving care, have been entitled to the higher income support personal allowance payable to 18 to 24-year-olds. Housing benefit allowances were also increased for all 16 to 17-year-olds with housing commitments.
Young people of 18 and over may claim income support provided that they are registered for work. They may also claim housing benefit. In assessing benefit entitlement for these young people, payments made by local authorities under section 1 of the Child Care Act 1980 or section 12 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 are disregarded. We have recently extended this disregard to payments under sections 27 and 29 of the Child Care Act and sections 24 and 26 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act.
Young people leaving care may also seek help from the social fund. In particular they may apply for community care grants to help with the expenses of setting up a home provided they meet the qualifying conditions.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps he proposes to take to alleviate the problems caused for those persons aged 16 and 17 years by the lack of availability of benefit, even when they become unavoidably homeless ;
(2) what steps he proposes to take to alleviate the problems caused within some low-income families by non-availability of benefit to those aged 16 and 17 years.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The best course for 16 and 17-year-olds who leave school and do not take up further education or a job is to participate in the youth training scheme. We have developed the scheme to provide good quality training. Youngsters taking part are paid a weekly allowance and do not, therefore, need to rely on benefit.
However, we have acknowledged that certain young people nevertheless need income support in their own right. In addition to lone parents, the disabled and the long-term sick, who can receive benefit without time restriction, young people forced to live independently can claim income support during a limited period after leaving school, known as the child benefit extension period. They can also receive housing benefit.
Moreover, we introduced a package of changes in July which recognised the particular difficulties being experienced by some 16 and 17-year-olds with no option but to
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live away from home. An important element of this was to pay them higher rates of both income support and housing benefit.In addition, my right hon. Friend has discretion to enable income support to be paid to a 16 or 17-year-old to prevent "severe hardship". Factors taken into account in determining whether there would otherwise be severe hardship include the vulnerability of the young person, particularly to becoming homeless. Homeless young people in night shelters are now considered automatically under the severe hardship provisions.
The parents of 16 or 17-year-olds who remain dependent may continue to receive child benefit during the child benefit extension period. During this time they may also be eligible for dependency additions to their own benefits, such as income support, family credit and housing benefit.
We have therefore taken steps to ensure that benefit is available to all who need it, but we shall continue to monitor the 1988 social security reforms, including those affecting young people.
Correspondence
Mr. Mudd : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne can expect a reply to his letter of 4 April regarding pension arrangements affecting Mrs. E. D. Timmins of 27 Grovehill crescent, Falmouth, Cornwall.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : We have no trace of having received this particular letter from my hon. Friend. If he could let us have a copy we will endeavour to reply as soon as possible.
Dyslexia
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines his Department has issued to local social fund officers concerning applications for community care grants or crisis loans for the payment of fees for the assessment of dyslexia in the children of claimants ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : None. However, the Secretary of State's directions to social fund officers preclude any award in respect of a medical service or an educational need. And, in the case of crisis loans, a social fund officer must be satisfied that an award is the only means by which serious damage or serious risk to the health or safety of the applicant, or to a member of his family, may be prevented.
Hostels
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the amount of benefit lost to persons who move from one hostel to another and the reasons for such loss.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : People in hostels who were receiving income support immediately before 9 October are eligible for compensatory payments to make good any shortfall in their total benefit income. The amount of any such payment varies according to an individual's circumstances. When a claimant leaves a hostel the compensatory payments to the claimant cease. This permits the Department to pay over the money due to the hostel instead, thus protecting hostel finances in
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accordance with the undertaking given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore) on 16 March, Official Report, column 546.Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the change in benefit entitlement of a person in a hostel who is in receipt of the protected sum.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : From 9 October 1989, people in hostels became eligible for housing benefit to help with their accommodation costs and normal income support personal allowances plus any appropriate premiums for other day-to-day expenses. People in hostels who were receiving income support immediately before 9 October are eligible for compensatory payments to make good any shortfall between the new and old levels of benefit for as long as they remain in the same hostel. They will therefore suffer no reduction in overall benefit entitlement as a direct result of the change in benefit arrangements.
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the financial savings to his Department arising from the changes in legislation regarding people's entitlement to benefit when living in a hostel.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The aim of the change is to achieve a simple, more rational and more comprehensible social security system while at the same time protecting hostels and claimants. There will be no reduction in the amount of money available to hostels.
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details on the entitlement to the protected sum paid to people when they transfer from one hostel to another ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Where an income support recipient changes or vacates his or her hostel, any entitlement to a compensatory payment ceases. The claimant is eligible for both income support personal allowances and premiums as appropriate, and housing benefit at the new address.
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the circumstances under which the protective sum paid to people living in hostels will be reduced or removed.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : People in hostels are eligible for compensatory payments of income support if they would otherwise have received less benefit overall because of the changes in benefit arrangements introduced on 9 October 1989. These payments will be reduced by any subsequent increase in the normal rate of income support in payment. They will end either where the person changes or vacates his or her hostel or when he or she ceases to be entitled to income support. Exceptionally, entitlement to compensatory payments can continue where a person leaves his or her hostel for a period of 14 weeks or less because of hospitalisation or ceases to be entitled to income support for a period of eight weeks or less (or, in the case of certain persons who have become engaged in remunerative work for at least six weeks, 12 weeks or less), provided that in either case the person returns to or remains in the same hostel.
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Sickness Benefit
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the claim to sickness benefit of Mr. K. Oduntan (DSS Ref. RM 173P/C0999/71/083/3) and the reasons for the delay in resolving this matter.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The office for the determination of contribution questions sent a letter about Mr. Oduntan's claim to the hon. Member on 18 October 1989. The letter included a history of the case, detailed the up-to-date position and gave an explanation for any delay.
Income Support Regulations
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security from what date the Income Support (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations 1989, laid before Parliament on 15 September 1989 and due to be in force on 2 October, were not available to hon. Members ; why they were not available after being laid ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Scott : Copies of the regulations were dispatched to the Vote Office on 15 September, the date on which they were laid before Parliament, according to normal practice. The regulations came into force on 9 October.
Attendance Allowance
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many officials of his Department and of what grade are engaged in drafting delegated medical officers' reasoned decisions on attendance allowance claims ; and what training and guidance they receive from the Attendance Allowance Board.
Mr. Scott : Of the officials made available to act as officers and servants of the attendance allowance board 15 (1 HEO and 14 EOs) are engaged in drafting reasoned decisions on behalf of delegated medical practitioners, from whom they receive instructions and guidance about how the decisions should be expressed. The officials are not involved in the decision-making process.
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will review the adjudication procedures for attendance allowance, in the light of the
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view expressed by the social security commissioners in decision CA/130/1988 in favour of a right of appeal to a medical appeal tribunal.Mr. Scott : This is one of the aspects of the attendance allowance scheme that we shall be looking at in the light of the results of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability surveys.
Haemophiliacs (HIV)
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the Minister for the Disabled has received any representations in regard to settling out of court the claims of haemophiliacs who have been contaminated with the HIV virus by the injection of blood products supplied under the National Health Service ; what replies have been sent ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : I have received two representations from the right hon. Member on this subject. I replied to the first letter on 2 October and will shortly reply to the other. I have today placed a copy of my reply of 2 October in the Library. A number of other representations have also been received by my hon. and right hon. Friends in the Department of Health, who have responsibility for this subject.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
EC Membership (Cost)
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will bring up to date tables (a) D, (b) 4(e)1, (c) 4(e)2, (d) f1, and (e) B, in his Department's submission to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee on the "Financial and Economic Consequences of United Kingdom Membership of the European Economic Community" in Session 1984-85 (HC 57-II).
Mr. Curry : The statistics requested at (a) , (d) and (e) are shown in tables 1 to 3. The information at (b) , relating to non-Community countries, is shown in table 4. Data on yields in the European Community are contained in the Commission's publication "The Agricultural Situation in the Community--1988 Report", available in the Library of the House. This publication also contains (pT/38) the information requested at (c).
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Table 1
England and Wales
Structural comparisons: by proportion of total item
Number of holdings
accounting for given
proportion of total item
Item |25 per cent. of total|50 per cent. of total|75 per cent. of total|Total amount of item
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wheat |1988 |1,800 |5,600 |1,300 |1.8 million ha
Barley |1988 |2,700 |8,800 |20,100 |1.4 million ha
Dairy cows |1988 |3,100 |8,800 |17,400 |2.4 million cows
Beef cows |1988 |1,800 |5,700 |13,100 |0.74 million cows
Pigs (total) |1988 |250 |900 |2,400 |6.9 million pigs
Sheep (total) |1988 |2,800 |8,600 |19,500 |29.7 million sheep
Area: crops and grass |1988 |6,200 |21,500 |52,100 |9.5 million ha
Total area |1988 |5,700 |20,800 |52,000 |11.0 million ha
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Table 2
Net farm income on full-time farms by farm type:
England 1986-87 and 1987-88
|1986-87|1987-88
------------------------------------------------------------
All dairy farms
Money terms (£'000) |15.2 |18.5
Index in real terms 1982-83=100 |96 |112
All livestock farms
Money terms (£'000) |3.9 |6.6
Index in real terms 1982-83=100 |56 |92
All cropping farms
Money terms (£'000) |16.4 |6.0
Index in real terms 1982-83=100 |82 |29
Pig and poultry farms
Money terms (£'000) |17.0 |14.3
Index in real terms 1982-83=100 |100 |81
Horticultural farms
Money terms (£'000) |12.3 |18.0
Index in real terms 1982-83=100 |126 |177
Source: Farm Business Survey.
Note: Figures relate to an identical sample of farms.
Full-time farms are defined as those of four British size
units (BSU) or more. One BSU represents 2,000 ecu of
standard gross margin at average 1978 to 1980 values.
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Table 3
Structural comparisons: by size threshold
England and Wales: 1988
Item |Size of threshold of item|Number of holdings |Proportion of total item |Size of threshold of item|Number of holdings |Proportion of total item
|(thousands) |(per cent.) |(thousands) |(per cent.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wheat |100 hectares or more |4.5 |44 |50 hectares or more |11.0 |70
Barley |100 hectares or more |1.8 |20 |50 hectares or more |7.3 |45
Dairy cows |100 cows or more |6.5 |41 |50 cows or more |19.8 |80
Beef cows |100 cows or more |0.7 |13 |50 cows or more |3.3 |37
Pigs (total) |1,000 pigs or more |1.9 |69 |200 pigs or more |5.4 |94
Sheep (total) |1,000 sheep or more |8.2 |49 |500 sheep or more |18.8 |74
Area (crops and grass) |100 hectares or more |25.3 |55 |50 hectares or more |56.7 |78
Total area |100 hectares or more |29.8 |60 |50 hectares or more |62.2 |81
Table 4
Yields of selected agricultural products-certain non Community countries: 1988.
|USA |Canada |Australia|Japan
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wheat tonnes/hectare |2.29 |1.21 |1.52 |3.62
Barley tonnes/hectare |2.07 |2.45 |1.44 |3.50
Sugar beet tonnes/hectare |42.73 |34.74 |- |52.96
Oilseed Rape tonnes/hectare |1.90 |1.16 |1.16 |2.00
Potatoes tonnes/hectare |31.56 |25.31 |27.18 |31.60
Milk kg/cow |6,444 |5,674 |2,850 |5,320
Sources: 1988 FAO Production Yearbook, except Rapeseed, USA: Oil world.
Sheep Imports
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sheep in each of the last three years have been imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : The numbers of live sheep imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man over the last three years are as follows :
Financial year |Numbers --------------------------------------------- 1986-87 |1,546 1987-88 |2,119 1988-89 |3,468
Sheepmeat
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much sheepmeat has been imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man in each of the last three years ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Gummer : The amount of sheepmeat imported into the United Kingdom from the Isle of Man over the last three years is as follows :
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Calendar year |Tonnes ------------------------------------------ 1986 |729 1987 |694 1988 |823
Battery Fowls
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why his Department has withdrawn funding from research into the condition of battery fowls being transported to, and in the process of, slaughter ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : We accord high priority to safeguarding poultry welfare, and as such commission a substantial programme of related research, amounting to some £1.1 million in 1988-89. The overall level of funding in this area is not being reduced.
Much of the current research is investigating aspects of the condition of birds around the time of harvesting, transport and slaughter.
An initial contract revealed the extent of bone breakage in laying hens, and the results of this work are being published. We are considering proposals for further work in this area, to complement ongoing research and address the underlying causes of bone breakages in poultry.
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The current research is being carried out by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, the Agriculture and Food Research Council and the universities.The industry, through the British Egg Industry Council is also funding two research projects on aspects of broken bones in hens.
Battery Eggs Production
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has undertaken any research on, or monitoring of, the decision of the Swiss Government to phase out battery egg production by 1991 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : I am aware of moves in a number of countries to phase out battery egg production. The Government will ensure that these developments are taken into account by the European Commission in the review of the EC directive on battery hens, which is due to be completed by the end of 1992.
DEFENCE
Consultants
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many consultant companies or groups have been commissioned by his Department in each of the past three years ; what was the total value of the contracts ; how many of these consultants were from Scotland and England, respectively ; and what was the total value of contracts won by Scottish companies or groups.
Mr. Neubert : The Ministry of Defence holds records only for management and IT consultancies commissioned centrally. In the case of management consultancies the number of contracts and total fees paid in the last three financial years are as follows :
FY |£ million |Consultants Commissioned ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1986-87 |6.2 |44 1987-88 |5.1 |37 1988-89 |3.1 |20
In the case of IT consultancies, which are contracted through the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), information exists only on total fees. This is as follows :
FY |£ million ------------------------------ 1986-87 |14.5 1987-88 |14.8 1988-89 |5.0
The records do not make any distinction between Scottish or English companies. Most of the larger companies used do, however, have offices in Scotland.
Proof and Experimental Establishments
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many proof and experimental establishments exist ; and how many are located in Scotland.
Mr. Neubert : There are six proof and experimental establishments (P and EEs) of which one, P and EE Inchterf, is in Scotland (near Glasgow).
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Volunteer Reserves
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many volunteer reserves operate in Scotland ; and what proportion of the total numbers that represents.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : As at 1 April 1989, the total strength of the volunteer reserves operating in Scotland was 9,606, representing 11.8 per cent. of the overall total.
Service Men (Benefits)
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will detail the benefits which have been or will be removed from service men as mentioned in paragraph 518, page 42 of Cm. 675 I.
Mr. Archie Hamilton : The new allowances package referred to in Cm. 675 I introduced a number of changes designed to improve assistance to service men when they are relocated, to remove to a large extent the differences of treatment between single and married personnel, and to benefit seagoers. The aim was that the overall expenditure on the new package should be broadly the same as the old. Those allowances which were considered less appropriate to modern conditions, and which have been or are being removed are as follows :
(a) United Kingdom travel warrants for single personnel over 25 and married personnel were reduced from four to two per year. First class leave travel for senior officers was discontinued.
(b) Army and RAF married personnel who opted to serve voluntarily unaccompanied on their next posting after 1 October 1988 were required to pay for their accommodation. They also lost entitlement to separation allowance and separation warrants.
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