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Welsh Language
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state what progress has been made since April 1991 with the Welsh language implementation
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programme, established in his Department in Wales ; what specific changes of policy in his Department on this issue have taken place during 1991 ; and if he is satisfied with the progress that has so far been made.Miss Widdecombe : The use of the Welsh language in the administration of social security 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.
Benefit Deductions
Mr. Tom Clarke : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the estimated administrative cost to his Department of making deductions from income support for community charge arrears ; (2) what are the administrative costs of making deductions from income support payments to meet claimants' debts.
Miss Widdecombe : The resourcing of this work 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.
Disability Appeal Tribunals (Membership)
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what representations he has received concerning social security regulations affecting disabled people who became panel members on disability appeal tribunals ;
(2) what are his plans to amend the regulations on earnings and incapacity to permit disabled claimants who sit on disability appeal tribunals to perform their duties without incurring loss or reduction of benefit.
Mr. Scott : We have received a number of representations on this issue. We are committed to making sure that people with disabilities play an active role in the assessment and adjudication process of disability living allowance, attendance allowance and disability working allowance. This includes ensuring that as many disability appeal tribunals as possible include a disabled person in their membership. We are currently considering whether the benefit rules are acting as barrier to the independent tribunal service recruiting disabled people as disability appeal tribunal members. I will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Income Support
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants with a disabled child on (a) income support and (b) housing benefit had their benefit reduced as a result of the presence of non- dependants in the household.
Miss Widdecombe : Information is not available in the form requested. The available information is based on the annual 1 per cent. sample surveys and, with the small numbers involved in the groups concerned, precise figures cannot be given. However, it is estimated that the total number would be less than 1,000.
Mr. Ashley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants had
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deductions from their benefit during 1991 for (a) social fund loan repayment, (b) community charge arrears, (c) rent arrears, (d) mortgage arrears, (e) water charges and (f) fuel debts ; and how many of these claimants received a disability premium.Miss Widdecombe : The latest information available is contained in table 10.2 of the annual statistical inquiry for May 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library.
SCOTLAND
Part-ownership Schemes
Mr. Soley : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost to date of setting up, publicising and administering the flexi-ownership or rents into mortgage schemes in Scotland ; and how many tenants have so far acquired part-ownership of their homes under this scheme.
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton [holding answer 3 February 1992] : Since the introduction of the pilot rent-to-mortgage scheme, the cost of setting up, publicising and administering the scheme is estimated at around £788,000. A total of 264 sales had been completed by the end of 1991, resulting in additional receipts of £2,467,000. Tenants purchasing under the scheme become owners with full title to the property from the completion of the sale.
Nursery Places
Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places in nursery schools and classes were provided by education authorities in 1990-91 and 1991-92 in Scotland ; how many of these places were (a) full-time and (b) part-time ; and what was the total number of full-time equivalent places provided.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 4 February 1992] : Information on the number of full-time, part-time and full-time equivalent pupils attending education authority nursery schools and departments in Scotland at September 1990 and 1991 is as follows :
|Full-time |Part-time |Total |Pupils
|pupils |pupils |Number |Full-time
|equivalent
------------------------------------------------------------------
1990 |2,927 |41,054 |43,981 |22,907.6
<1>1991 |3,024 |42,322 |45,346 |23,551.4
<1> Provisional.
Some nursery pupil rolls reach higher levels after September. In session 1990-91 peak rolls were 7.4 per cent. above the total number of pupils attending at September 1990 ; for session 1991-92 peak rolls are anticipated to be 9.4 per cent. above the September 1991 level.
Primary School Testing
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to date of the introduction of national testing into Scottish primary schools.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 4 February 1992] : The Government have incurred expenditure in the writing and vetting of test units, printing and distribution to
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schools, moderation of the pilot round, the cost of running the primary assessment unit, and of the preparation, issue and promotion of an information leaflet on testing which totals £1.16 million.DEFENCE
Hunt Transport
Mr. Meale : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what elements of the costs of transporting horses and riders to hunting meets can readily be identified.
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Mr. Archie Hamilton : The cost of buying and maintaining horse boxes and the cost of fuel is identifiable, but is not met from public funds.
Nuclear Testing
Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received from the United States Department of Energy, as manager of the Nevada nuclear test site, regarding representations made about British nuclear testing at the Nevada test site during its public hearing hosted by the United States Department of Energy on 14 November 1991.
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