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Indexation
Mr. Hoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the Government plan to introduce the limited price indexation under the terms of the Social Security Act 1990.
Miss Widdecombe : No final decision has yet been made.
Mobility Allowance
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were accepted for Motability in each of the past five years ; and what proportion this represented in each year of the total number of people granted mobility allowance for the first time or on renewal.
Mr. Scott : Information is not available in the form requested. Information on the number of people who have been accepted by the Motability scheme is a matter for Motability itself. However, the information in the table gives the number of mobility allowance beneficiaries who, at a given time, (and shown as a percentage of the total number of beneficiaries current on that date,) had their mobility allowance paid direct to Motability Finance Ltd. (MFL) in respect of lease or hire purchase agreements with Motability. Information on the number of initial and renewal awards of mobility allowance was given in my earlier answer. It is not possible to draw a direct comparison between these figures, which are a cumulative total over the year, and those shown in column (a) of the table which are snapshot figures.
Q
|(a) |(b)
Date |Total number of|Total number
|awards paid |of Mob A |of
|direct to MFL |recipients |(a) to (b)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 28 March 1987 |39,725 |472,268 |8.4
At 31 March 1988 |52,492 |523,181 |10.0
At 30 March 1989 |64,846 |566,099 |11.5
At 29 March 1990 |81,714 |605,235 |13.5
At 26 March 1991 |96,323 |648,045 |14.9
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the total numbers of persons who were (a) awarded mobility allowance for the first time and (b) had their mobility allowance entitlement renewed, in each of the past five years, and for each quarter during the present year ; and if he will provide an analysis for each group between those awarded mobility allowance for an indefinite period, for three years and for periods less than three years.
Mr. Scott : Information is not available in the form requested. Available information is in the tables.
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Number of people awarded Mobility Allowance Period |First awards |Renewal awards --------------------------------------------------------------------- April 1986-March 1987 |91,992 |25,760 April 1987-March 1988 |93,247 |26,684 April 1988-March 1989 |91,043 |31,389 April 1989-March 1990 |93,918 |29,489 April 1990-March 1991 |95,480 |34,775 January 1990-March 1991 |22,407 |10,439
Number of beneficiaries<1> by duration of award Date |Under 3 years |3 years |Over 3 years<2> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At 28 March 1987 |38,221 |5,398 |428,649 At 31 March 1987 |43,145 |5,138 |474,898 At 29 March 1989 |46,827 |5,046 |514,226 At 30 March 1990 |48,076 |5,403 |551,756 At 26 March 1991 |50,884 |5,748 |591,413 At 25 April 1991 |50,579 |5,783 |593,451 <1> Figures relate to all Mobility Allowance beneficiaries <2> Includes awards of Special Mobility Allowance
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state what is his latest assessment of the date on which the new mobility allowance provisions of the Disability Living Allowance and Disability Working Allowance Bill will be fully in force.
Mr. Scott : We anticipate that entitlement to the new disability living allowance, which will replace both attendance allowance for people under 65 and mobility allowance, will commence in April 1992. We intend, however, to accept claims for the new benefit from February 1992.
Independent Living Fund
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish estimates for the number of severely disabled people who have had to move into residential care without the support of the Independent Living Fund in each of the past three years.
Miss Widdecombe : Information regarding the number of severly disabled people entering residential care is not available.
Barber v. Guardian Royal Exchange
Mr. Aitken : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to the recent judgment of the European Court in Barber v. Guardian Royal Exchange ; and if he will make a statement on the costs and other implications of implementing this decision.
Miss Widdecombe : We have been giving careful consideration to all the implications of this judgment and we are in close touch with the European Commission and other member states about it. There are, however, several aspects of the ruling which are unclear. To obtain clarification we have agreed in principle to support a case brought by the Coloroll group pension scheme trustees who are proposing to seek directions from the European Court on how their liabilities to members should be discharged, in the light of the Barber judgment.
Local Authority Expenditure
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report a table, showing separately for England, Scotland, Wales and
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Northern Ireland for the years 1985-86 to 1993-94 expenditure on income-related rebates from local authority taxation, distinguishing rate rebates from community charge rebates, and showing, if necessary, a reconciliation to table 3 of Cm 1514.Miss Widdecombe : Details of total spending on rate rebates and community charge benefits in England, Scotland and Wales from 1985-86 to 1990-91 are given in the table. The figures published in table 3 of the departmental report (Cm 1514) reflect assumptions
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current at the time of the autumn statement. Since then both the community charge reduction scheme and the £140 general reduction have been announced, and expenditure is now expected to be £1,300 million in 1991-92. A territorial breakdown of this figure is not yet available. Revised expenditure projections for 1992-93 and 1993- 94 have not yet been finalised.Information about spending in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
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Total benefit spending
£million
|1985-86|1986-87|1987-88|1988-89|1989-90|1990-91
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Rate rebates
England |1,251 |1,389 |1,425 |1,157 |1,212 |-
Scotland |176 |188 |215 |168 |- |-
Wales |51 |58 |61 |48 |50 |-
Total: |1,479 |1,635 |1,701 |1,373 |1,262 |-
Community Charge Benefit
England |- |- |- |- |- |1,977
Scotland |- |- |- |- |197 |208
Wales |- |- |- |- |- |87
Total: |- |- |- |- |197 |2,272
Note: Totals may not sum due to rounding.
Disability
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met representatives of the Disablement Income Group ; what matters were discussed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : We regularly meet representatives of disability organisations to discuss a wide range of disability issues. In particular, on 21 February my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Social Security and I met the Disability Benefits Consortium which is an umbrella group representing over 250 disability organisations including the Disablement Income Group.
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Social Fund
Ms. Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the gross and net budget of the social fund for each year since its introduction, broken down into (a) crisis loans, (b) budgeting loans and (c) community care grants and the fall in real terms of the social fund budget since 1988-89.
Mr. Scott : The figures are as follows. The gross expenditure has risen in real terms since 1988-89. Repayments have taken time to build up.
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£ million
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91
|outturn |outturn |provisional
|outturn
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crisis loans (gross) |17 |22 |28
Budgeting loans (gross) |108 |119 |128
Crisis loans (net) |9 |8 |9
Budgeting loans (net) |68 |25 |22
Community care grants |41 |60 |67
Regulated payments (gross) |32 |39 |57
Regulated payments (net) |32 |38 |56
Total gross expenditure |199 |240 |281
Total gross expenditure in 1988- |199 |226 |245
89 prices<1>
<1>Deflated using the estimated GDP deflator.
Mr Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for help through the social fund have been made since its introduction (a) in England and Wales and (b) in Leicestershire ; and how many of those applications were turned down.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is available in the Library.
Mr. Vaz : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many families have benefited from the social fund in Leicestershire since its introduction ;
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(2) what is the allocation of the social fund to Leicestershire county council for the year 1991-92 ; and what was it for the year 1990-91.Mr Scott : Information is not collected in this format, but such information as is available is in the Library.
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State Pensions
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with the Equal Opportunities Commission about a European Community draft directive on the equalisation of state pensions ; and what position he has adopted.
Miss Widdecombe : There have been no firm proposals on the third draft directive on equal treatment in social security since it was last discussed in 1989. The Government are committed to the principle of equal treatment. We intend to co-operate in working with the European Commission and other member states to achieve an effective directive.
Sickness Benefit
Mr. Corbett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will amend regulations made under the Social Security Act 1975 to permit a person on sickness benefit with an untreatable condition and incapable of work to be absent abroad without losing the right of benefit.
Mr. Scott : Sickness benefit may be paid during a temporary absence abroad if the absence is for the specific purpose of being treated for an incapacity which existed before the person left Great Britain ; or if, on the day the absence begins, incapacity has already lasted for at least six months. We have no plans to amend these regulations.
Fraud
Mr. Rogers : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total annual cost of operating the fraud sector of his Department ; and whether he intends to grant the sector agency status.
Mr. Jack : Social security fraud staff were reorganised into fraud sector teams on 2 January 1991. The estimated annual cost of operating these teams is £62,000,000, producing an annual benefit saving of about £383,000,000.
Since 1 April 1991 fraud sector teams have been included in the executive responsibilities of the new Benefits Agency. We have no plans to grant these teams separate agency status.
Income Support
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the element within income support which covers community charge payments for (a) single people aged under 25 years, (b) single people aged over 25 years, and (c) a couple, in 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94.
Miss Widdecombe : Income support levels were adjusted in April 1989 to include help towards the average 20 per cent. contribution to the community charge. The amounts included were :
(a) for single people under 25 years and each member of a couple-- £1.15 ;
(b) for single people over 25 years--£1.30.
These amounts now form an integral part of overall benefit rates which were uprated in April 1990 by 5.2 per cent. and in April 1991 by 8.1 per cent. Overall benefit rates are reviewed in the autumn and benefit levels for 1992-93 will be announced then.
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The Government have proposed that from April 1993, when the new council tax is introduced, maximum benefit for those on income support and equivalent levels of income will be 100 per cent. of their liability for the new tax. There would be no minimum contribution to the new tax.Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money income support claimants are expected to pay to local authorities in 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94.
Miss Widdecombe : Income support recipients have to pay a 20 per cent. contribution towards the community charge. Across Great Britain as a whole this will amount on average to around 80p a week during 1991-92, taking no account of charge capping.
Estimates for 1992-93 are not available. However, the Government propose that from the introduction of the council tax in April 1993, maximum benefit for income support recipients will be 100 per cent. of their liability and there will be no minimum contribution.
Energy Efficiency
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of dedicated energy managers in his Department and the number of person-years devoted to energy management in the latest year.
Mr. Jack : Two full-time technically qualified managers have been appointed in the DSS ; one in the Benefits Agency and one in the Information Technology Services Agency. Nine energy liaison officers have been appointed in the territorial directorates of the Benefits Agency to promote energy-saving practices and to monitor the energy target. They are assisted by colleagues in the territorial offices and in each local office. Detailed information about the time spent on energy matters in the territorial directorates is not readily available so it is not possible to calculate the total number of man years devoted to energy management.
Benefits Agency
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what training Benefit Agency strategic planning teams with district management units are to receive before they draw up their strategic plans.
Miss Widdecombe : The training of Benefits Agency management is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Benefits
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the scale rate for supplementary benefit or income support for a single adult for each year since 1970 ; by what percentage this was increased each year ; and what are the percentage increases in national average earnings and in the retail prices index for each of those years.
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 20 May 1991] : The information requested is in the table and is given for each
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uprating date, rather than for each year ; percentage increase columns show the change between each date. Comparisons between the uprating increases (column C) and the RPI and earnings increases (columns D and E) are difficult because each uprating factor either contained an estimate of future movements in the index or was based on a period earlier than the uprating period itself. The RPI and earnings figures are actuals for each period.Column 117
A |B |C |D |E
Benefit Uprating Date |Benefit |Percentage |Earnings |RPI
|Rate |Increase in |Percentage |Percentage
|'B' |Increase |Increase
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 November 1970 |5.20 |- |- |-
20 September 1971 |5.80 |11.5 |7.5 |8.0
2 October 1972 |6.55 |12.9 |15.7 |8.5
1 October 1973 |7.15 |9.2 |11.6 |9.9
22 July 1974 |8.40 |17.5 |14.2 |13.5
7 April 1975 |9.60 |14.3 |20.2 |17.7
17 November 1975 |10.90 |13.5 |11.5 |11.7
15 November 1976 |12.70 |16.5 |12.5 |15.0
14 November 1977 |14.50 |14.2 |9.3 |13.0
13 November 1978 |15.55 |7.2 |14.9 |8.1
12 November 1979 |18.30 |17.7 |19.1 |17.4
24 November 1980 |21.30 |16.4 |18.4 |15.3
23 November 1981 |23.25 |9.2 |10.7 |12.0
22 November 1982 |25.70 |10.5 |7.4 |6.3
21 November 1983 |26.80 |4.3 |7.3 |4.8
26 November 1984 |28.05 |4.7 |8.7 |4.9
25 November 1985 |29.50 |5.2 |6.5 |5.5
28 July 1986 |29.80 |1.0 |5.7 |1.7
6 April 1987 |30.40 |2.0 |6.2 |4.4
11 April 1988 |33.40 |9.9 |9.7 |3.9
10 April 1989 |34.90 |4.5 |9.6 |8.0
9 April 1990 |36.70 |5.2 |9.7 |9.4
8 April 1991 |39.65 |8.0 |- |6.4
Notes:
Column B-shows the Supplementary Benefit basic single householder scale rate for the years 1970-87 excluding housing costs. These
were paid through Supplementary Benefit until 1982-83 (not included in the scale rates) and then paid via Housing Benefit. From
April 1988 the figures are the Income Support basic personal allowance for a single person over 25. No Supplementary Benefit
additional requirements or Income Support premiums for special needs have been included.
Column C-shows the percentage increase from one uprating date to the next. This will not necessarily reflect the uprating index for
that year because of rounding. Also in the earlier years uprating was calculated by forecasting likely changes in the RPI and this
sometimes meant that adjustments had to be made the following year.
Column D-gives the percentage increase in the average gross weekly earnings of all adult males form the New Earnings Survey. The
figure for April 1991 is not yet available.
Column E-Shows the actual movement in the Retail Price Index for all items between uprating dates.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Clenbuterol (Livestock)
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will support the introduction of legislation to authorise the removal of all livestock without compensation from farms where Clenbuterol/angel dust has been fed to farm livestock illegally.
Mr. Hanley : I am still considering the detailed provisions of new regulations to provide further controls and sanctions against the abuse of Clenbuterol. Such regulations will be made under the Food Safety Order (Northern Ireland) 1991 and will be subject to full consultation.
Livestock Marketing Commission
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what plans he has to appoint a representative of the Northern Ireland Master Butchers Association to the Livestock Marketing Commission, Northern Ireland ;
(2) how long the Livestock Marketing Commission has operated in Northern Ireland ; and how many persons representative of the Northern Ireland Master Butchers Association have served on it ; and for what periods.
Mr. Hanley : The Livestock Marketing Commission has been in operation since 1967. Members are not appointed
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to represent sectoral interests. They are appointed as individuals in their own right on the basis of the experience and expertise which they are able to bring to work of the commission. No representative of the Master Butchers Association has been appointed and there are no plans to do so. Individual members of the association will, of course, be considered for appointment on their merits.Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average waiting period for appointments, examination and fittings experienced by disabled persons at Musgrave Park hospital, Belfast, in each of the last two years.
Mr. Hanley : The Eastern health and social services board is responsible for the management of the artificial limb and appliance centre at Musgrave Park hospital. I am advised that in each of the last two years, the average waiting time for appointment/examination following amputation was one week. On average, fitting was then carried out within two to three weeks in a routine case and within six weeks in more complex cases.
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many disabled patients in Northern Ireland require services provided at Musgrave Park hospital limb fitting centre, Belfast, annually.
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Mr. Hanley : In Northern Ireland there are 1,700 patients with artificial limbs. About 1,200 of these patients attend annually.Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated waiting period which disabled persons are likely to experience in future as a result of the decision to withdraw cover for absent doctors who normally deal with disabled patients.
Mr. Hanley : I am informed by the Eastern health and social services board that it has no knowledge of any such decision in relation to the services provided for disabled patients at Musgrave Park hospital.
Hospital Waiting Lists
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to reduce the waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Hanley : During the past two years, the Department of Health and Social Services has made available an additional £467,000 for orthopaedic services in Northern Ireland in recognition of the need to improve the level of services and reduce waiting lists. I hope to announce shortly details of further additional resources for regional medical services developments this year, including orthopaedics. I believe that more can also be done to reduce waiting lists and waiting times through better management. Health and social services boards are currently responding to a report on better waiting list management by a group of clinicians known as CREST (clinical resource efficiency support team) which offers advice to the Department, boards and clinicians on ways to improve clinical efficiency. I am pleased to say that the numbers waiting for orthopaedic surgery fell from 4,939 in September 1988 to 3,456 in September 1990.
Royal Victoria Hospital
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be the implications of the introduction of trust status in respect of the Royal Victoria hospital for job security, job tenure and health care.
Mr. Hanley : Should the Royal group of hospitals be successful in its application for HSS trust status, I would expect it like any other trust to provide better health care for patients. Staff transferring to trust employment retain their existing terms and conditions of service, but they and the trusts can negotiate changes at any time thereafter.
Youth Services
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the education budget has been allocated to youth services in each year from 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1991 in the South Eastern education and library board area.
Dr. Mawhinney : The information is as follows :
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|Percentage of|Percentage of
|recurrent |capital grant
|block grant |allocated to
|allocated to |youth service
|youth service
--------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |3.85 |3.88
1986-87 |3.26 |0.71
1987-88 |3.44 |1.74
1988-89 |3.30 |2.31
1989-90 |3.26 |2.07
1990-91 |3.15 |0.57
Armagh Four
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many representations he has received seeking a judicial review of the case of the Armagh Four ; and if he will make a statement.
Dr. Mawhinney : My right hon. Friend has, in addition to a petition and numerous letters from the public, received a total of 144 representations about the case. These have generally sought to encourage him to exercise his discretionary power to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal, which he would do only if some new evidence or consideration of substance is produced. It is claimed in a dossier presented to my right hon. Friend in January that such new evidence does exist. The document is, therefore, being examined in detail and inquiries are being conducted at present to see whether this claim can be substantiated. Only when these inquiries have been completed and the results fully considered will my right hon. Friend be in a position to decide whether or not he would be justified in referring the case back to the Court of Appeal.
Social Fund (South Down)
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the budgetary allocation in respect of the social fund to each social security office in South Down in each year since 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991, respectively.
Mr. Hanley : The information requested is available in the Library.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people who made applications for social fund loans and grants who were in receipt of income support were refused at each social security office in South Down.
Mr. Hanley : Details for 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1990-91 are shown in the table. The figures include a small number of instances where crisis loans have been claimed by people who are not receiving income support. It is not possible to identify these cases.
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Refusals on the grounds of insufficient priority
Social Securit1988-89e 1989-90 1990-91
|Loans |CCGs |Loans |CCGs |Loans |CCGs
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ballynahinch |3 |3 |42 |55 |7 |1
Banbridge |45 |28 |52 |150 |60 |23
Downpatrick |180 |10 |140 |82 |118 |8
Kilkeel |4 |2 |18 |28 |18 |3
Newcastle |17 |2 |46 |72 |59 |3
Newry |- |1 |29 |121 |196 |78
|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------
Totals |249 |46 |327 |508 |458 |116
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were refused a loan or a grant from the social fund in each of the social security offices in South Down because the budget was overspent, in each of the years since 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991.
Mr. Hanley : Social fund budgets are allocated for the full year and managers must aim to ensure that they are
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not overspent. In order to achieve this and ensure that there is money available throughout the year, managers draw up monthly profiles based on estimated expenditure. They also issue guidance to their social fund officers on the level of priority of application that might be met. Details of the number of applications refused on grounds of insufficient priority for 1988-89, 1989-90 and 1990-91 are shown in the table.Column 121
Applications refused on grounds of insufficient priority Social Security Office 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91Loans CCGs Loans CCGs Loans CCGs
Ballynahinch 3 3 42 55 7 1
Banbridge 45 28 52 150 60 23
Downpatrick 180 10 140 82 118 8
Kilkeel 4 2 18 28 18 3
Newcastle 17 2 46 72 59 3
Newry -- 1 29 121 196 78
Totals 249 46 327 508 458 116
Child Benefit
Mr. Nicholas Brown : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the full-year cost of raising child benefit in October to £9.55 a week for all children on the same basis as the answer given to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), 30 April, Official Report, column 163.
Mr. Hanley : The cost for Northern Ireland over that of next October's actual benefit increases would be £29 million.
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many families will benefit from the uprating in child benefit which will take effect from October.
Mr. Hanley : Child benefit is paid to 218,000 families in Northern Ireland, all of whom will benefit from the uprating in October 1991.
Muckamore College
Mr. Beggs : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (a) how many teachers with initial training qualifications from Muckamore college were appointed to teach within the education service in Northern Ireland with a reduction of five increments of teacher's salary prior to 1 April 1987 ; (b) how many teachers in schools for mentally handicapped children, with initial training qualifications from Muckamore college, transferred to the education service, Northern Ireland, from health and social services on 1 April 1987 without facing any reduction in salary ; (c) what are the reasons for the difference in treatment of these two categories of teachers ;
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and (d) what is the estimated cost of an ex gratia payment to teachers trained at Muckamore college who voluntarily transferred to the education service prior to 1 April 1987, to provide equality of treatment of teachers in (a) above with teachers in (b) above for salary and pension purposes.Dr. Mawhinney : I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
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