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Sir Teddy Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the consideration at future meetings of the Council of Agriculture Ministers on acceptable alternatives to quarantine for pet animals is linked to any time scale ; and if a decision on such alternatives will be made by majority vote.
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Mr. Soames : No time scale has been adopted. I hope that any agreement on rabies control measures for pet animals would be unanimous, as was the agreement on commercially traded animals on 15 June.
Cats and Dogs (Imports)
Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many (a) traded cats and dogs and (b) cats and dogs which are pets, were imported into the United Kingdom for each of the last five years.
Mr. Gummer : This detailed information is not collected by the Ministry.
Animal Diseases
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the number of cases of marble spleen disease in game birds in each month since January 1991 ;
(2) if he will list the number of cases of enteric salmonellosis in pigs in each month since January 1991 ;
(3) if he will list the number of cases of hypocalcaemia and hypomagnesaemia in sheep in each month since January 1991 ; (4) if he will list the number of cases of swine erysipelas in each month since January 1991 ;
(5) if he will list the number of cases of parvovirus infection in pigs in each month since January 1991 ;
(6) if he will list the number of cases of pyelonephritis and greasy pig disease in each month since January 1991 ;
(7) if he will list the number of cases of swayback, coenuniosis, listeriosis, scrapie and border disease in sheep in each month since January 1991 ;
(8) if rotavirus infection in calves is notifiable ; and if he will list the numbers of cases in each month since January 1991 ; (9) if he will list the number of abortions in cattle caused by bacillus licheniformis in each month since January 1991.
Mr. Soames : The figures are as follows :
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1991 1992
|January |February |March |April |May |June |July |August |September|October |November |December |January |February |March
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marble Spleen Disease |1 |0 |1 |7 |3 |0 |3 |2 |7 |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |1
(Birds)
Enteric salmonellosin |12 |10 |12 |5 |8 |7 |5 |12 |8 |10 |5 |4 |5 |10 |5
pigs - not recorded but
included in
S. Typhimurium
and
Other Serotypes |16 |6 |8 |4 |3 |10 |6 |12 |10 |8 |10 |4 |4 |8 |7
Hypocalcaemia (Sheep) |9 |30 |47 |16 |11 |3 |2 |4 |0 |1 |4 |4 |27 |44 |41
Hypomagnesaemia (Sheep) |6 |10 |19 |22 |6 |4 |0 |5 |1 |0 |0 |1 |4 |13 |14
Swine Erysipelas |0 |1 |1 |3 |0 |3 |3 |4 |3 |5 |1 |4 |3 |2 |7
Parvovirus in Pigs |3 |8 |3 |5 |3 |7 |8 |2 |3 |8 |4 |10 |4 |7 |4
Pyelonephritis in Pigs |3 |7 |9 |7 |6 |4 |2 |3 |3 |3 |4 |1 |4 |4 |4
Greasy Pig Disease |3 |3 |0 |0 |2 |3 |2 |2 |0 |3 |5 |2 |4 |2 |9
(Exudative Dermatitis)
Swayback (Sheep) |1 |3 |8 |11 |0 |0 |1 |2 |0 |0 |0 |1 |0 |0 |4
Coenuniosis (Coenurriasis) |3 |4 |2 |0 |1 |3 |0 |4 |3 |4 |6 |1 |4 |7 |2
(Sheep)
Listeriosis (Sheep) |24 |58 |74 |57 |18 |2 |1 |3 |4 |3 |3 |7 |19 |48 |42
Foetopathy caused by |17 |22 |24 |7 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |3 |4 |9 |36 |17
Listeria (Sheep)
Scrapie (Sheep) |126 |120 |141 |80 |67 |62 |54 |76 |73 |69 |52 |69 |91 |119 |69
Border Disease (Sheep) |2 |3 |16 |15 |2 |1 |0 |0 |3 |0 |0 |0 |4 |3 |1
Rotavirus Infection |177 |197 |218 |189 |105 |55 |66 |61 |96 |125 |157 |169 |175 |209 |207
(Cattle)
Abortions in cattle caused |16 |19 |23 |10 |12 |17 |8 |7 |4 |4 |8 |4 |23 |13 |23
by Bacillus Licheniformis
Note:
Figures for April and May 1991 are not yet available.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Support Regulations
Mr. Robert B. Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will lay the regulations consequent on the Child Support Act 1991.
Mr. Burt : In laying today the first package of Child Support Regulations we have sought to achieve the right balance between the needs of parents and others responsible for the day to day care of children and absent parents who still retain responsibilities for their upkeep.
Today's regulations contain a number of important provisions including the precise details of the assessment formula provided for in the Child Support Act, the powers of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to collect necessary information and charging of interest on maintenance arrears.
Before becoming law these regulations must be debated in Parliament. Further regulations regarding collection and enforcement procedures will follow shortly and a final package of regulations will be brought forward in due course.
Comments on our proposals for the regulations were received from around 100 organisations and individuals who responded to the consultation exercise. A consultation exercise was also undertaken in Northern Ireland. Five hundred copies of the consultation document were sent out last November. We have considered the comments carefully and we have been helped in our decision- making by the helpful recommendations put to us. The main variations are : Minimum payment required from some absent parents on Income Support
The Government have decided to modify its proposals for requiring absent parents on Income Support, if they are fit and not currently responsible for children, to make a minimum payment. It is now proposed that those who are under 18 years old will not have to pay. For those who will have to pay, the minimum payment is at the same level as other standard deductions from Income Support, and is designed to establish the liability and a pattern of contributing to maintenance.
Dates from which maintenance liability is effective
The Government have looked very carefully at the comments about the date from which liability for maintenance should come into effect and has now decided that the effective date in all new cases, regardless of the benefit status of the person with care, will be the date on which the absent parent is notified that a maintenance application from (MAFF) has been received by the Agency. This will be the date when the maintenance inquiry form (MEF) is issued to the absent parent.
While the absent parent may owe some arrears by the time he or she is notified of the assessment, they will accrue only from the time he is aware of a Child Support Agency interest and can take steps to put money aside. Where the absent parent applies for maintenance assessment, the effective date will remain the date of receipt of the MAF by the Child Support Agency. Cases in the transitional period where there is an existing court order will have an effective date of issue of the maintenance assessment plus 2 days to allow for postage.
Phasing in Formula Assessments
The Government have reconsidered its proposals to phase in formula assessments where they are larger than
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existing orders. It was the original intention to restrict phasing to absent parents with a second family who had a court order. The Government consider that this would discriminate unfairly against parents who had made voluntary agreements to pay maintenance, and now proposes to extend phasing to absent parents with a second family who have written evidence of a maintenance agreement. The Government has also concluded that the original proposals were weighted too much towards the needs of the absent parent to the detriment of the interest of the person with care, and so it has reconsidered the duration and amount of the phasing arrangements. Regulations will therefore be laid to allow for phasing to last for one year before the full formula assessment will be instituted, to be available only where the formula assessment is less than £60, and to be based on a stepped increase of £20.Maintenance Requirement
The Government originally proposed a reduction in the amount of the adult allowance included in the maintenance requirement when the youngest child reaches the age of 11. However, in response to concerns expressed particularly by legal bodies as to the clear responsibilities that remain for the care and welfare of children under 16, we have now decided not to reduce the allowance at age 11. Reasonable housing costs
The Government had always intended that housing costs should be allowed in full provided that the parent acted responsibly in taking on housing costs in the light of existing commitments.
It is now proposed that no restriction of allowable housing costs will apply to parents who are disabled or have a disabled child or children living with them. High housing costs brought about by factors such as interest rate rises will also be allowed, as will costs which the parent has been meeting for at least 52 weeks. Maintenance Application Form (MAF)
Fourteen days will now be allowed, rather than seven, for the return of the MAF, this will give the person with care longer to complete the form but ensure that the payment of maintenance is not unduly delayed.
Reviews
Under the new scheme, there will be automatic annual reviews of maintenance assessments which will pick up changes of circumstances. In the meantime, however, as originally proposed, maintenance assessments will be changed if the difference in the new amount is £10 per week or more. This will ensure that significant changes do not need to wait until the annual review while ensuring that the person with care can expect a stable income from maintenance. In some particular circumstances--where an absent parent gets the benefit of protected income and there is an increase in the amount of maintenance payable, or there is a new qualifying child, or a child ceases to be a qualifying child--the amount will be changed if the difference is £1 or more (rather than zero as originally proposed). Interim Maintenance Assessment (IMA)
The Government now propose to set the level of an IMA at one and a half times the maintenance requirement instead of double. The Government also propose to increase the warning period (before an IMA is actually imposed) from seven to 14 days.
Tribunals
The Government has decided not to pursue its proposal that child support appeal tribunal chairman should have a
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discretionary power to exclude representatives. They have also decided to propose that hearings will be held in private, unless the chairman directs otherwise.Shared Care
The Government have decided to maintain its decision that two nights overnight stay is the minimum amount of care necessary to justify reducing the maintenance the absent parent pays. That provision keeps the right balance between the interests of both parents and interests of the child, given that shared care should mean joint responsibility for all important aspects of a child's upbringing, nurture, and day-to-day care and expense.
Requirement to Co-operate
The Government remain of the view that a sanction is needed to ensure that a parent with care cannot simply decide, with no good reason, to pass the full costs of maintaining a child on to the taxpayer rather than to seek maintenance from the other parent. The current proposals already include a number of changes which were made as a result of helpful comment during Parliamentary debate on the primary legislation. These changes were welcomed when they were made, and the Government feel that the right balance has now been achieved.
The Government believe that the level and duration of reduction set out in the consultation document achieve its objective of encouraging the parent to think his or her responsibilities and the benefits that maintenance offers to the child concerned.
Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that there would be a risk of the parent with care, or of any child living with the parent, suffering harm or undue distress as a result of pursuing maintenance, then no further action will be taken. The Government have said before that "harm or undue distress" would cover a risk of violence to the parent or child.
While corroborative evidence in support of a parent's claim of good cause will be welcome, it will not be essential. A Social Security Commissioner's decision sets out the presumption which applies in similar circumstances for benefit decisions, namely that the person concerned is telling the truth, unless there are strong grounds for thinking otherwise. The Government think it is right to follow such an approach for child maintenance.
Suitable and comprehensive training and guidance will be given to staff of the Child Support Agency to ensure that this sensitive area of work is handled professionally and sympathetically.
Take-on of Responsibility by the Child Support Agency
As indicated in general terms in the consultation document, the responsibilities of the Child Support Agency will be taken on over a period of time. From April 1993 the agency will take responsibility for the assessment, collection and enforcement of child maintenance in respect of all cases where there are no existing arrangements in place with the court.
Additionally, the Department of Social Security, with its "liable relative" responsibilities under section 24 of the Social Security Act 1986, has a large number of maintenance cases either presently without an arrangement or under an existing court order or voluntary agreement, and the Government intends to assess these cases under the Child Support Act over the three-year period 1993-96.
There are a large number of cases that have a court order but where there is no benefit involved. Because the agency will be taking on all new claims for maintenance
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and liable relative cases from 1993 it will not be possible for the agency to accommodate these cases, where parties wish to come to the agency, until 1996. Fropm April 1996, the person with care will be able to apply to the agency for an assessment, subject to phasing by surname of the person with care to the following timetable :!Surname A-D!April 1996!
!Surname E-K!July 1996!
!Surname L-R!October 1996!
!Surname S-Z!January 1997!
From April 1997 the agency will provide full services for all maintenance cases.
Disability Benefits
Ms. Abbott : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will consider and investigate the implications of the Social Security Act 1975, section 82(5) and the Persons Abroad Regulation 2(1)-2(1)c in relation to ethnic minority groups in Britain taking their disability benefits permanently abroad ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : We have no plans to amend the regulations to which the hon. Member refers. However, we will consider this matter further and reply to the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) about any specific recommendations they wish to make following the launch on 29 May of there pamphlet entitled "Disability Benefits While Living Abroad".
Ozone-depleting Chemicals
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will outline his Department's policy on recovery and recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals.
Miss Widdecombe : We are aware of the importance of the care of the environment and we promote the use of environmentally friendly goods whenever possible.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy on purchasing
ozone-depleting chemicals and goods manu-factured with these substances ; and in which year his Department expects to cease using, purchasing or releasing ozone-depleting substances, controlled by the Montreal protocol, and HCFCs.
Miss Widdecombe : Our policy is to promote the use of environmentally friendly materials, processes and products in the goods and services which we purchase. We expect to meet the requirements of the Montreal protocol and the EC regulations by the prescribed dates.
Mr. Win Griffiths : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the amount in tonnes of ozone-depleting chemicals used or purchased by his Department for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991, and estimates of usage for the next year ; what is the estimated bank of ozone- depleting chemicals contained within his Department ; and how many months' supply of ozone-depleting chemicals have been ordered by his Department.
Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is not available but we are committed to reducing the use of ozone-depleting substances where suitable alternatives are available.
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Child Benefit
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to raise child benefit to £10.40 per week ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : We are committed to increasing the current value of child benefit each year in line with prices. Child benefit will remain the cornerstone of our policies for family support and will continue to be paid to all families in respect of all children.
Income Support
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to allow income support to be paid in advance, in cases where this is necessary to secure accommodation ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : Income support is available to meet day to day living expenses whilst budgeting or crisis loans may be awarded from the social fund for rent in advance. In 1991-92, 11,992 social fund awards were made for rent in advance, totalling more than £1.4 million. Income support for people under pension age is paid in arrears. This is in line with the way wages and other benefits are paid. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
Mr. P. Mills-Williamson
Mr. Steen : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the mobility allowance claim appeal of Mr. P. Mills-Williamson, of 23 Higher Park, East Prawle, Kingsbridge, South Devon, to be heard by the adjudication officer ; why there has been a delay ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : The administration of mobility allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend shortly and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
Maxwell Pension Funds
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a formal request is to be made to the authorities in Liechtenstein regarding Maxwell funds that could be held in that country ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 19 June at column 704.
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to make a statement in the House before the summer recess over future funding for pensioners in Maxwell companies.
Miss Widdecombe : I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 16 June at column 489.
Claimants
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of people receiving income
support/supplementary benefit in each of the years 1979-80 to 1991-92 for Scotland and Great Britain ; and what is the estimate of dependants of these claimants in each year.
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Mr. Burt : The information available is in the tables. The most recent figures are as at May 1991, rounded to the nearest thousand.
|c|Table 2|c|
|c|Supplementary benefit/income support
recipients in Great Britain|c|
Year |Number of |Number of
|claimants |dependants
--------------------------------------------
1979 |2,855,000 |1,516,000
1980 |3,118,000 |1,746,000
1981 |3,723,000 |2,399,000
1982 |4,267,000 |2,803,000
1983 |4,349,000 |2,889,000
1984 |4,609,000 |3,119,000
1986 |4,938,000 |3,354,000
1987 |4,896,000 |3,310,000
1988 |4,352,000 |3,036,000
1989 |4,161,000 |2,862,000
1990 |4,180,000 |2,770,000
1991 |4,487,000 |3,260,000
Notes:
1.No information is available for 1985.
2.Dependants means partners of a claimant
and children and young persons aged up to
19, living in the household of a claimant.
Source: Supplementary Benefit/Income
Support Annual Statistical Enquiries
1979-1991.
|c|Table 2|c|
|c|Supplementary benefit/income support
recipients in Great Britain|c|
Year |Number of |Number of
|claimants |dependants
--------------------------------------------
1979 |2,855,000 |1,516,000
1980 |3,118,000 |1,746,000
1981 |3,723,000 |2,399,000
1982 |4,267,000 |2,803,000
1983 |4,349,000 |2,889,000
1984 |4,609,000 |3,119,000
1986 |4,938,000 |3,354,000
1987 |4,896,000 |3,310,000
1988 |4,352,000 |3,036,000
1989 |4,161,000 |2,862,000
1990 |4,180,000 |2,770,000
1991 |4,487,000 |3,260,000
Notes:
1.No information is available for 1985.
2.Dependants means partners of a claimant
and children and young persons aged up to
19, living in the household of a claimant.
Source: Supplementary Benefit/Income
Support Annual Statistical Enquiries
1979-1991.
Social Fund
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund grants and loans have been made in each district in Wales in each year from 1988-89 to 1991-92.
Mr. Scott : Information about social fund awards is in the Library.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the gross and net social fund budget for grants and loans respectively for each district in Wales, in total and per head of income support caseload, for each of the years 1990-91 and 1991-92, and the corresponding gross and estimated net total and per capita budget figures for 1992-93 based on the caseload at the latest date for which information is available.
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 Public Information Office.
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Benefits Agency
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action was taken as a result of the letter sent to the chief executive of the Benefits Agency by Mr. Martin Baillie of the Islington Welfare Rights Unit on 9 January concerning leaflet FB31.
Mr. Burt : The wording of leaflets 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.
Unemployment Statistics
Mr. McLeish : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total cost of unemployment in each of the years 1979-80 and 1991-92 at current prices broken down by income support, unemployment benefit, housing benefit and rate or poll tax rebate ; and what estimate he has made of the extra cost per 100,000 unemployed in 1992-93, 1993-94 and 1994-95.
Mr. Burt : Information on the cost of unemployment is not available in exactly the form requested, as the DSS element of housing support was included in supplementary benefit in 1979-80. The available information is given in the table.
Estimates of the extra cost per 100,000 unemployed are given in Figure 25 of the 1992 departmental report (Cm. 1914), a copy of which is in the Library.
£ million at 1991-92 prices
|1979-80|1991-92
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Unemployment benefit |1,516 |1,506
Supplementary benefit/income support |1,897 |4,143
Housing benefit/community charge benefit |1,713
1991-92 figures are estimated outturn.
1991-92 figures for income support includes social fund
expenditure.
Government Resettlement Units
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Government re-settlement units are currently in operation ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : There are currently 15 resettlement units in operation. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 5 February 1992 at column 210.
ENVIRONMENT
Water Shortages
Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what statutory powers the Director General of the Office of Water Services has in respect of water shortages ; when he expects to receive the report of his Department's investigation into water shortages ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : My Department will be issuing a consultation paper on water conservation before the summer recess. Among other things this will discuss the role in that context of the Director General of Water Services. The statutory responsibility for water resources management belongs to the National Rivers Authority.
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Development Policy
Miss Emma Nicholson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ensure that in future development of land and resources in the south west in general, and Torridge and west Devon in particular, the areas' natural assets and environmental diversity will be safeguarded.
Mr. Baldry : Yes. Regional planning guidance and the plan-led system of development control can help achieve this. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be issuing regional guidance in response to advice from the South West regional planning conference. At the more local level, planning authorities have a responsibility in their development plans to make adequate provision for development but they must take environmental considerations comprehensively and consistently into account. Plans have to include policies on the conservation of the natural beauty and amenity of the land.
Mersey Special Protection Area
Ms. Eagle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the extent of the area of the Mersey estuary which has been proposed for designation as a special protection area under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds.
Mr. Maclean : I will arrange for a map showing the proposed boundary of the Mersey estuary special protection area to be sent to the hon. Member.
Ms. Eagle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to designate the Mersey estuary as a special protection area under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds.
Mr. Maclean : The Government are firmly committed to an accelerated SPA designation programme. We recognise the value of the Mersey estuary in the light of the scientific evidence put forward by the former Nature Conservancy Council. There are many complex issues to consider and I cannot at this stage forecast when the Mersey estuary will be designated.
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