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European Community Ombudsman
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the views of Her Majesty's Government on the concept of a Community ombudsman to protect the rights of citizens in the EC, following the agreement of the European Council that the matter should be examined, and on the matters which will be considered in relation to the particular problems in some member states.
Mr. Garel-Jones : Suggestions have been made by other member states for establishing a European Community ombudsman. These will be discussed in the intergovernmental conference. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in the debate on 11 June last year, we will examine this idea sympathetically, on condition that it does not duplicate or overlap with member states' existing arrangements and provides a service of value to the individual citizen without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
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NATIONAL FINANCE
Matrix Churchill
Mr. Cohen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the results of the investigation by Customs and Excise into licences granted to Matrix Churchill for sales of machine tools to Iraq ; and if he will place a copy of the results, when completed, in the Library.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : Investigation of possible export licensing offences is a matter for the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, acting in their independent law enforcement capacity. They carry out their inquiries thoroughly and expeditiously. It would not be appropriate for information relating to an investigation to be made public other than in the course of court proceedings.
EC Support Framework
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the 1990 allocation of the Community support framework for operational programmes 3 and 4 from the Commission of the European Community was received by his Department ; and if it is currently attracting interest payments.
Mr. Maude : The United Kingdom's contribution to the Community budget is paid into a Community account held in the United Kingdom, from which payments to the United Kingdom are also usually made. For the structural funds' objective 3 and 4 programmes, EC payments to the United Kingdom follow the pattern of our other budget receipts. On authorisation by the Commission from time to time, the sums are withdrawn from the Community's account in the United Kingdom and paid to the sponsor department for onward transmission to end recipients. Payments for objective 3 and 4 programmes have therefore been made by the Treasury when authorised by the Commission ; and subsequently by Departments when they have been vetted. The United Kingdom derives the benefit from any balance on the Community's account which the Commission has not authorised to be paid for any particular purpose.
Expatriates (Middle East)
Mr. Salmond : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the position of British expatriates presently working in the middle east in the event of any forceable repatriation of such individuals with respect to the conditions pertaining to their exemption from British taxation for the period of their repatriation in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Maude : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 18 December 1990, at column 111.
VAT
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what vehicle of decision making within the EEC is to be used to complete proceedings to achieve approximation of the VAT system and excise duties within the EEC to satisfy the requirements of a true internal market ; and for what reasons Her Majesty's Government agreed that the proceedings should be completed in the near future.
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Mrs. Gillian Shephard : The vehicle within the EC for deciding the arrangements for the operation of the VAT and excise systems after 1992 is the EC's Economic and Financial AffairsCouncil--ECOFIN--acting unanimously on proposals from the Commission. Following extensive consultations with representatives of British industry, on 12 December 1990 the United Kingdom lifted its reserve on an outline agreement for the VAT control system to operate after 1992. Also, at ECOFIN on 17 December agreement was reached on the general principles which will form the basis of the system for excise controls after 1992. These have cleared the way for discussions on the details of the systems, early agreement on which is essential for businesses and tax administrations to have sufficient time to plan and implement technical changes.
The Government believe that the framework arrangements on the VAT and excise technical systems meet the requirement to remove fiscal frontiers by 1 January 1993, which is a key part of completing the single market. The Government remain of the view that centrally determined tax approximation is neither necessary nor desirable and that market forces can bring about such convergence of indirect tax rates as is necessary.
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long it takes the Customs and Excise to process VAT registered trade importation packages from overseas ; what is the normal expected delay before passing valuable goods packages to the Post Office, and what is the process in the case of VAT-exempt goods of more than 100 years old.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : All packages imported through the post remain under the control of the Post Office and are presented by them to customs for clearance. Clearance times vary according to the nature and origin of the contents and the quality of accompanying information. Importers are notified of the arrival of all goods exceeding £2,000 in value, or £1,300 in the case of Datapost packages, and they are required to submit a formal entry. On receipt of that entry by customs, clearance is normally effected without delay. Where relief from customs duty and VAT is claimed in respect of goods of any value over 100 years old a separate declaration by the importer is necessary. Subsequent action will depend upon the nature of the declaration made and supporting evidence produced.
Local Authority Borrowing
Mr. Allen : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the economic implications of central Government control of local authority capital borrowing.
Mr. Mellor : Central Government control over local authority borrowing for capital purposes forms an important part of the overall system of public expenditure control, and is therefore essential to the economic health of the country. This control also reduces the risk that community chargepayers may face excessive debt interest payments and that an excessive burden of debt may prevent local authorities from maintaining adequate and efficient services.
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Exchange Rate Mechanism
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the effective upper and lower limits which sterling is permitted to move to by comparison with the deutschemark within the ERM ; and if he will publish a table showing the movement of sterling since joining the ERM.
Mr. Maples : Sterling's upper and lower limits in the ERM against the deutschemark are DM 3.132 andDM 2.778 respectively. Sterling's effective upper and lower limits against the deutschemark are determined by the need for sterling to remain within its bilateral limits against all other ERM currencies simultaneously. The effective upper limit against the deutschemark is the rate at which sterling would reach its upper limit against the weakest ERM currency. The effective lower limit is determined by sterling's position against the strongest currency in the system. The effective limits vary over time in line with the movements of exchange rates within the system. Sterling's movement against the deutschemark since its entry to the ERM are as follows :
Average exchange |DM/£
rate week
commencing
---------------------------------------------------
1990
October 8 |3.013
15 |2.963
22 |2.955
29 |2.950
November 5 |2.933
12 |2.901
19 |2.911
26 |2.925
December 3 |2.894
10 |2.872
17 |2.872
24 |2.884
1991
January <1>2 |2.909
7 |2.9205
<1> Week commencing Wednesday 2 January.
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider withdrawing sterling from the ERM ; and if he will make a statement.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Fisheries Council
Mr. Mans : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 19 and 20 December.
Mr. Gummer : Together with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State to the Scottish Office, Lord Strathclyde, I attended the Council of Fisheries Ministers in Brussels on 19 and 20 December 1990.
Once again, after a considerable struggle, we obtained recognition of our Hague preference for all the stocks
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where it was relevant and secured flexibility to take both an increased quantity of western mackerel east of 4 west and an extension to the area in which it may be taken.We also secured increases in the United Kingdom quotas proposed by the Commission for 26 of the 49 stocks of interest to our fleet. As a result we now have increases in 13 quotas compared to 1990 with 21 quotas remaining the same. The increases in the cod and haddock quota proposals in the North sea, for whiting and cod in the Irish sea and for a number of plaice and sole quotas in the channel and the south-west will be particularly welcome to the industry. We have however sought to avoid any increases which would not be in accordance with conservation needs.
In addition, we secured a very useful quota swap arrangement with the Netherlands so obtaining all the Dutch quotas in area VII as well as some North sea herring and sole.
Given the state of the North sea and west of Scotland cod and haddock stocks it was essential to take action to reduce effort. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea had made clear that, by themselves, TACs and quotas could not be relied upon to achieve this. Accordingly the Council agreed to an eight-day tie-up rule for vessels which have taken significant quantities of these stocks. I was disappointed that we could not secure an arrangement which would allow fishermen the alternative of using more selective gear. I put on record at the Council that I would be pursuing this and I received a helpful response from the Commissioner.
We fought for improved technical conservation measures. We made it clear that we were prepared to agree to an increase in mesh size in the North sea and west of Scotland to 100mm diamond with a 90mm square mesh panel. We regret that, because some member states did not want their fishermen to be affected, the Council could not agree to this. However, we secured agreement that the Council must return to this issue in the near future and in order to provide further evidence to the other member states we will be commissioning more research on the use of different mesh sizes and square mesh panels, together with further research on whiting.
We are encouraged by such experience as we already have where practical fishermen have put square mesh panels into practice and have liked the result. This is exactly the kind of conservation measure which ought to be put into practice along with TACs and which the Council has failed to adopt. We shall now be consulting with our industry about introducing unilaterally a 90mm square mesh panel. This will be important in protecting the 1990 year class of haddock. Amendments to EC regulation 4028/86 on fisheries structures were agreed which include the extension of grant aid to boats less than 9 metres and measures to encourage EC boats to fish in third country waters. Changes were made at the Council meeting to the proposed rates of grant for these measures to reflect the overcapacity in the EC fleet.
On autonomous tariff quotas a balanced package was achieved which should assist the processors including a tariff suspension at 10 per cent. for hake and alaska pollack fillet blocks.
Overall, although I regret that the Council could not agree on technical conservation measures I consider that
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we have secured a package which is consistent with conservation of the stocks and which should benefit catchers, processors and consumers.Cod
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the implications for likely cod landings at Lowestoft in 1991 of invoking the Hague preference for cod.
Mr. Curry : The Hague preference has not been invoked for North sea cod.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the allocation of cod quotas from the middle to end of December ; and what distributions were made between Scottish and English fisheries and between sector and non-sector.
Mr. Curry : There are four United Kingdom cod fisheries. Fishing for North sea cod by all licensed United Kingdom fishing vessels was suspended on Saturday 15 December 1990, following exhaustion of the licensed fleet's share of the United Kingdom quota. Fishing by unlicensed under 10 m vessels continued in this fishery until the end of the month. Fishing for west of Scotland cod by all United Kingdom fishing vessels was prohibited on 5 December 1990, following exhaustion of the entire United Kingdom quota. The Irish sea cod fishery remained open for the whole of December, both to those English and Northern Irish producer organisations with sectoral allocations, and to all other vessels with the necessary licence subject to a 2 tonnes per vessel per month catch restriction. The channel cod fishery, in which there were no sectoral allocations in 1990, also remained open to all appropriately licensed vessels throughout December, subject to a 5 tonnes per vessel per month catch restriction.
Fishing Quotas
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what redress he expects to make in 1991 to English fishermen who fished within quota for 1990 ; and what sanctions against those who overfished in 1990 he plans to take.
Mr. Curry : Arrangements for penalties and compensation to apply to overfishing in 1990 have already been agreed with the industry. Under these arrangements, where a group exceeded its allocation in 1990, the overfish will not be included in track records when calculating the 1991 allocation. Where that overfish led to the United Kingdom quota being exceeded, and other groups being disadvantaged by the early closure of a fishery, the overfish will be deducted from the offending group's 1991 allocation. This deduction will then be used to compensate groups prejudiced by the overfishing, after taking account of those groups' likely uptake had the fishery not been closed.
North Sea Sole
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's role in collection of data which led to the closure of the North sea sole fishery in November.
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Mr. Curry : The closure of the North sea sole fishery in November 1990 was due to a combination of factors. They included increased effort in the fishery, an increase in the size of fish caught as a result of earlier conservation measures, and increased landings abroad as well as a delay in some landing data appearing on Departments' central computers.Milk Marketing Scheme
Mr. Turner : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the report of the Consumers' Committee for England and Wales on the milk marketing scheme 1933.
Fishing Industry
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department has of undersized cod, plaice and sole being landed and sold at fishing ports in the Netherlands.
Mr. Curry : The enforcement of EC fisheries regulations in the Netherlands is a matter for the Dutch authorities. The EC Commission's inspectorate monitors enforcement arrangements in member states, but I have no information about the landing and sale of undersized fish in the Netherlands.
Mr. David Porter : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on how his Department informs fishing organisations, companies and individuals on sudden unexpected changes in the fishing regime around United Kingdom ports in general, and Lowestoft in particular.
Mr. Curry : Changes to fisheries management measures are publicised by means of a news release issued to the trade press, and at the same time Fisheries Departments write to national and local fishing organisations. Local fisheries officers also make every effort to inform fishermen in their area individually. Variations to fishing licences are issued by local port offices as soon as possible after the announcement.
Small Family Farms
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and food if he will make a statement on his assessment of the implication for the future of the small family farm of the GATT discussions.
Mr. Curry : The Community offer on agricultural reform remains under negotiation in the GATT round. It is premature to forecast the final agreement or its impact. The Commission has given an undertaking to make proposals for changes in agricultural support, consistent with a GATT agreement, aimed at ensuring a viable future for Community farmers.
Sheep Farmers (Subsidies)
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to decouple subsidies to sheep farmers from farm production ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Curry : Support to sheep farmers in the United Kingdom is provided primarily through the EC sheep
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regime and the system of hill livestock compensatory allowances, which are also governed by EC regulations. Any proposals fundamentally to change the basis on which this support is granted would, therefore, be a matter for the European Commission.Cereals
Mr. Morley : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to ensure that S.I. (1975) No. 655, the Measurement of Cereals for Import and Export Purposes Regulations 1975, is conformed to by the intervention board.
Mr. Curry : The Measurement of Cereals for Import and Export Purposes Regulations 1975 (S.I. 1975 No. 655) lay down certain provisions in relation to trade in cereals between the United Kingdom and other member states of the European Community. The intervetion board does not engage in intra-Community trade in cereals and the regulations are not considered relevant to its operations.
Food Aid
Mr. Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the expected impact of the food aid programme for the Soviet Union agreed at the European Council on 15 December 1990, on planned EC spending on agriculture.
Mr. Curry : The European Council agreed to supply 250 million ecu-- £174 million--of food aid to the USSR. This will be funded from the underspend in the 1990 European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund guarantee budget. No decision has been made on the type and quantities of food involved and it is not yet possible to assess any other effects on Community agricultural expenditure.
Farming Incomes
Mr. Butler : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on trends in farming incomes.
Mr. Curry : Forecasts of farm incomes in 1990 will be published in "Agriculture in the United Kingdom" later this month.
Salmonella
Mr. Gill : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conclusions he has reached in his review of the Government's policy on the control of salmonella.
Mr. Gummer : In 1989 the Government introduced a comprehensive programme for tackling the problem of salmonella in poultry and eggs. This programme has been effective in reducing potential sources of infection and will be maintained. I have made it clear, however, that the detailed form of control would be kept under careful review in the light of developing knowledge and experience. This has been done, taking into account the views of the Department of Health and the public health laboratory service.
The Government measures are aimed at reducing infection throughout the production chain, from the supply of feedingstuffs to the production of healthy breeding stock and controls on laying flocks. This
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integrated approach is the best means of minimising the risk of infection in all types of poultry flocks and will continue. The measures on feedingstuffs include statutory controls on the production of animal protein, which require regular sampling of feed and reprocessing if any salmonella is found. Rigorous controls are also applied to imports of animal protein. In addition the feed industry operate codes of practice aimed at ensuring that their products are free of salmonella.The programme for controlling salmonella in breeding flocks concentrates in particular on monitoring of progeny through the hatcheries and the slaughter of infected breeding stock, both in the egg production and poultry meat sectors, in order to minimise the risk of transmission of infection to production flocks. Through the application of these measures to date 35 broiler breeder flocks and five layer breeder flocks have been compulsorily slaughtered with payment of compensation. These arrangements will continue unchanged. In relation to commercial flocks producing eggs for human consumption, I have reviewed carefully information from the state veterinary service and the public health laboratory service on the incidence of infection and trends in human food poisoning. It is clear that a continued distinction needs to be drawn between the many different types of salmonella. From the start the Government measures have concentrated on two particular types which had been considered a potential risk to human health, while retaining the flexibility to alter the coverage of the programme in the light of further evidence on the risk from different types of salmonella.
One of these types, salmonella enteritidis, was responsible for the increase in human food poisoning cases which led to the introduction of the Government measures. Data from laboratory testing indicate that the incidence of salmonella enteritidis in the commercial laying sector has subsequently dropped significantly. However, salmonella enteritidis remains a significant cause of human food poisoning. I have therefore concluded that it remains essential to maintain the compulsory slaughter programme for all laying flocks which are infected with salmonella enteritidis. The other type which has hitherto been treated in the same way is salmonella typhimurium. In the light of further scientific data I have concluded that the arrangements for dealing with this type in relation to laying flocks should be modified. The Chief Medical Officer agrees with this view. Evidence from the public health laboratory service indicates that the number of cases of salmonella typhimurium food poisoning in humans has fallen significantly over the last year and the number of outbreaks of salmonella typhimurium food poisoning linked to eggs is now extremely low. Unlike salmonella enteritidis, this type is not predominantly associated with poultry but is frequently found in the environment and in other animal species. When it does occur in poultry which are being reared for egg production, it is predominantly a disease of young birds--pullets--rather than adult birds. Infection in pullet flocks presents no direct risk to public health, as the birds are not producing eggs. Young birds can be treated and my officials will give advice to flock owners on appropriate treatment arrangements. The automatic slaughter policy for laying flocks infected with salmonella typhimurium will be discontinued but the arrangements for monitoring and reporting of infection
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will continue. Salmonella typhimurium will therefore be placed in the same category as all types of salmonella, other than salmonella enteritidis, where existing measures will continue to be taken where necessary to protect public health.The Government have published today the second part of the report of the Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food. Among the committee's conclusions is a recommendation that the topic of salmonella in eggs should be considered by the new advisory committee and steering group on the microbiological safety of food. The Government have agreed in their response that the issue of salmonella in eggs needs to be kept under close review and will be examining a number of issues which remain to be resolved. One of these issues, on which research is currently under way, is the pasteurisation of eggs from infected flocks. European Community proposals on the control of salmonella enteritidis are expected to include this treatment, as part of an alternative method of control involving the safe disposal of products from infected flocks rather than compulsory slaughter. The salmonella control measures as a whole will be assessed further in the light of progress in the European Community discussions. It remains the Government's firm objective to secure Communitywide measures on salmonella which ensure that consumers are protected, whether consuming home produced or imported products, and that producers throughout the Community operate to the same high standards as in this country.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions poultry farms which have had flocks slaughtered due to salmonella infection have been reinfected, with consequent flock slaughter (a) once and (b) more than once.
Mr. Maclean : There have been eight instances where poultry have been compulsorily slaughtered, following previous compulsory slaughter on the same farm. In only two of these cases was the same strain of salmonella involved on both occasions. There have been no instances of slaughter being required more than twice on the same premises.
Animal Welfare
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 29 November, Official Report, column 485, if he will make a statement on the negotiations for the adoption of comprehensive Community rules setting higher welfare standards for animals during all stages of transport.
Mr. Maclean : A Council working group meeting to discuss the Commission's proposals was held in February 1990 but there have been no subsequent negotiations.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensions
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to his answer of 12 December, Official Report, columns 427-28, on the value of the state earnings-related pension, he will give figures for each year from 1999 to 2029 on the same basis.
Miss Widdecombe : Information is given in the table. It is important to note that calculations of this nature can
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provide only a hypothetical view of the distant future based, as they are, on unchanged assumptions about economic variables and policies.The weekly amounts of additional pension payable on retirement on 6 April in the stated year are as follows :
Year of |(a) |(b)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1999 | 38.50 | 94.25
2000 | 40.90 | 99.60
2001 | 43.20 |104.95
2002 | 45.60 |110.50
2003 | 48.20 |116.35
2004 | 50.90 |122.45
2005 | 53.80 |128.85
2006 | 56.60 |135.25
2007 | 59.55 |141.95
2008 | 62.70 |148.95
2009 | 66.00 |156.20
2010 | 70.40 |166.20
2011 | 75.10 |176.85
2012 | 80.25 |188.25
2013 | 85.60 |200.10
2014 | 91.35 |212.80
2015 | 97.60 |226.30
2016 |104.35 |240.65
2017 |111.40 |255.75
2018 |118.80 |271.65
2019 |127.05 |288.75
2020 |135.50 |306.55
2021 |144.80 |325.75
2022 |154.65 |345.95
2023 |165.05 |367.30
2024 |176.30 |390.00
2025 |188.20 |414.00
2026 |201.05 |439.55
2027 |214.65 |466.55
2028 |227.90 |491.95
2029 |241.80 |518.15
(a) A person on half average earnings.
(b) A person on average earnings.
(c) A person earning at or above the upper earnings limit.
Notes: From 1990 onwards 5 per cent. prices and 6.5 per cent.
earnings growth is assumed. Average earnings are those for all
full-time workers on adult rates in all industries and services,
excluding those affected by absence.
Disability Allowance
Sir David Steel : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the rate of disability allowance for each of the last 10 years and indicate when it is next due for review.
Miss Widdecombe : I understand the right hon. Member's question was intended to refer to the disability premium which was introduced in the income support and reformed housing benefit schemes in April 1988, in the community charge rebate scheme in April 1989 in Scotland, and in the community charge benefit scheme from April 1990. In common with other premiums, the disability premium is reviewed each year as part of the annual benefit uprating exercise. The rates of the premium, including the proposed rates for April 1991, are as follows :
|April |April |April |<1>April
|1988 |1989 |1990 |1991
|£ |£ |£ |£
--------------------------------------------------------------
Rate for a
single person |13.05 |13.70 |15.40 |16.65
Rate for couples |18.60 |19.50 |22.10 |23.90
<1>Proposed.
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Since April 1990 the disabled child premium has been payable for each disabled child at the same rate as the disability premium for a single adult.Children
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of children in Scotland dependent on supplementary benefit or income support in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.
Miss Widdecombe : The number of children under 16 years in families on supplementary benefit in 1979 was 109,000. The number of children under 16 years in families on income support in 1989 was 223,000. Source : Annual Statistical Enquiries for 1979 and 1989.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the number of sufferers from myalgic encephalomyelitis who have applied for (a) mobility allowance, (b) attendance allowance and (c) sickness benefits and have been refused because their illness is not recognised by the Department of Social Security in Scotland.
Mr. Scott : No myalegic encephalomyelitis sufferers in Scotland have been refused mobility allowance, attendance allowance or sickness benefits on the ground that their illness is not recognised.
Mr. Hood : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has had from sufferers of myalgic
encephalomyelitis seeking his assistance in obtaining state benefits ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : A number of representations have been made by, and on behalf of, people suffering from myalgic encephalomyelitis about the general difficulties they face. We understand their concerns and continue to consider them sympathetically.
Care Homes (Residents' Leave)
Mr. Hinchliffe : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimate he has made of the number of claimants in care homes who have lost benefit during leave periods through the incorrect interpretation of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulation, schedule 7 and paragraph 7(1)(a) ;
(2) when he intends to issue new guidelines to adjudication officers with regard to their interpretation of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations, schedule 7, paragraph 7(1)(a) concerning benefit payments to care home residents during leave periods.
Miss Widdecombe : No such estimate has been made. The regulation is clear in its intention and it is for the independent adjudication officer to determine the correct application in each case. We are looking at the implications of this regulation for people in certain circumstances in residential care and nursing homes.
Income Support
Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the level of income support from April 1991 to ensure it does not fall below the rate of inflation ; and if he will make a statement.
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Miss Widdecombe : It has been reviewed. In his uprating statement of 24 October last year my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced that income-related benefits, including income support, would rise by 8.1 per cent. from next April.The uprating is based, as usual, on the RPI less housing costs. This is because, for those receiving income support, help with rent is available through housing benefit and help with mortgage interest is available separately within the income support scheme.
Fostering
Mr. Bradley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's payment to a local authority for children aged under five years in a foster home.
Mr. Jack : The Department makes no such payment. The maintenance of these children is covered by boarding out allowances paid by local authorities, which are met from the revenue support grant.
Coventry Cyrenians
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will propose changes to income support and social fund legislation following the cases raised with him by the letter from the Coventry Cyrenians, dated 14 December ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : No. We are satisfied that current social security policy for homeless young people is correct. A copy of my reply to the Coventry Cyrenians has been sent to the hon. Member.
Benefit Expenditure
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the reduction from 97 per cent. to 95 per cent. of grant for housing benefit and poll tax benefit is still to be implemented ; what will be the savings to the Exchequer ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : The basic rate of direct subsidy for housing benefit and community charge benefit will be reduced from 97 per cent. to 95 per cent. from April 1991. Although this will result in a reduction in direct subsidy of some £86 million, the effect of this reduction was fully taken into account in drawing up the proposed local government financial settlements for 1991-92.
Claimants, Warwickshire
Mr. Nellist : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for Coventry and Warwickshire for how many people are dependent on (a) income support, (b) family credit and (c) housing benefit ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : Information is not available to show the number of people dependent on income support, family credit and housing benefit and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The latest available information for the number of claims to these benefits in Coventry and Warwickshire is as follows :
|Coventry |Warwickshire
----------------------------------------------------------
Income support<1> |33,453 |25,368
Family Credit<2> |1,522 |3,331
Housing Benefit<3> |22,992 |23,357
<1> Derived from 30 November 1990 count of 100 per cent.
of cases in action which include a number where payment
had ceased but other action was continuing.
<2> Number of families receiving Family Credit who, at
the time their award was made, were living in Coventry or
Warwickshire. These figures do not include awards made
after 28 December 1990.
<3> Number of people receiving Housing Benefit on 31
August 1990.
TRANSPORT
Channel Tunnel
12. Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial application British Rail has made for the provision of passenger and cargo facilities in Liverpool to ensure direct access to the channel tunnel rail system.
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