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Mr. Needham [holding answer 6 November 1989] : The amount of financial aid offered by LEDU since 1971 to companies, including individuals setting up in business for the first time, in each district council area is set out in the table. Cumulative figures only are available for the years 1971 to 1976.
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£s Area |1971 to 1975-76|1976-77 |1977-78 |1978-79 |1979-80 |1980-81 |1981-82 |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |Total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Antrim |0 |9,580 |37,816 |105,477 |229,801 |56,425 |140,251 |57,635 |676,888 |801,512 |694,974 |1,200,805 |1,765,219 |2,057,950 |7,834,333 Ards |188,624 |89,785 |139,122 |104,992 |34,042 |154,051 |193,685 |669,361 |685,809 |383,993 |528,136 |906,417 |26,952 |486,418 |4,591,387 Armagh |165,908 |15,100 |72,598 |56,625 |54,105 |133,450 |58,864 |259,460 |388,217 |808,923 |891,808 |669,784 |1,419,643 |1,107,095 |6,101,580 Ballymena |161,834 |0 |159,855 |203,897 |111,245 |136,480 |99,145 |261,611 |488,179 |341,116 |606,839 |371,020 |470,322 |459,941 |3,871,484 Ballymoney |163,116 |0 |198,625 |57,022 |76,718 |197,981 |42,988 |253,047 |167,500 |199,125 |133,799 |169,506 |63,430 |82,264 |1,805,121 Banbridge |80,153 |0 |37,149 |126,698 |2,142 |87,120 |104,786 |281,146 |112,753 |184,133 |158,587 |152,826 |32,427 |198,883 |1,558,803 Belfast |444,600 |84,913 |81,136 |108,875 |411,005 |886,854 |956,761 |1,639,636 |2,841,035 |3,252,705 |3,735,499 |4,208,874 |5,616,889 |7,533,131 |32,781,913 Carrickfergus |246 |0 |18,700 |3,765 |56,640 |118,023 |106,507 |121,828 |496,208 |1,017,359 |647,375 |775,714 |864,202 |661,003 |4,887,570 Castlereagh |22,124 |8,400 |12,330 |104,750 |35,440 |7,114 |26,836 |57,875 |14,720 |21,288 |48,647 |237,888 |198,474 |22,292 |818,178 Coleraine |359,221 |203,221 |80,938 |67,966 |196,633 |42,348 |197,204 |149,260 |431,846 |772,899 |642,142 |366,859 |568,905 |262,504 |4,341,946 Cookstown |239,378 |111,985 |62,622 |166,924 |27,855 |127,901 |109,036 |594,213 |363,640 |243,892 |273,398 |432,877 |321,957 |864,895 |3,940,573 Craigavon |654,060 |82,807 |285,302 |419,958 |369,653 |611,366 |522,305 |710,203 |1,126,983 |1,505,009 |1,060,716 |1,790,986 |811,825 |1,181,633 |11,132,806 Down |260,951 |0 |112,338 |34,292 |643,708 |63,357 |334,604 |513,377 |712,364 |480,085 |1,236,379 |1,856,561 |2,994,709 |3,146,016 |12,388,705 Dungannon |951,152 |83,685 |556,340 |518,039 |477,487 |474,734 |342,954 |665,765 |754,598 |1,331,782 |2,139,553 |1,583,124 |1,063,023 |3,470,147 |14,412,383 Fermanagh |549,058 |92,411 |444,471 |154,055 |91,472 |142,564 |427,925 |449,192 |410,266 |780,131 |735,016 |696,707 |451,447 |883,918 |6,308,632 Larne |37,558 |0 |0 |41,300 |71,093 |1,935 |269,532 |160,322 |82,530 |557,229 |460,196 |179,518 |273,778 |388,358 |2,523,349 Limavady |82,719 |47,886 |85,831 |77,375 |268,923 |92,300 |62,907 |132,180 |137,411 |117,679 |156,664 |113,092 |84,198 |439,051 |1,898,216 Lisburn |179,240 |950 |131,282 |38,233 |65,683 |284,096 |399,943 |746,534 |892,865 |762,364 |653,929 |900,071 |348,185 |758,819 |6,162,194 Londonderry |543,911 |329,413 |136,510 |282,004 |98,283 |200,773 |97,438 |716,019 |962,674 |1,429,405 |2,281,324 |1,957,033 |2,909,413 |3,102,322 |15,046,522 Magherafelt |337,729 |37,935 |123,102 |280,029 |142,375 |14,268 |339,785 |237,116 |735,194 |1,025,341 |1,708,291 |601,612 |776,024 |709,057 |7,067,858 Moyle |19,048 |0 |3,480 |1,000 |54,627 |3,947 |26,895 |238,367 |7,850 |95,125 |46,500 |57,945 |40,000 |59,295 |654,079 Newry and Mourne |822,219 |275,098 |340,295 |857,879 |522,413 |531,091 |452,856 |470,406 |859,420 |1,113,683 |1,204,587 |989,030 |521,054 |2,108,969 |1,106,900 Newtownabbey |246,615 |33,378 |128,038 |316,133 |56,447 |230,643 |424,550 |676,779 |463,343 |449,301 |805,102 |1,251,537 |530,201 |865,495 |6,477,562 North Down |99,072 |15,188 |159,925 |234,801 |353,250 |127,676 |74,051 |624,829 |680,130 |875,626 |1,102,075 |528,942 |55,056 |625,674 |5,556,295 Omagh |423,429 |50,781 |214,085 |56,162 |166,920 |74,875 |54,948 |104,507 |271,828 |173,601 |635,061 |700,189 |408,723 |771,032 |4,106,141 Strabane |99,997 |3,325 |661,679 |27,750 |35,930 |103,748 |59,134 |464,772 |481,411 |302,415 |706,380 |247,425 |1,364,294 |563,094 |5,121,354
Industrial Development Board
Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount of financial aid offered by the Industrial Development Board to companies in each district council area in Northern Ireland, in each of the years since 1982.
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Mr. Needham [holding answer 6 November 1989] : The table details the selective financial assistance offered to and accepted by companies in each district council area.
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£000s
District Council Area |1982-83 |1983-84 |1984-85 |1985-86 |1986-87 |1987-88 |1988-89 |Total
|1 September 1982-31 March
|1983
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Antrim |207 |2,488 |1,977 |1,120 |5,339 |3,354 |6,773 |21,258
Armagh |NIL |170 |1,066 |763 |2,174 |1,137 |599 |5,909
Ballymena |508 |7,632 |5,293 |2,049 |4,201 |8,324 |1,310 |29,317
Ballymoney |NIL |NIL |2,565 |718 |4,970 |1,330 |450 |10,033
Banbridge |270 |1,898 |493 |498 |1,325 |154 |775 |5,413
Belfast |2,273 |9,419 |18,228 |3,539 |19,838 |5,907 |13,288 |72,492
Carrickfergus |140 |402 |1,511 |225 |136 |641 |2,189 |5,244
Castlereagh |67 |1,054 |4,728 |2,196 |1,893 |1,315 |2,859 |14,112
Coleraine |851 |4,433 |5,547 |4,102 |1,065 |3,717 |1,182 |20,897
Cookstown |2,370 |136 |742 |265 |186 |NIL |332 |4,031
Craigavon |5,133 |11,104 |18,341 |10,696 |9,728 |10,736 |4,511 |70,249
Down |49 |352 |1,328 |3,168 |1,163 |811 |3,830 |10,701
North Down |NIL |671 |1,240 |872 |1,860 |1,380 |554 |6,577
Dungannon |551 |737 |6,060 |1,945 |2,566 |4,453 |1,291 |17,603
Fermanagh |540 |2,538 |4,905 |1,023 |418 |4,691 |4,033 |18,148
Larne |NIL |486 |16,122 |157 |9,774 |1,721 |3,763 |32,023
Limavady |1,890 |136 |644 |1,149 |1,294 |2,408 |NIL |7,521
Lisburn |1,145 |2,046 |3,187 |2,728 |2,417 |1,205 |33,321 |46,049
Derry |954 |8,600 |11,989 |23,855 |4,358 |6,366 |7,877 |63,999
Magherafelt |NIL |3,495 |1,706 |843 |655 |965 |1,075 |8,739
Moyle |NIL |NIL |NIL |NIL |678 |NIL |NIL |678
Newtownabbey |30,734 |3,315 |5,436 |3,978 |28,273 |10,176 |14,412 |96,324
Newry and Mourne |476 |5,526 |4,526 |1,793 |459 |7,278 |1,248 |21,306
Ards |325 |3,714 |6,335 |3,584 |1,045 |8,717 |1,105 |24,825
Omagh |NIL |2,491 |1,848 |128 |878 |2,270 |NIL |7,615
Strabane |NIL |1,455 |7,135 |385 |2,587 |7,908 |NIL |19,470
Information in respect of research and development and marketing development grants is not readily available by district council area and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. However, annual figures of grants offered are :
|Research and development|Marketing development
|£'000s |£'000s
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982-83<1> |1,900 |-
1983-84 |7,000 |-
1984-85 |6,100 |-
1985-86 |6,400 |1,087
1986-87 |8,300 |1,921
1987-88 |7,800 |2,075
1988-89 |7,800 |3,180
<1> 1 September 1982 to 31 March 1983.
Terrorism Suspects (Interviews)
Mr. Mallon : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to ensure tighter safeguards for persons in custody on suspicion of terrorist offences ; and if he will introduce video and sound recording of all interviews of such persons and immediate access to legal advice.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 6 November 1989] : Existing arrangements and the scope for further safeguards, including the question of video and sound recording of interviews with terrorist suspects in custody, are kept under regular review. The rights of persons suspected of terrorist offences introduced under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1987 will be considered by Lord Colville in his review of the Emergency Provisions Acts. A guide to the exercise of the emergency powers by the security forces in Northern Ireland, including the detention and questioning of suspects in custody under the terrorism provisions, will be published shortly.
Scheduled Offences
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give separately for (a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and its Reserve, (b) the Ulster Defence Regiment and (c) the Regular Army, the number of members convicted of scheduled offences in Northern Ireland, on and off duty, in each year for which figures are available.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 8 November 1989] : I will write to the hon. Member.
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Arms Thefts
Mr. McNamara : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing how many legally held firearms were stolen during 1988 from (a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve, (b) the Ulster Defence Regiment, (c) the British Army, and (d) civilians ; and if he will give a breakdown of weapons stolen as (i) bullet firing, (ii) shotguns, (iii) air weapons, and (iv) miscellaneous, including blank firing weapons, muzzle loading weapons and antique weapons.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 8 November 1989] : The information is as follows :
Legally held firearms stolen during 1988
|RUC/RUCR |UDR |Regular Army|Civilians
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bullet firing |9 |1 |4 |16
Shotguns |0 |0 |0 |54
Air weapons/
Miscellaneous<1> |0 |0 |0 |13
<1>Miscellaneous includes: Blank Firing Weapons, Muzzle Loading Weapons, Antique
Weapons, Tranquiliser Guns and Starting Pistols.
Rural Action Project
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when an announcement will be made anent the provision of core funding for the continuation of the Rural Action Project (Northern Ireland) as a rural development agency ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 9 November 1989] : It has now been agreed that Government will provide funding to allow the Rural Action Project to continue until the end of the current financial year. This will enable the Government to draw on the expertise and knowledge developed over the period of the project in tackling rural problems.
TDG
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he received prior to his decision to refuse an application for £2 million in development grant by Messrs. TDG.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 10 November 1989] : None.
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Firearms Certificates
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hand gun target shooters in Northern Ireland have been (a) granted a new firearms certificate and (b) granted a variation on a replacement weapon, in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The Chief Constable of the RUC has informed me that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pistols held on firearms certificates in Northern Ireland are of a type and specification which are used for target shooting in (a) smallbore and (b) fullbore ; and what were the numbers five and 10 years ago.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The Chief Constable of the RUC has informed me that the number of pistols and revolvers held on firearm certificates is :
Type |At 31 October 1989 |At 31 December 1984 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Smallbore pistols/revolvers |468 |478 Fullbore pistols/revolvers |509 |471
No information is available to show the position at 31 December 1979.
Pistol Target Shooting
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of people in Northern Ireland who practise the sport of pistol target shooting ; what were the number five years ago and 10 years ago ; and, of these, what is his estimate as to how many are involved in (i) smallbore and (ii) fullbore shooting.
Mr. Cope [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The Chief Constable of the RUC has informed me that the current number of people claiming membership of authorised clubs for pistol target shooting is 1,433. It is not possible to differentiate between those people engaged in smallbore and those people engaged in fullbore pistol target shooting. However, there are 11 smallbore pistol shooting clubs and eight fullbore pistol shooting clubs. The information requested for earlier years is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Unemployment
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to reduce the level of unemployment in Northern Ireland.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The industrial development agencies (IDB and LEDU) are actively pursuing new job opportunities both from existing Northern Ireland companies and new inward investment. In the last financial year the agencies were particularly successful and achieved a record 10,657 jobs promoted with inward investment of 1,856 jobs. In addition, at August 1989, some 31,300 people were benefiting from special employment and training measures.
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Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to reduce unemployment among construction workers in the Province ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 13 November 1989] : Government expenditure is contributing substantially to the relatively high level of output by the Northern Ireland construction industry in which unemployment has fallen over the past three years.
Coronary Disease
Rev. Martin Smyth : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the implications of the new general practitioner contract for preventive care against coronary disease.
Mr. Needham [holding answer 13 November 1989] : The Government attach great inportance to the promotion of good health and prevention of ill health such as coronary heart disease. Patients will be offered more advice on how to avoid illness and simple checks on, for example, blood pressure will be available routinely as a result of the new contract for general medical practitioners which places greater emphasis on these aspects of health care. Family doctors will also be encouraged through the new remuneration system to provide clinics on the prevention of heart disease, smoking cessation, alcohol control and stress management.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Incomes
Mr. Frank Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the answer on incomes given to the hon. Member for Birkenhead of 11 July, Official Report, column 442 to include data for 1986, and if available, data for 1987.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : No. The next edition of "Households Below Average Income : A Statistical Analysis", will cover the years 1981, 1985 and 1987. Publication is planned for around the turn of the year. Similar analysis for 1986 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Elderly People
Mr. Andrew Bowden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he intends to take to increase financial support over and above the income support limits announced in his recent upratings statement to allow elderly people in private residential and nursing homes to meet the full costs of their care.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The income support limits are set at levels which cover the fees in a majority of homes. It has never been the intention that social security payments should be available to cover whatever fees homes choose to charge, and we have no plans to change that.
Sick Pay
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish his latest estimates of (a) the number of employees covered by occupational sick pay
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schemes, expressed also as a percentage of the total workforce, (b) the number of male employees covered by occupational sick pay schemes, expressed also as a percentage of the male workforce, and (c) the number of female employees covered by occupational sick pay schemes, expressed also as a percentage of the female workforce.Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Out of a total work force of 22 million it is estimated that 20 million (91 per cent.) are covered by an occupational sick pay scheme. These comprise about 11 million men (90 per cent. of the male work force) and 9 million women (92 per cent. of the female work force). This information is based on the report on occupational sick pay schemes by IFF Research Ltd for the Department of Social Security, published in November 1988.
Income Support (Seaham and Peterlee)
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number of people living within the Seaham and Peterlee Department of Social Security areas are in receipt of income support.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : In August 1989 the income support live load totals in the Department's local offices at Peterlee and Seaham were 6,588 and 3,007 respectively.
Source : 100 per cent. count of cases in action, which included a number of cases where benefit payments had ceased but other action was continuing. Data are provisional and subject to amendment.
Disability Allowances
Mr. Devlin : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Her Majesty's Government propose to undertake a full review of disability allowances.
Mr. Scott : I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 13 November at columns 51-52.
Blind and Partially Sighted Students
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last met representatives from the Royal National Institute for the Blind to discuss the financial position of blind and partially sighted students and students loans ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : Student loans are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.
We have made clear our intention to preserve the benefit entitlement of certain students in vulnerable groups, including disabled students. The regulations to give effect to this will be subject to consultation.
Widow's Pension
Mr. Kirkwood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time now taken to process a claim for a widow's pension ; what is the target set by the Department for processing such claims ; and what steps are being taken to speed up the process.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I regret that information is not yet available on the average length of time taken to process a claim for widow's pension.
The Department has recently reinforced its standing instructions to re- emphasise the need for urgency in dealing with all claims for widow's benefit.
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Mobility Allowance
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to his statement of 25 October, Official Report, column 844, he will explain the criteria he used in stating that 3,000 deaf -blind people should now qualify for mobility allowance.
Mr. Scott : It is a broad estimate, derived from available information including representations made to us on behalf of this group, of the number of deaf-blind people within the age limits for mobility allowance who do not currently qualify for it.
Department of Social Security Offices
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he intends to take to ensure that his Department's offices in England and Wales provide privacy for their clients both at the initial reception area and in interview rooms.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : All local offices have private interview rooms and are expected to publicise their existence. Offices are encouraged to install privacy screens at reception points and a rolling programme of installations is in hand.
Income Support Claimants
Mr. Rooker : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support listed at each local office in Birmingham have had their name and address sent by the local office to the community charge registration officer, at the latest convenient date.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Disability Benefits
Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to ensure that groups of disabled people who do not qualify for existing benefits will be taken into account in his review of disability benefits.
Mr. Scott : We recently announced a range of measures which will extend social security provision to people who do not qualify for existing benefits. We will announce further proposals within the next few months, seeking to do more to help many disabled people who at present do not receive mobility allowance or attendance allowance.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will be taking evidence from independent experts in developing his proposals for disability benefits.
Mr. Scott : I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 13 November at columns 51-52.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to consult disability organisations on his plans to reform the system of disability benefits ;
(2) whether he will be consulting disabled people and those organisations representing their interests when
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drawing up his proposals for changing the balance and structure of social security provision for people with disabilities.Mr. Scott : I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) and the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 23 October at columns 341-42 .
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to bring forward proposals following the OPCS report on disability, to improve the structure of disability benefits.
Mr. Scott : We will announce our proposals within the next few months.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met representatives of the disability benefits consortium.
Personal Pension Schemes
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors account for the difference between the estimates of the revenue forgone by the national insurance fund in respect of minimum contributions to personal pension schemes in 1989-90 given in replies to the hon. Member for Derby, South on 17 July, Official Report , column 42, and 30 October, column 51 .
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : My reply to the hon. Member of 30 October at column 51 provided the latest estimate of revenue forgone in respect of personal pensions--that is, the rebate together with the incentive. The reply given to the hon. Member on 17 July at column 42 related only to the cost of the rebate for personal pensions. Information about the cost of the incentive (covering both personal pension and occupational schemes) had been provided to her on 4 July at column 140. The direct comparison between the replies of 17 July and 30 October is that revenue foregone in respect of personal pensions in 1989-90 is now estimated to be £1,860 million instead of £2,050 million. The Government Actuary revised his figures in the light of new estimates about the numbers and earnings levels of those taking out a personal pension.
National Insurance
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the most recent estimate of the cost to the national insurance fund of the 2 per cent. inducement under section 7 of the Social Security Act 1986 in 1989-90 and 1990-91 ; and how much of the cost relates to payments in respect of 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90, respectively.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to her on 30 October at column 51. The figure of £720 million relates to £350 million for 1987-88 and £370 million in 1988-89. The Government Actuary will be producing his latest estimates in his forthcoming report on the contributions rerating order.
Benefits
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest date on which recipients of the following benefits will receive transitional addition (a)
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invalid care allowance, (b) income support with the disability premium, (c) invalidity benefit, (d) income support with severe disability premium and (e) severe disablement allowance.Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Income support normal transitional protection reduces as the claimants total benefit income under the new scheme catches up with that under the former supplementary benefit scheme either at the annual uprating or through changes in circumstances. This protection is also lost on breaks in entitlement. The length of time for which individuals will need protection cannot be predicted, but after the annual uprating in April 1990 it is estimated that nearly 95 per cent. of all claimants will not require protection. Special transitional protection does not normally reduce at all ; it is uprated annually.
Statistics
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether his Department has discontinued (a) the collection or (b) the publication of any statistics since 1979.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Since 1979 the Department has discontinued the collection and publication of statistics only in respect of those benefits which have either been abolished, for example :
Death Grant
Injury Benefit
or replaced by new benefit arrangements such as :
Supplementary Benefit (Income Support)
Family Income Supplement (Family Credit)
Non Contributory Invalidity Pension (SevereDisablement Allowance)
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many (a) oral and (b) written questions were asked of his Department in 1988-89 ;
(2) how many written parliamentary questions he refused to answer in the parliamentary Session 1988-89 ;
(3) how many written parliamentary questions to him in Session 1988-89 received answers that the information (a) was not available, (b) was not separately recorded, (c) was not centrally recorded, (d) was not recorded in Government statistics or (e) could be provided at disproportionate cost ;
(4) what was the cost to his Department of answering parliamentary (a) oral and (b) written questions in the parliamentary Session 1988-89.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Information on the cost of replying to questions tabled to this Department or on questions receiving answers that information was not available or held centrally, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In the 1988-89 Session up to 8 November 442 oral and 2,273 written questions have been tabled for reply by this Department. None has been refused an answer, but some have been transferred to other Departments for reply. Less than 2 per cent., 45 in total, have received answers that the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Industrial Diseases
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that those entitled to claim disablement benefit under regulation 13 of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Diseases) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1986 do so before it is too late ;
(2) when he decided to repeal regulation 13 of the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Diseases) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1986 ; on what date that decision was made public ; and on what date it will be implemented ;
(3) whether he will amend the industrial injuries regulations to preserve the right of persons suffering from vibration white finger and other industrial diseases to claim disablement benefit where the onset of the disease occurred before 1 October 1986 and the person concerned was unable to make an earlier claim because of a justifiable lack of appropriate knowledge.
Mr. Scott : A decision in principle to repeal this regulation was made in December 1988. The amending regulation was laid before Parliament on 11 October 1989 and was to come into force on 1 November 1989. A second amending regulation, deleting this amendment, was laid and came into force on 1 October 1989. I took this action to allow time for further consideration of the matter. My final decision will take into account the representations I have received. Meanwhile, it is open to those who wish to do so to claim under regulation 13 of the 1986 regulations.
Disablement Services
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends publishing the results of his Department's review of services for people with disabilities.
Mr. Scott : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security announced on 25 October a range of significant measures to give extra help for disabled people. We shall announce within the next few months further proposals to improve the balance and structure of disability benefits.
Pensioners' Benefits
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners were expected to become entitled to income support and housing benefit, respectively, as a result of the changes in benefit rates on 9 October ; and what information is available regarding the number who claimed.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Our estimates were that 60,000 pensioners would newly qualify for income support as a result of the changes introduced in October, and that 40,000 pensioners would newly qualifiy for housing benefit.
During the first three months of the publicity campaign, from July to September, some 140,000 income support awards were made for pensioners. This compares with a total of 49,300 awards in the previous three months. Similar information on housing benefit is not yet available.
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