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families, through the benefit system and through the proposed child support arrangements. Numerous speeches and statements have set out the Department's views on the family perspective and the needs of families featured prominently in the deliberations leading up to the 1988 social security reforms, as well as the 1990 White Paper "Children Come First".The structure of the benefit system now provides two clear and distinct paths for the provision of help to families with the cost of bringing up children. The first is to provide help for families generally, while the second is to provide extra help for low-income families, both in and out of work.
Child benefit is designed to meet the needs of families generally and the Government remain committed to the principle of giving financial support to those who bear the extra responsibility of bringing up children.
The introduction of income support to replace supplementary benefit enabled us to tackle many of the deficiencies and complexities of the old system. Through the system of personal allowances and premiums reflecting the needs of particular client groups, such as the family premium for families with children, we are now able to direct help specifically towards low-income families not in work.
The cornerstone of our approach to help low-income working families is family credit. This now provides a tax-free weekly cash payment to boost the incomes of almost 450,000 working families, payable in nearly every case to the mother. Family credit is designed to : (
(i) provide extra support to these families in accordance with their needs and ensure as far as possible that they are better off in work ;
(ii) ensure that those who are able to work harder or for longer hours do not lose all or more of the extra money earned because of the withdrawal of income related benefits.
In our manifesto we promised :
"We will set up a new Family Credit telephone advice service to support working families".
The new family credit helpline will be set up from April 1993 to help potential, as well as existing customers.
Families both in and out of work qualify for housing benefit and for community charge benefit, to be replaced next month by the council tax benefit. Both benefits, like income support, feature a family premium and a structure of allowances to take account of family needs.
There is a need for social policy to reinforce and encourage parents' acceptance of their responsibility for providing for their children. Our new Child Support Agency, to be launched on 5 April, will take over the task of assessing, collecting and enforcing payments of child maintenance. By setting up a purpose-built agency charged with all aspects of maintenance, rather than the current fragmented system, we expect to see big gains in the extent to which absent parents contribute towards the support of their children. The new system should also bring greater predictability and regularity in the payment of maintenance--so that maintenance will contribute to creating a stable basis of income on which parents caring for children can build.
The Department also commissions research to analyse the situation of single people and families receiving benefit of various stages of life. All benefit statistics give a breakdown of the numbers and characteristics of the people receiving them. The departmental report--
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Cm 2213, February 1993--provides an analysis of social security expenditure and includes a bibliography ; a copy is in the Library.Fire, Banbury Office
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claimants' records were destroyed in the fire at his Department's office in Banbury, Oxfordshire ; and if he will make a statement as to the probable cause of the fire ;
(2) what action he is taking to see that claimants whose records were destroyed in the fire at his Department's office in Banbury, Oxfordshire, do not suffer undue delay in having their claims processed ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : There was no fire at the Department's premises in Banbury --media reports were misleading. It is understood that the fire in question was at the local authority social services office in Banbury.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by year for the last five years (a) the number of persons employed by grade and (b) the annual cost of (i) the disablement benefit section, (ii) the contributory benefits (appeals) section, (iii) the social fund section, (iv) the income support (appeals) section, (v) the income support section, to cover all aspects of income support including housing benefit, (vi) the section dealing with income support for persons aged 16 and 17 years, (vii) the section dealing with direct payments to third parties in respect of fuel costs etc., (viii) the Child Support Agency, (ix) the Contributions Agency section, (x) the fraud and special investigations section and (xi) the reception area of his Department's offices in Castle house, Doncaster.
Mr. Burt : Figures are available only for 1991-92 and 1992-93 since the Benefits Agency was formed except for details from the Contributions Agency where 1990-91 information is held.
Such information as is available is tabled.
Staffing and costs of Doncaster district office Department of Social Security 1991-92 Benefit |LO1 |Grades LO2|AA |Cost (£) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disablement |1 |3 |0.5 |53,000 Contributions (Appeals) |1 |0 |0 |15,000 Social Fund |12 |9 |5 |327,000 Income Support (Appeals) |1.5 |0 |0 |23,000 Income Support Section |4.5 |18 |6 |322,000 Income Support 16-17 year olds |0.5 |0 |0 |8,000 Direct Payments |1 |2.5 |0 |43,000 Child Support Unit |5 |3 |0 |110,000 Contributions Agency |3 |2.5 |0 |74,000 (90-91 details available) |3 |3 |1 |88,000 Fraud and Special Investigation |4 |1 |1 |81,000 Reception |1 |7.5 |0 |99,000 Note: All salary costs at 1991-92 rates.
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Staffing and costs of Doncaster district office Department of Social Security 1992-93 Benefit |LO1 |Grades LO2|AA |Cost (£) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disablement |1 |3 |0.5 |54,000 Contributions (Appeals) |1 |0 |0 |16,000 Social Fund |10 |12 |5 |331,000 Income Support (Appeals) |1.5 |0 |0 |24,000 Income Support Section |5.5 |20.5 |6.5 |369,000 Income Support 16-17 year olds |0.5 |0 |0 |8,000 Direct Payments |1 |6 |1 |91,801 Child Support Unit |4 |3 |0 |97,382 Contributions Agency |3 |2.6 |0 |77,000 Fraud and Special Investigation |4 |1 |1 |82,000 Reception |1 |9.5 |0 |125,000 Note: All salary costs at 1992-93 rates.
Unemployment Benefit
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will abolish the regulation by which unemployment benefit is reduced by 10p for every 10p over £35 received in occupational pension for those aged 55 years.
Mr. Burt : We have no plans to do so.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the conditions in which persons over the age of 55 years lose unemployment benefit arising from interaction with pension entitlement.
Mr. Burt : Unemployment benefit is reduced by 10p for every 10p by which an occupational or personal pension payable to a claimant aged 55 years or over exceeds £35 a week.
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he intends to review the benefit rules as set out in NI 230 in so far as they discriminate against persons aged over 55 years ; how many persons are in receipt of a reduced level of unemployment benefit arising out of the rules ; and what is the reason for the different treatment of persons in receipt of unemployment benefit arising out of the rules.
Mr. Burt : We have no plans to revise these rules.
The number of people whose entitlement to unemployment benefit is reduced or extinguished due to the receipt of an occupational or personal pension is 26,400.
The abatement rules are in line with the Government's policy to target help to those in greatest need, particularly those who do not have the support which an occupational or personal pension provides. The reduction of the age threshold from 60 to 55 years was made to reflect changing patterns of retirement. Since the introduction of the original rule, increasing numbers of people have been retiring before the age of 60 with an occupational or personal pension. Source : Half Yearly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants, May 1992.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people lose all their entitlement to unemployment benefit because of an occupational pension ; and are such people still counted on the official register of number of unemployed ;
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(2) how many people lose some amount of unemployment benefit because of receipt of an occupational pension.Mr. Burt : The number of people who lose some amount of unemployment benefit because of receipt of an occupational or personal pension is 26,400. In 9,200 of these cases entitlement to unemployment benefit is extinguished.
Source : Half Yearly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants : May 1992.
People whose entitlement to unemployment benefit is extinguished due to the receipt of an occupational or personal pension may continue to register unemployed for the purpose of obtaining national insurance credits. Those who do so will be included in the unemployment statistics. No figures are held for people who decide not to pursue a claim for credits and they could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mrs. Mahon : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will raise the age at which receipt of occupational pension affects unemployment benefit from 55 to 60 years of age.
Mr. Burt : We have no plans to do so.
Income Support
Mr. Barnes : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 3 March, Official Report, columns 201-2, if he will (a) make it his policy to end the arrangements on the deprivation of capital for benefit purposes and (b) place in the Library of the House a copy of the adjudication officers' guide ; and when benefits agency officers were last reminded of the provision of existing legislation and guidance on this matter.
Mr. Burt : There are no plans to change the present rules. Copies of the adjudication officers guide have been in the Library for some time. I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the most recent reminder to agency staff was issued in January 1993.
ENVIRONMENT
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has, following the United Kingdom's commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emission levels in 2000 to the level in 1990 for the emission levels beyond 2000.
Mr. Maclean : The United Nations framework convention on climate change contains provision for further commitments to be agreed for limiting greenhouse gas emissions in the period beyond 2000. The commitments in the convention must be reviewed at the first meeting of the convention's conference of parties, again not later than the end of 1998, and periodically thereafter.
For the present, the Government have no specific objectives for emissions beyond 2000. However measures taken as part of the programme to limit emissions by 2000 are likely to have a continuing effect on emissions thereafter. And, given that there is likely to be a continuing
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need to restrain emissions, the Government are looking at the options for containing emissions in the longer term and are carrying out research where necessary. Interim advice has already been given to local planning authorities on how land use planning might influence the need to travel and choice of travel mode, and hence affect CO emissions from transport in the longer term.Packaging Directive
Mr. Dafis : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to secure amendments to the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste in order to (a) set targets for reducing the overall amount of packaging used and (b) introduce measures to increase the use of refillable containers.
Mr. Maclean : We believe that limiting the amount of packaging to be produced in the Community would be an unacceptable constraint on economic growth. Such a limit would be very difficult to enforce and is not necessary to achieve the environmental objective of reducing the amount of packaging waste going to final disposal. We believe the approach proposed by the Commission of setting targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste is more appropriate. We will explore in negotiation whether those targets can reflect the contribution made by refillable containers without creating barriers to trade or competition.
Catalytic Converters
Ms Short : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the projected decrease in emissions of nitrogen dioxide resulting from the introduction of catalytic converters takes into account the effects of cold starts and short journeys within urban areas ; and what are the implications of these factors for future urban air quality.
Mr. Maclean : Projections of emissions of oxides of nitrogen published by Warren Spring Laboratory take account both of the introduction of catalytic converters on cars and of the fact that these do not control emissions effectively until the engine has warmed up. The introduction of catalytic converters is expected to result in a decline both in emissions of oxides of nitrogen and in average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide. However, peak wintertime concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in urban areas will be less affected because of the preponderance of short car journeys and of low ambient temperatures in winter.
Energy Efficiency Office
Mr. Alan W. Williams : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the publicity budget of the Energy Efficiency Office (a) for 1986-87 and (b) for 1992-93, expressed in constant money terms ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : The Energy Efficiency Office's publicity outturn in 1986-87 was some £18 million in 1992 prices, and the estimated outturn for 1992-93 is £8 million. The higher level of expenditure on publicity in 1986-87 reflects the short-term "Monergy" campaign undertaken at that time to raise general awareness of the economic benefits of energy efficiency. The EEO continues to run general
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publicity campaigns such as "Helping the Earth Begins at Home", but in addition is now giving greater emphasis to helping specific groups of consumers make energy efficiency improvements by providing them with advice and information.Noise Abatement Zones
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action he now proposes to take arising from the Building Research Establishment's report on noise abatement zones ; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what representations he has received on noise abatement zones ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maclean : My Department is currently considering the findings of a review of noise abatement zones in England and Wales 1976-1992. We will announce our conclusions in due course. We have received no representations on noise abatement zones, other than from the hon. Member.
Pollution
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many public complaints, broken down by region and by county, have been received in each of the last four years by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution ; and if he will provide the same information identified for each installation complained about.
Mr. Maclean : The information can be provided in the form requested only at disproportionate cost. However, the figures for public complaints against processes are included in the HMIP annual report which is placed in the House of Commons Library.
Landfill Sites
Ms Short : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many landfill sites in the United Kingdom have gas control plant with flarestacks ; how many of these have licence conditions incorporating the recommendations for combustion temperature contained in waste management paper 27 ; and what action has been taken against site operators who do not maintain flarestacks to a satisfactory standard.
Mr. Maclean : Waste disposal licensing is the responsibility of the waste regulation authorities and these authorities maintain public records of licensed activities in their areas. The information is not held centrally.
In considering applications for licences, suitable conditions are set by authorities to ensure that operations do not lead to pollution or danger to public health. Conditions are set on a site specific basis taking account of the guidance given by the Department in waste management papers. Waste management paper 27 explains that all landfill sites should be considered as having the potential to generate landfill gas and all should be monitored for gas evolution and migration. Sites should, where necessary, have control systems installed to prevent uncontrolled gas migration.
Authorities have a duty to monitor activities at licensed sites. They are able to revoke licences if licence holders fail to comply with the conditions attached to the licence and take appropriate remedial action if a hazard arises.
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Radioactive Discharges
Mr. Chris Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the levels of radioactive discharges into (a) the sewerage system and (b) rivers, in the United Kingdom, for each of the last three years.
Mr. Maclean : Discharges of radioactive waste to the public sewerage system and to watercourses are strictly regulated by means of authorisations issued under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution--HMIP. Authorisations are issued only after a careful radiological assessment and impose strict conditions and maximum activity limits which ensure proper protection from such disposals for all members of the public, including sewer workers. Discharges in excess of the set limits would be an offence and could render an operator liable to prosecution.
Results of a research study conducted on behalf of HMIP by the National Radiological Protection Board into the exposure of sewer workers associated with radioactive discarges from hospitals was published in June 1991. It found that doses of radiation to those sewer workers with long exposure near to hospital discharge points are approximately 100th that of natural background levels. Further research conducted on behalf of HMIP by St Bartholomew's medical college into the levels of Iodine 125 in drinking water show that actual radiation exposure to the public is less than 100th that of natural background levels. I-125 is a principal component of discharges from hospitals. Both these reports (DOE/HMIP/RR/91/030 and 031) are in the Library of the House. The studies form part of an HMIP- commissioned programme of research into the environmental behaviour of radionuclides.
A programme for monitoring radioactivity in public water supplies in England and Wales has operated for many years. Results from this programme are published in the Department's "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" a copy of which is in the Library. Selective monitoring of private water supplies is also undertaken under contract to this Department.
Contracting Out
Mr. McAllion : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those services or functions that have been contracted out from his Department since November 1991 without market testing an in-house bid against external competition, with, in each instance, the successful contractor and the reasons for the decision to exclude an in-house bid.
Mr. Howard : None of the projects in my Department's market-testing programme which involves exposing in-house functions to competition has yet reached the stage where a contract or service level agreement has been awarded. In-house bids are being encouraged in every case.
Housing Subsidy
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the formula for arriving at the housing element allowed to local authorities under the housing subsidy application ; and if he will make a statement.
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Mr. Baldry : My Department publishes, annually, two general determinations setting out how each local housing authority's entitlement to housing revenue account subsidy for the forthcoming financial year shall be calculated. These determinations are placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The most recent determinations were published on 17 December 1992 in respect of the financial year starting on 1 April 1993.
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the rate of inflation included in the housing element of the housing subsidy (a) nationally and (b) for Wakefield district council.
Mr. Baldry : Our policy is to target housing revenue account subsidy according to the relative needs of each authority. This is done by targeting the two main components of the housing element of the subsidy calculation, guidelines rents and management and maintenance allowances, according to the relative value and characteristics retrospectively of each authority's stock. For 1993-94, we are increasing guideline rents nationally by 7.75 per cent.--5 per cent. above the underlying rate of general
inflation--compared with a 7.1 per cent. increase for Wakefield district council. Management and maintenance allowances are to be increased by 3.75 per cent. overall but Wakefield district council's allowance will be increased by only 1.25 per cent. because the council's existing allowance is already very close to our assessment of the council's relative need to spend.
House Conditions Survey
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the reasons for the delay in publishing the English house conditions survey.
Sir George Young : There is no delay. The data are being analysed now and the results will be published as soon as they are available.
Housing Association Lettings
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total of new lettings made by housing associations in England for each year since 1979 ; and what proportion of new lettings were made to tenants receiving housing benefits.
Sir George Young : Information on the number of housing association lettings in England is available from 1988-89, and information on lettings to tenants qualifying for housing benefit from 1990-91. The information is as follows :
New lettings<1> made
by housing
associations (
England)
|Number
----------------------
1988-89 |56,800
1989-90 |60,400
1990-91 |62,600
1991-92 |70,500
Source: Housing
Corporation HAR10/1
returns.
<1> Excludes
transfers within an
association and
accommodation in
almshouses and
Abbeyfields.
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Proportion of new
lettings<1> to tenants
qualifying for housing
benefit
(England)
|Per cent
---------------------------
1990-91 |56
1991-92 |64
Source: National
Federation of Housing
Associations "CORE"
database.
<1> Excludes transfers
within an association and
accommodation in
almshouses and
Abbeyfields.
Leighton Hospital Incinerator
Mrs. Dunwoody : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the timetable for the construction of additional road facilities to accommodate waste transport to the proposed waste incinerator at Leighton hospital in Crewe.
Mr. Maclean : This is a matter for Cheshire county council.
Hazardous Substances
Ms Walley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 and the 1992 regulations made under it ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : This legislation came into force in June 1992. My Department has been closely monitoring the operation of the new controls since then and will continue to do so. We will shortly be asking local authorities to provide detailed information about all applications for hazardous substances consent received up to 31 March this year.
Service Pesonnel (Housing)
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with local authority associations concerning the housing needs of personnel leaving the services ; and if he will make a statement.
Sir George Young : Advice to local authorities about housing for people leaving the services is given in Department of the Environment circular 54/75 "Housing for Ex-Servicemen and Ex-Service Women". Much of that guidance remains relevant, but the circular needs updating to reflect, for example, the third--1991--edition of the homelessness code of guidance, Ministry of Defence housing innitiatives announced in 1992, and the increasing role of housing associations in the provision of social housing. We will consult the local authority associations and other interested parties on the draft text of a replacement circular shortly.
Northumbria Water Laboratory
Mr. Boyes : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will intervene to halt the transfer of the Northumbria River Authority laboratory from Washington to Leeds.
Mr. Maclean : This is a management matter for the National Rivers Authority.
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Satellite Dishes
Mr. William O'Brien : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to change the planning laws concerning the number of satellite dishes allowed on blocks of flats without planning permission ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Baldry : Revised planning rules affecting satellite TV dishes on flats came into force in July 1991, following a review. When the 1991 rules were introduced, the Minister for Housing and Planning made clear that they would be considered again should the Independent Television Commission license another significant direct broadcasting by satellite provider or should another major satellite service emerge that cannot be received by means of an Astra aerial.
Housing Association Grant
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations which have made representations to him concerning the effect of reduced housing association grant rates on rent levels for housing association tenants ; and if he will give the proportion of these organisations which expressed concern about increased rent levels.
Sir George Young : Ministers receive representations throughout the year on rates of housing association grant and rent levels, and on the relationship between the two. There is no analysis available of which bodies have made what type of representation, but the organisations which have expressed views on this subject include the National Federation of Housing Associations and other national bodies, as well as individual housing associations and local bodies.
Council Homes
Mr. Battle : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the first-year revenue cost in England of providing a two-bedroomed council home for rent
Sir George Young : The majority of new house building for rent is undertaken by housing associations and consequently the information requested by the hon. Member is not collected by my Department.
National Parks
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding the future funding and organisation of the national parks.
Mr. Maclean : Our policy statement on the national parks, published in January 1992, promised legislation to create independent authorities for the eight national parks in England and Wales currently run as county council committees. I fully recognise the importance of introducing national park legislation at the earliest opportunity and I have repeatedly said that we will do so. We cannot commit ourselves to a specific level of resources for the parks, but I believe that our record of funding should give confidence that the new authorities will be able to discharge their various responsibilities.
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Dumplington Development
Mr. Alfred Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 3 March, Official Report, column 189, on the proposed development at Dumplington, when he now proposes to announce his decision to the House.
Mr. Baldry : My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State's decision to grant planning permission for the development of a sub- regional shopping centre at Dumplington, was issued on Thursday, 4 March.
Helping the Earth Begins at Home"
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many telephone complaints have been received about the "Helping the Earth Begins at Home" campaign.
Mr. Maclean : Since the "Helping the Earth Begins at Home" campaign began in November 1991, one telephone complaint has been received by my Department.
Homeless People (Deaths)
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homeless people have been found dead on the streets of London in each of the past five years.
Mr. Baldry : This information is not held centrally.
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