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Miss Widdecombe : I have met the chief executive on many occasions to discuss the whole range of the agency's business. The last occasion was on 5 March 1992. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, expects to meet the chief executive in the near future.
National Insurance
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances it may be necessary for persons in receipt of income support to pay class 3 national
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insurance contributions in order to protect their future pension rights ; and whether he will amend the income support regulations to enable such contributions to be taken into account in assessing their benefit entitlement.Mr. Burt : Many people receiving income support have national insurance contributions credited to their account in order to protect their future pension rights, for example, where they are receiving a contributory social security benefit or they are registered as unemployed. Others may have their pension rights protected by home responsibility protection (HRP) which applies to people who are unable to work regularly because they are required to stay at home to look after a child or sick or disabled person.
Where there is no entitlement to credits or HRP and any earnings from part- time employment are below the lower earnings limit at which liability for class 1 contributions commences, people may choose to pay voluntary class 3 contributions to the level required to make a tax year a qualifying one for pension purposes.
There are no plans to change the income support regulations to take such payments into account.
Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
Mr. Ronnie Campbell : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he received the report of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on work-related upper limb disorders ; and how soon he will act upon the findings.
Mr. Scott : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight) on 21 May at column 241 .
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Cummings : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time taken to determine an application for the disability living allowance.
Mr. Scott : The information is not available in the form requested.
Residential Care
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will distinguish the living support, housing and care elements in income support for residential care ; what studies he has undertaken to distinguish these elements ; and whether he will place the results of these studies in the Library.
Mr. Burt : The income support limits do not include separate amounts for specific items of expenditure.
Social Fund
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the percentage of (a) budgeting loans and (b) community care grants which were awarded to each of the 15 client groups defined by his Department for the Doncaster area ; and what were the comparable national figures for the financial years (i) 1989-90, (ii) 1990-91, (iii) 1991-92 and (iv) 1992-93 to date.
Mr. Scott : The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the
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Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.Community Care Grants
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what revision of priorities he has undertaken in respect of those claiming social fund community care grants.
Mr. Scott : The Secretary of State's and local guidance on priorities regarding community care grants is kept under regular review ; any necessary adjustments are published in the "Social Fund Officer's Guide" ; up to date copies of the guide are available in the Library.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the 1991-92 allocation for social fund community care grants, benefit agency by benefit agency, and the allocation for 1992-93.
Mr. Scott : The information requested is available in the Library.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give as a percentage figure the budget increase for 1992-93 over 1991- 92 for social fund community care grant allocations and the percentage increase in the number of claimants for the social fund community care grant for 1991-92.
Mr. Scott : Figures on social fund applicants are not available in the precise form requested ; but information concerning budget allocations and the number of community care grant applications is available in the Library.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the social fund community care grant to meet the needs of claimants in Stoke on Trent ; what targets have been set ; and if he will give a breakdown of the levels of outstanding claims ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for 1991-92 in respect of the Stoke on Trent benefits agency in percentage terms the numbers of (i) homeless and (ii) other categories of claimant who (a) qualified for social fund community care grants and (b) received social fund community care grants.
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.
Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the objectives which the social fund community care grants are required to meet and list those client groups entitled to social fund community care grants.
Mr. Scott : The objectives of community care grants are set out in the Secretary of State's directions, and guidance
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on their interpretation is set out in the "Social Fund Officer's Guide", copies of which are available in the Library. This includes details of client groups.Ms. Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will assess the implications for those seeking a social fund community care grant of his decision to limit the budget ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : Research into the operation of the fund, including community care grants, has already been commissioned from the social policy research unit of York university and is due to be published shortly. We will be looking at the results carefully.
National Insurance Contributions
Mr. Barry Field : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the rate of interest to be charged on national insurance contributions underpaid under SI 1992 No. 632 ; and what publicity he has given to small businesses about these new penalties.
Miss Widdecombe : Interest on late paid national insurance contributions will be charged at the same rate as that charged by the Inland Revenue on late paid tax (currently 10 per cent.). The charges will apply from 19 April 1993 in respect of payments due in the 1992-93 tax year ; they are being publicised by the Inland Revenue, and will be explained in DSS guidance to employers.
Expatriate Pensioners
Mr. Burden : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to pay expatriate pensioners living in Commonwealth countries their full qualified and annually adjusted pensions, on the same basis as paid to expatriate pensioners living in European Community countries.
Miss Widdecombe : United Kingdom pensioners living in the following Commonwealth countries receive annual uprating increases to their state retirement and widows pensions : Barbados, Cyprus, Jamaica, Malta and Mauritius. We have no plans to extend payment of such increases to pensioners living in other Commonwealth countries.
Children Act 1989
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to provide entitlement to additional income support for parents with children subject to residence orders under the Children Act 1989, comparable with the entitlement applying under care orders prior to the enactment of the Children Act 1989.
Mr. Burt : A parent who receives child benefit for a child who is the subject of a residence order, is already entitled to the child personal allowance in any calculation of income support.
Mr. Morgan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the rights to claim income support and other benefits in addition to the basic single person's allowance, for those parents who are separated from their children by a residence order under the provisions of the Children Act 1989, but are subsequently given access rights to their children by court order for parts of the day or week, including (a) overnight stays and (b) shorter periods.
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Mr. Burt : Under the income support scheme child personal allowances are payable to the parent who is adjudged to have primary responsibility for the child. We have no plans for change.Students
Mr. Alton : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was paid to students in the 1991 summer vacation following the decision to restore 10 per cent. of access funding to students facing hardship ; what plans he has to take similar steps this year ; how much was saved by his Department over the past year following the abolition of benefits previously paid to students ; how much has been allocated in 1992 for access funds ; how many claimants previously qualifed for and claimed benefits ; and how many are in receipt of access funds.
Mr. Burt : Changes to the benefit arrangements for students were introduced alongside the enhanced support available through the educational maintenance system.
The reduction in expenditure on income support and housing benefit was estimated to be £91 million for the 1990-91 academic year. There were some 135,000 claims for income support from students during the summer vacation in 1989, the most recent date for which information is available. Data for August 1990 indicate that 19,000 students were in receipt of housing benefit during the summer vacation immediately before the benefit changes were introduced. Matters relating to access funds are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Science. Sources : Special Exercise to record all student claims for Income Support during the 1989 summer vacation.
The Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit Management Information System quarterly stock count for August 1990.
EMPLOYMENT
Training and Enterprise Councils
16. Mr. Leighton : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions she has had with TEC chairmen about adequate funding for TECs.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : My right hon. Friend has already met TEC chairmen on a number of occasions and will do so on a regular basis. The purpose of those meetings is to ensure that TECs continue to play an effective part in meeting our training and enterprise objectives.
Durham TEC
17. Mr. Milburn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what level of funding has been made available to Durham training and enterprise council this year compared to the last financial year for delivering employment training and youth training programmes.
Mr. McLoughlin : County Durham TEC's budgets for 1992-93 are £12, 986,767 for YT and £16,731,143 for ET. This compares to £15,719,999 and £20,808,873 respectively for 1991-92.
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Unemployment
18. Mr. John Greenway : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when she next plans to meet her European counterparts to discuss unemployment in the EC.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : I shall next be meeting European Community Employment Ministers at the Social Affairs Council later this month. Whenever I meet my counterparts I emphasise to them the importance of avoiding action which will cost jobs in the Community. The promotion of employment growth, enterprise and help for unemployed people will be a top priority for the United Kingdom Presidency.
Essex TEC
19. Mr. Burns : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the performance of the Essex TEC.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Last year Essex TEC provided a total of 4,585 places in youth training, 3,588 in employment training, and 424 people participated in the business start-up programme.
Health and Safety Inspectors
20. Mr. Cryer : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of health and safety inspectors currently employed ; and what is the current number of vacancies.
Mr. McLoughlin : On 1 May 1992, there were 1,491 inspectors in post in the Health and Safety Executive. HSE aims to have a further 101 inspectors in post by 1 April 1993.
Labour Statistics
21. Mr. John Evans : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in unemployment in the United Kingdom in the past 12 months.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : In the 12 months to April 1992, seasonally adjusted claimant unemployment in the United Kingdom, rose by 528,700 or 24 per cent.
27. Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her current estimate of the total of people who are engaged in more than one job and thus counted more than once in the employment totals.
Mr. McLoughlin : Precise information on the number of people with more than one job included in the published work force in employment estimates is not available.
However, the labour force survey estimated that 737,000 people held a second job as an employee in the spring of 1991.
Inner-city Unemployment
22. Mr. Dickens : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what help is offered to the unemployed in inner-city areas.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The Department, through the Employment Service and the network of training and enterprise councils, currently offers unemployed people a
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wider range of help than ever before in finding jobs or gaining the skills they need to compete for jobs. Many of our programmes are focused on long-term unemployed people and are, therefore, of particular benefit to inner city areas. We have sought to ensure that inner city residents and people from the ethnic minorities have access to these programmes by employing many specialists and outreach staff and by publishing literature in a number of minority languages. Training opportunities and jobs are one of the central features of the city challenge programme.Engineering Skills
23. Ms. Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for employment what plans she has for increasing the number of training places available in Stockport for young people to learn engineering skills.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Government have given training and enterprise councils the responsibility and resources to plan and deliver training which is most appropriate to meet local needs.
The Stockport area is covered by Stockport and High Peak training and enterprise council and we are satisfied that it has adequate training places available for the young people in its area who wish to enter the engineering industry.
In addition the training and enterprise council plans to increase its engineering provision with the introduction of a new course leading to the achievement of a national vocational qualification level three in two years.
Industrial Action
24. Mr. Dunn : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days were lost due to industrial action in (a) 1979, (b) 1991 and (c) the last 12-month period for which figures are available.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard : There were just 0.7 million working days lost through industrial action in the 12 months to March 1992, the latest available period, and 0.8 million working days lost in the whole of 1991. These compare with 29 million working days lost in 1979.
Equal Opportunities
25. Mr. Trimble : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether she will make a statement on the Government's policy concerning achieving equality of outcome in employment for minority groups.
Mr. McLoughlin : The Government are fully committed to ensuring equality of opportunity in the labour market for all.
The Department takes every opportunity to encourage employers to recognise the value--to themselves as well as to the community--of sound equal opportunities policies and practices in the workplace, and where necessary to provide practical help and advice. A recent example is the Department's 10-point plan pack for employers. Offering practical guidance on the developlment of appropriate policies, the pack underlines the message that the pursuit of equal opportunities is not only in the interests of minority groups. It also makes good business sense for employers to make the best possible use of all the human resources available to them. The Government's commitment to equal opportunities in employment is also applied through training and
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enterprise councils and the Employment Service, in the delivery of their programmes and services and by the Government as an employer itself.Mrs. Roe : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will name the members of the small high level working group which will advise her on issues relevant to women's opportunities in the workplace and beyond.
Mr. McLoughlin : The first members are as follows :
Lady Howe--
Chairman
Business in the Community's Women's Economic Development Team. Responsible for Opportunity 2000 (and former Deputy Chairman Equal Opportunities Commission).
Joanna Foster--
Chairman
Equal Opportunities Commission
Sue Slipman--
Director
National Council for One Parent Families
Baroness Denton--
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department of Trade and Industry and Government Co-chair, Women's National Commission Sue Rorstad--
Chairman and Managing Director
Poppies UK Ltd.
Peter Davies--
Chief Executive
Reed International Plc
Kay Coleman--
Chief Executive
Harveys & Co. (clothing) Ltd.
Graham Millar--
Managing Director
Rowntree Mackintosh Confectionary Ltd.
Dr. Susan McRae--
Senior Fellow
Policy Studies Institute
Sir Bryan Nicholson--
Chairman,
Post Office
Chairman,
National Council for Vocational Qualifications ; Former Chairman, Manpower Services Commission
Margaret Seymour--
Managing Director
Seymour Swimming Pool Engineers
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