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Pension Funds
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what action he proposes to take to prevent employers diverting their employees' pension fund moneys either to parent companies or to other corporate interests ;
(2) what plans he has to ensure that occupational fund assets are retained for the exclusive benefit of its members and pensioners.
Miss Widdecombe : Safeguards already exist in trust law to protect the interests of members of occupational pension schemes. Trustees have a duty to act, at all times, in the interests of all the beneficiaries of the scheme in accordance with the trust deed. Additional safeguards are in place for schemes that are used for contracting out of SERPS.
This Government have already brought into force a provision which restricts an employer's ability to receive funds from a related pension scheme unless the scheme already increases pensions in payment at least in line with prices up to a maximum of 5 per cent. In addition we will bring forward, early next year, regulations to restrict to 5 per cent. the level of a schemes self investment in a sponsoring, associated or connected company.
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Pensions
Mr. McGrady : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will increase the level of retirement pension to 33 per cent. of national average earnings for a single person and 50 per cent. of average earnings for married couples ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : We have no plans to do so. If the basic state pension had been increased this April in the way suggested by the hon. Member, the extra cost to the national insurance fund would be £25 billion this financial year which would imply an increase of £33 per week in the total contribution for a person on average male earnings and the employer.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards increases in the state retirement pension.
Miss Widdecombe : The Government are committed to ensuring that state pensions are increased in line with prices thus ensuring a secure foundation in retirement. Further, we have created an economic environment in which pensioners' overall net incomes have increased by 34 per cent. in real terms between 1979 and 1988.
Occupational Pensions
Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he proposes to bring into force regulations requiring employers to make good deficiencies upon the winding up of occupational pension schemes.
Miss Widdecombe : This provision in the Social Security Act 1990 was closely linked to the provision for limited price indexation on which we have delayed implementation in the light of the uncertainties arising from the Barber judgment. In the light of the Maastricht protocol on Barber, we are considering whether and when the necessary regulations should now be introduced.
Mr. Irvine : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to ascertain whether the Occupational Pension Board has fulfilled its duty to ensure that the resources in the pension funds of the companies of which the late Robert Maxwell was a director were and are sufficient to provide guaranteed minimum pensions for beneficiaries who had contracted out of SERPS.
Miss Widdecombe : The Occupational Pension Board relies on certificates signed by actuaries to satisfy itself that the resources of an occupational pension scheme used for contracting out of SERPS are sufficient to meet the guaranteed minimum pension liability to its members. Certificates are submitted to the board every three and a half years.
Additionally, in the case of self-administered schemes, an annual statement --signed by the scheme administrator, auditor or trustee--is required concerning the audit of scheme accounts, the receipt of contributions, and any self-investment or concentration of investment.
I understand from the board that the documentation required in respect of the eleven pension schemes in the "Maxwell Group" was received and is in order. I also understand from the board that none of the certificates and statements gives any indication that there was anything wrong with the schemes at the relevant time.
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Damages for Injuries
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the 1990-91 income arising from the provisions of the Social Security Act 1989 for full recovery of state benefits from tort damages for injuries and the administrative costs involved ; how many recipients were required to repay in full the state benefits they received ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The administration of benefits is a matter for Mr. 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.
Appeal Tribunals (Remuneration)
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what remuneration will be paid to chairpersons and other members of social security and disability appeal tribunals from April 1992.
Miss Widdecombe : The fee payable to social security tribunal chairmen from April 1992 will be £115 per half-day session. Social security tribunal members are not paid a fee.
The fee payable to disability appeal tribunal chairmen from April 1992 will be £115 per half-day session. There will be two rates payable to disability tribunal members : the lay members will be paid £53 per half-day session ; the fee for the medical member--in practice a GP--will be in excess of this, but has not yet been fixed.
Disability Working Allowance
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, and in what circumstances, a person entitled to family credit will be allowed to claim disability working allowance instead ; what benefits to which family credit is a passport will not be similarly available to persons receiving disability working allowance ; and what will be the highest marginal tax rate, including loss of benefits, to which persons receiving disability working allowance will be exposed (a) in April 1992 and (b) after the introduction of council tax benefit.
Mr. Scott : A person is disqualified from claiming disability working allowance--DWA--if he, or any member of his household, has a current award of family credit. If he wishes to claim disability working allowance instead he will be able to make an advance claim during the period when he would normally be able to renew his family credit award so that there will be no break in payment.
Family credit is a passport to free national health service prescriptions and to help with other NHS charges. People who get DWA will be able to apply for help with NHS charges through the NHS low income scheme.
DWA, like family credit, will be assessed on the basis of net income so that people will gain something from each extra pound they earn. However, some people will be subject to marginal deduction rates of 96 per cent. from April 1992 and 97 per cent. after the introduction of council tax benefit.
Vibration White Finger
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the rates of gratuity awards, in terms of gratuity per percentage disablement from 1 per cent. to
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15 per cent. for those awarded, in each of the past three years, in respect of a disablement allowance for vibration white finger.Mr. Scott : I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those areas where the cold weather payments have been authorised currently, the number of areas where no such payments have been authorised ; and the estimated percentage of pensioners in all who will be receiving the payments arising from the above.
Mr. Scott : By 18 December cold weather payments had been triggered by 26 of the 63 weather stations. Areas covered by 18 of the weather stations have already been authorised for payment. The remaining eight areas will be authorised for payment this weekend, 21 December 1991. The relevant weather stations are in the table. Information relating to the percentage of pensioners who will be receiving a payment in the areas which have triggered is not available.
Cold weather payments Weather stations |Period --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bedford RAE |5 December 1991 to 11 December 1991 Birmingham AP |5 December 1991 to 11 December 1991 Boscombe Down |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Brise Norton |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Cilynydd |8 December 1991 to 14 December 1991<1> Coltishall |7 December 1991 to 13 December 1991<1> Coningsby |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Cwmbargoed |7 December 1991 to 13 December 1991<1> Dumfries/Drungans 5 December 1991 to 11 December 1991 Easthampstead |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Eskdalemuir |3 December 1991 to 9 December 1991 Finningley |5 December 1991 to 11 December 1991 Gatwick AP |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Heathrow AP |8 December 1991 to 14 December 1991<1> Honington |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Leeds WC |7 December 1991 to 13 December 1991<1> Leeming |5 December 1991 to 11 December 1991 Lyneham |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Marham |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Shawbury |5 December 1991 to 11 December 1991 Stansted |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Waddington |7 December 1991 to 13 December 1991<1> Watnall |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Wattisham |8 December 1991 to 14 December 1991<1> Wyton |6 December 1991 to 12 December 1991 Yeovilton |8 December 1991 to 14 December 1991<1> <1> To be authorised weekend of 21 December 1991.
Kidney Dialysis Patients
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to introduce a dietary allowance for social security claimants who are kidney dialysis patients and have to have a special diet.
Miss Widdecombe : We have no plans to do so. I am advised that the dietary regime which kidney dialysis patients may be advised to follow need not result in any additional costs.
Mr. John Garrett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to introduce an
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additional heating allowance for social security claimants who undergo kidney dialysis at home and have to keep their houses at a constant temperature.Miss Widdecombe : People who undergo kidney dialysis at home are able to qualify for attendance allowance under special rules. This is currently worth at least £27.80 a week. In addition, attendance allowance attracts the disability, or higher pensioner, premium in income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit and is normally disregarded in the calculation of those benefits. We have no plans to introduce any further allowances for this group.
Concessionary Coal
Mr. Allen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the circumstances under which payment in lieu of concessionary coal can be disregarded when claiming community charge benefit ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 18 December.
Income Support (Mortgage Interest)
Mr. Nicholls : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to make payments of income support in respect of mortgage interest payable direct to the lender.
Mr. Newton : I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House earlier today.
Mr. R. Long
Mr. Meacher : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he is able to inform Mr. R. Long of Buochli, 6373 Ennetburgen, Switzerland of his decision as toMr. Long's national insurance liability during the period April 1986 to December 1987.
Mr. Jack [holding answer 18 November 1991] : We have concluded discussions on the interpretation of the regulations governing Mr. Long's case and have written to both Mr. Long and his former employer to inform them of the outcome. We are now awaiting their response. Provided that both Mr. Long and his former employer accept the interpretation and that agreement by the Swiss authorities is obtained, the Secretary of State will then be able to give his decision.
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SCOTLAND
Council Tax
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary fo State for Scotland what council tax bills would be in 1991-92 for each band in each district and island council area for (a) households of average size and (b) two-person households.
Mr. Lang : The average bills for households of a given size will depend on the number of adults in the households. Illustrative figures on bills for households of one, or two or more adults, under the proposed council tax were issued by the Government on 23 April.
Police Numbers
Mr. Sillars : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the latest establishment figures for uniformed police in each police authority ; and if he will give actual staffing figures.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is set out in the table :
Authorised police establishment and number of officers in post as at
30 September 1991
|Establishment |<1>Number in post
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Scotland Police |643 |624
Dumfries and Galloway
Constabulary |384 |357
Fife Constabulary |780 |758
Grampian Police |1,178 |1,140
Lothian and Borders Police |2,487 |2,418
Northern Constabulary |654 |635
Strathclyde Police |6,954 |6,712
Tayside Police |1,057 |1,016
<1> The above figures exclude officers on secondment to other forces,
central service, and so on.
Crime
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a table on a comparable basis to his answer in the Official Report, 9 December, columns 344-46, with information on crime rates in Scotland since 1979.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is given in the table.
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Number of crimes and offences recorded by the police and percentage change 1979-90, Scotland
|1979 |1980 |1981 |1982 |1983 |1984
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total crimes and offences |673,955|724,671|744,725|762,483|799,568|809,451
Total crimes |346,680|364,587|408,204|435,081|448,260|474,914
Group 1 Non-sexual crimes of violence |10,025 |11,090 |12,161 |12,085 |13,023 |13,700
Group 2 Crimes of indecency |4,673 |5,244 |4,794 |4,996 |5,474 |5,710
Group 3 Crimes of dishonesty |269,193|279,793|320,003|340,070|342,452|359,196
Group 4 Fireraising, vandalism etc |56,138 |60,121 |61,725 |66,013 |73,060 |79,054
Group 5 Other crimes |6,651 |8,339 |9,521 |11,917 |14,251 |17,254
Total offences |327,275|360,084|336,521|327,402|351,308|334,537
Group 6 Miscellaneous offences |123,319|123,171|118,214|115,384|114,807|114,911
Group 7 Motor vehicle offences |203,956|236,913|218,307|212,018|236,501|219,626
|1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |1989 |1990
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total crimes and offences |800,380|822,370|858,228|855,601|902,031|959,063
Total crimes |461,970|463,837|481,230|469,986|493,385|535,864
Group 1 Non-sexual crimes of violence |15,090 |15,705 |18,350 |17,871 |18,374 |18,234
Group 2 Crimes of indecency |5,741 |5,354 |5,266 |5,057 |5,742 |6,034
Group 3 Crimes of dishonesty |342,349|342,522|356,527|344,509|355,525|385,152
Group 4 Fireraising, vandalism etc |19,245 |21,365 |24,643 |29,031 |34,682 |39,987
Group 5 Other crimes |19,245 |21,365 |24,643 |29,031 |34,682 |39,987
Total offences |338,410|358,533|376,998|385,615|408,646|423,199
Group 6 Miscellaneous offences |118,098|120,446|127,306|124,878|124,892|126,960
Group 7 Motor vehicle offences |220,312|238,087|249,692|260,737|283,754|296,239
|Percentage
|change
|1979-90
Notes:
1. Data for 1979 have been regrouped on the
basis of the current
Scottish Office Home and Health Department
classification of
crimes and offences which was revised in
1980.
2. Prior to 1980, the return included
crimes and offences reported
to the Procurator Fiscal by agencies other
than the police in
which a prosecution was taken. Since 1980,
these cases have
been excluded. In 1982, there were about 6,
400 such cases in
Scotland, of a total of 762,483 crimes and
offences.
3. Most of the increase in crimes in Group
5 is in recorded cases
of re-offending while on bail which may in
part be explained by
changes in recording practice.
Mr. Maxton : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of (a) total crimes and (b) violent crimes in (i) each police force area and (ii) across all of Scotland in 1979 and 1990, and the percentage increase in each authority area.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The information requested is set out in the table. Figures for numbers of violent crimes recorded in 1979 provided on 27 March 1991, Official Report , columns 440-41, have been found to be in error, underestimating the amount of violent crime recorded in 1979. The following table contains revised figures for the number of violent crimes recorded in 1979.
Number of crimes<1>, crimes and offences<2> and violent crimes<3>
recorded in Scotland by police force area in 1979 and 1990 and the
percentage change
|Percentage
|change
Police Force Area |1979 |1990 |1979-90
Notes
<1> Comprises groups 1-5 of the Scottish Office Home and Health
Department (SOHHD) classification of crimes and offences.
<2> Comprises groups 1-7 of the SOHHD classification of crimes and
offences , ie all crimes and offences.
<3> Comprises group 1 (non-sexual crimes of violence), the sexual
assault category from group 2 (crimes of indecency) and the petty
assault category from group 6 (miscellaneous offences) of the
SOHHD classification of crimes and offences.
<4> Revised.
Details of the SOHHD classification are given in the SOHHD
statistical bulletin "Recorded crime in Scotland 1990", a copy of
which is in the library.
Degrees
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the criteria he will apply in granting degree awarding powers to Scottish higher education institutions beyond the present universities and polytechnics.
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Mr. Michael Forsyth : My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement shortly.Rents-to-Mortgages Scheme
Mrs. Gorman : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the way in which rents to mortgages was marketed to the initial group of eligible tenants and then to local authority tenants.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton : The pilot rents-to-mortgages scheme became available to eligible tenants of Scottish Homes and the new town development corporations in Scotland on 30 October 1989. Scottish Homes produced an explanatory leaflet which was distributed to each of its eligible tenants. Supplies of the leaflet were also made available to new town development corporations.
The pilot scheme was extended to local authority tenants in Scotland on 1 April 1991 and was publicised by a campaign on television, in the national and local press and on radio. This was necessary because of the difficulty of contacting local authority tenants directly. An explanatory leaflet was also produced, and around 20,000 inquiries were received. The television advertising campaign was repeated in October. All eligible tenants interested in the scheme are offered detailed counselling and advice about the scheme and about the consequences of becoming a home owner.
Competitive Tendering
Mr. Bill Walker : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to publish the results of research into consumer satisfaction with services following the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering.
Mr. Allan Stewart : My right hon. Friend has today published the report on market research, conducted in nine Scottish local authorities by the MVA Consultancy, into consumer satisfaction with refuse collection and street cleaning services both before and after the introduction of competitive tendering for those services. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
The report shows little change in consumer satisfaction. Where change has occurred it has generally been for the better. The results of the research support the Government's view that competitive tendering can bring benefits without an unacceptable reduction in service standards. They provide no comfort to those who have claimed that saving from competitive tendering have been secured at the expense of quality of service.
Farm Woodland Premium
Sir Hector Monro : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to prevent the postponement of planned tree planting on farms pending the introduction of the farm woodland premium scheme on 1 April 1992.
Mr. Lang : My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced on 19 November 1991 in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) ( Official Report, columns 135-36 ) that a successor to the farm woodland scheme--to be called the farm woodland premium scheme--will be introduced on 1 April 1992. In
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the meantime, applications to enter the existing scheme may be lodged for an extended period up to and including 31 March 1992. We are conscious that the proposals for the new scheme, which have recently been circulated for consultation, may encourage farmers to consider postponing their planting plans for the present season. In order to avoid a hiatus of this kind pending parliamentary agreement to a revised statutory instrument for the farm woodland premium scheme, we have decided that any planting approved under the current farm woodland scheme which is undertaken on or after 1 October 1991 will be eligible for the full planting grants under the Forestry Commission's woodland grant scheme, including payment of the better land supplement where appropriate. In all other respects the existing rules of the farm woodland scheme, including the rates of annual payments, will continue to apply.Any higher grants to be paid under these interim arrangements will be met by the Forestry Commission from existing resources.
Executive Agencies
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by each of his Department's executive agencies since their establishment ; and separately identify those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : The framework documents for my three agencies set out the following key performance measures :
Registers of Scotland
turn round times in respect of the Land and Sasine Registers unit costs for the primary products of the Land and Sasine Registers
backlog arrears comparisons in the Land and Sasine Registers evidence of customer satisfaction, eg error rates attributable to the Agency and indemnity claims
progress on extending the Land Register to the whole of Scotland income/expenditure comparisons.
Historic Scotland
number of ancient monuments newly scheduled
number of completed units of the resurvey of listed buildings number of general Historic Building Repair grant cases in payment conservation backlog on monuments in care
value for money savings in maintenance of monuments in care number of visitors to monuments in care where an admission charge is made
total income
surplus on commercial activities
exchequer contribution to Historic Scotland's work.
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
aerial surveillance--per cent. of hours flown on task
cost per aircraft sighting
marine surveillance--number of boardings at sea
marine surveillance--cost per boarding
Sea Fisheries Inspectorate--cost per £1 million of fish landed prosecutions--proportion of cases reported for prosecution within required timescales
number of cases where court proceedings are taken as percentage of offences report for prosecution.
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Performance measures operative prior to agency status were : for the Registers of Scotland, turn round times, backlog arrears and indemnity claims ; for Historic Scotland, increases in visitor numbers, income targets and numbers of historic buildings repair grants ; and for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency, numbers of boardings at sea."Time on task" is the time that the aircraft spends looking for fishing vessels. It excludes transit time between airports and fishing grounds and flights for crew training, aircraft testing, and so on.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those new facilities for staff, including nurseries and health care schemes, which have been introduced in each of his Department's executive agencies since their establishment.
Mr. Lang : [holding answer 17 December 1991] : None.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of each of his Department's executive agencies ; and whether the cost was born by the parent Department or the new agency.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : The information is as follows :
Costs borne by
|Agency |Parent
|Department
|£ |£
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Registers of Scotland |8,000 |-
Historic Scotland |2,700 |300
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency |300 |340
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the first degree obtained by the chief executive of each of his Department's executive agencies ; and from which university or polytechnic it was awarded.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : The holding of a degree is not mandatory for the post of chief executive of any of the three agencies for which I am responsible. As the information requested is personal to the individual concerned, it is not appropriate to divulge it.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a group bonus scheme is in operation in each of his Department's executive agencies.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : No.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff were in post on the date that each of his Department's executive agencies were established ; and how many staff are in post now in each case.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : The information is as follows :
Staff in post |At Launch<1> |1 December
|1991
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registers of Scotland |997 |1,302
Historic Scotland |610.5 |627
Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency |196.5 |218.5
<1>The Registers of Scotland was launched as an agency on
1 April 1990. The two other agencies were launched on
1 April 1991.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the last annual report for each of his Department's executive agencies was published ; and when the next one is due.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : The first annual report for the Registers of Scotland was published on 23 July 1991 and placed in the Library. Historic Scotland and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency became agencies on 1 April 1991 and have not therefore published annual reports as yet. In the case of each of the agencies, the next annual report will be published as soon as possible after the end of the 1991-92 financial year.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the post, grade and maximum salary payable, including preformance- related elements, in each case where appointments from the private sector have been made to his Department's executive agencies at grade 7 or above, since their establishment.
Mr. Lang [holding answer 17 December 1991] : One such appointment has been made, at grade 7. The remuneration is within the relevant civil service pay scale for the grade. It would not be appropriate to identify the specific post.
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of each of his Department's executive agencies, including performance-related element, and the length of time of the chief executive's contract in each case.
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