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Juvenile Offenders
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number and percentage of cases dealt with at first appearance at the juvenile court and subsequently youth court for each of the last five years (a) in England and Wales and (b) in each region for England and Wales ;
(2) what was the average length of time from offence to charge or summons for juveniles in each of the last five years (a) in England and Wales and (b) in each region of England and Wales ; (3) what was the average length of time from first appearance to completion of a case at the juvenile court and subsequently youth court for each of the last five years (a) in England and Wales and (b) in each region for England and Wales ;
(4) what was the average length of time from charge or summons to first listing in the juvenile and subsequently youth court for each of the last five years (a) in England and Wales and (b) in each region for England and Wales.
Mr. Maclean : The readily available information, which is collected in selected sample weeks in February, June and
Column 373
October of each year for indictable offences --including either way--is given in the table. Information from the 1993 samples will be available in early 1994.Column 373
Average time taken for indictable proceedings<1> in juvenile courts<2> by stage of proceedings and area, 1989 to 1992
Drugs/percentage
Area/year Average number of
days from
|Offence to charge or|Charge or summons to|First listing to |Offence to |Percentage completed|Numbers of
|summons |first listing |completion |completion |on first listing |defendants in
|sample
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
London
1989 |42 |18 |68 |128 |13 |363
1990 |44 |19 |87 |150 |10 |326
1991 |45 |19 |76 |141 |11 |292
1992 |54 |18 |66 |137 |20 |323
Other Metropolitan districts
1989 |42 |21 |60 |123 |16 |543
1990 |48 |20 |75 |143 |13 |582
1991 |42 |21 |73 |136 |13 |610
1992 |44 |20 |72 |135 |13 |651
Non-Metropolitan Counties
1989 |55 |25 |58 |137 |17 |1,054
1990 |50 |24 |55 |130 |15 |998
1991 |53 |25 |61 |139 |17 |895
1992 |43 |24 |57 |123 |15 |1,028
England and Wales
1989 |49 |22 |60 |132 |16 |1,960
1990 |49 |22 |67 |138 |13 |1,906
1991 |48 |23 |67 |138 |15 |1,797
1992 |45 |22 |63 |129 |15 |2,002
<1> Based on all indictable proceedings completed in sample weeks in February, June and October of each year.
<2> Youth courts from 1 October 1992.
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to set targets for completion of each stage of the criminal justice process from offence to caution or completion of the court case in relation to juvenile offenders.
Mr. Maclean : Following implementation of recommendations from the pre-trial issues working group, a number of such targets applying to the court process are already in place for adults as well as juveniles. In addition, there are statutory limits governing the length of time that defendants can be held in custody while on remand. I do not intend to set time limits for the issuing of cautions.
Burglaries
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries in the 12 months ended June 1993 (a) in England and Wales and (b) in each police force area in England and Wales were (i) burglary of a home and (ii) other burglaries.
Mr. Maclean : The information requested is given in the table.
Notifiable offences of burglary recorded by the police by police force area-12 months
ending June 1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Burglary in a |Burglary in a
|dwelling |building other than
|a dwelling
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |24,095 |21,293
Bedfordshire |7,256 |8,806
Cambridgeshire |7,571 |8,706
Cheshire |10,929 |12,241
Cleveland |12,426 |7,159
Cumbria |4,922 |7,032
Derbyshire |9,456 |15,212
Devon and Cornwall |14,608 |16,689
Dorset |5,859 |4,390
Durham |7,618 |6,422
Essex |10,325 |16,809
Gloucestershire |8,936 |8,861
Greater Manchester |66,263 |38,361
Hampshire |16,865 |18,854
Hertfordshire |5,627 |7,788
Humberside |18,789 |27,636
Kent |19,423 |12,288
Lancashire |18,823 |11,526
Leicestershire |14,046 |11,324
Lincolnshire |6,697 |5,535
City of London |33 |803
Merseyside |23,018 |12,395
Metropolitan police district |124,732 |63,063
Norfolk |6,340 |12,178
Northamptonshire |6,788 |6,670
Northumbria |31,652 |32,833
North Yorkshire |7,551 |9,047
Nottinghamshire |22,322 |17,760
South Yorkshire |23,274 |25,594
Staffordshire |13,562 |17,257
Suffolk |3,879 |5,615
Surrey |6,025 |7,322
Sussex |15,849 |14,054
Thames Valley |21,520 |17,928
Warwickshire |4,417 |8,794
West Mercia |8,340 |9,847
West Midlands |53,960 |50,717
West Yorkshire |56,624 |37,812
Wiltshire |4,492 |4,832
|------- |-------
England |724,912 |621,453
|------- |-------
Dwfed-Powys |1,584 |3,297
Gwent |3,639 |4,083
North Wales |4,210 |8,270
South Wales |14,844 |24,726
|------- |-------
Wales |24,277 |40,376
|------- |-------
England and Wales |749,189 |661,829
Disclosure Requirements
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to cut the amount of police time and time of civilian employees of police authorities to meet requirements of disclosure while allowing the necessary access on behalf of defendants.
Mr. Charles Wardle : My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the recommendations of the Royal Commission on criminal justice for simplifying the obligations for disclosure and reducing the burdens on the police. Any new provisions must be workable and fair.
Prison, Doncaster
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the levels of overcrowding on which tenders for the new prison at Doncaster have been invited.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated November 1993 : The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about levels of overcrowding at Her Majesty's Prison Doncaster. The Invitation to Tender stated that, in accordance with the current procedures for opening new prisons, it was not envisaged that Her Majesty's Prison would be overcrowed.
In recognition of the population pressure, however, and of the importance of having the value of competitive pressure in setting performance outputs and prices, all tenderers have subsequently been asked for their proposals for operating the prison at above the Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) figure, including the impact on regime offerded on prisoner care.
Courts
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) indictable offences, (b) summary motoring offences and (c) summary non-motoring offences were dealt with in the magistrates courts in each years since 1980 and in the last year for which figures are available ;
(2) how many (a) indictable offences, (b) summary motoring offences and (c) summary non-motoring offences were dealt with by the juvenile court and latterly by the youth court in each year since 1980 and in the last month available.
Mr. Maclean : Readily available information on the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts by age group and type of offence is published
Column 376
annually in the Command Paper "Criminal statistics England and Wales". Table 6.1 of the 1990 and 1991 editions refers. Copies of these publications are available in the Library. 1992 data--which are provisional--are given in the table. 1993 data will not be available until autumn 1994.
England and Wales 1992<1>
(Thousands)
Type of offence |Persons aged 10 and|All defendants
|under 17
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indictable |35 |490
Summary non-motoring |11 |601
Summary motoring |3 |938
------ |------
Total |49 |2,030
<1> Provisional.
Prosecution Costs
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost of a prosecution (a) in the magistrates courts, (b) in the youth court and (c) in the Crown court.
Mr. Maclean : Comparative information on the costs of proceedings for either way offences in the magistrates and Crown court was included in "Costs of the Criminal Justice Systems 1992", published in December 1992 under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. No separate data are available in respect of the youth court.
Fire and Rescue Services
Mr. Tipping : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the standard spending assessment and planned budget for each fire and rescue service during the current financial year.
Mr. Howard : Standard spending assessments relate to fire and civil defence expenditure ; and the table provides the information requested on that basis.
(£ million)
|1993-94 Fire and |1993-94 Fire and
|Civil Defence SSA|Civil Defence
|budgeted spending
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Fire Authority
Avon |20.473 |21.829
Bedfordshire |11.073 |11.780
Berkshire |16.601 |15.798
Buckinghamshire |12.360 |12.318
Cambridgeshire |12.039 |13.795
Cheshire |20.103 |21.002
Cleveland |19.464 |20.128
Cornwall |7.181 |10.146
Cumbria |8.753 |11.813
Derbyshire |17.067 |18.272
Devon |19.557 |22.240
Dorset |12.065 |13.748
Durham |12.973 |13.914
East Sussex |14.891 |16.600
Essex |31.445 |34.667
Gloucestershire |9.605 |10.285
Hampshire |31.585 |27.823
Hereford and Worcester |12.116 |12.025
Hertfordshire |20.328 |19.547
Kent |2.229 |3.396
Humberside |21.322 |22.168
Isle of Wight |30.998 |35.138
Lancashire |32.276 |33.320
Leicestershire |16.924 |14.878
Lincolnshire |9.583 |11.641
Norfolk |13.010 |14.999
Northamptonshire |11.260 |11.460
Northumberland |5.823 |8.433
North Yorkshire |12.001 |14.718
Nottinghamshire |21.087 |20.784
Oxfordshire |11.284 |11.326
Shropshire |7.839 |8.040
Somerset |7.693 |9.349
Staffordshire |19.345 |18.577
Suffolk |11.023 |12.770
Surrey |22.133 |26.288
Warwickshire |8.993 |11.574
West Sussex |14.836 |16.122
Wiltshire |10.054 |10.267
Isles of Scilly |0.053 |0.088
Fire and Civil Defence Authority
London |247.910 |247.749
Greater Manchester |72.754 |70.516
Merseyside |48.327 |47.429
South Yorkshire |29.683 |30.104
Tyne and Wear |35.357 |33.803
West Midlands |69.070 |66.728
West Yorkshire |50.752 |52.392
Note: The SSAs shown for county fire authorities take no account of capital financing
costs.
Police Authority Budgets
Dr. Marek : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are for an increase in police authority budgets for policing costs in the second half of 1993-94.
Mr. Charles Wardle : Police authorities will have taken account of the level of Government support for policing when setting their budgets for 1993-94. Any changes to these budgets would be a matter for the local authorities concerned.
Car Crime
Mr. Michael : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing (a) for England and Wales and (b) for each police force area in England and Wales for the 12 months ended June 1993(i) the total number of car crimes, (ii) the number of thefts from a vehicle and (iii) the number of thefts of vehicles.
Mr. Maclean : The requested information is given in the table.
Notifiable offences of vehicle crime recorded by the police by police
force area-12 months ending June 1993
England and Wales
Police force area |Total vehicle crime |Theft from a vehicle|Theft of a vehicle
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon and Somerset |67,561 |39,896 |27,665
Bedfordshire |20,860 |11,954 |8,906
Cambridgeshire |19,190 |12,538 |6,652
Cheshire |23,795 |14,247 |9,548
Cleveland |23,953 |10,632 |13,321
Cumbria |12,310 |9,033 |3,277
Derbyshire |27,111 |17,358 |9,753
Devon and Cornwall |33,298 |24,483 |8,815
Dorset |12,741 |8,893 |3,848
Durham |18,702 |9,341 |9,361
Essex |31,549 |20,092 |11,457
Gloucestershire |19,483 |14,916 |4,567
Greater Manchester |119,051 |59,865 |59,186
Hampshire |40,362 |29,566 |10,796
Hertfordshire |18,871 |12,476 |6,395
Humberside |32,424 |21,207 |11,217
Kent |45,658 |26,001 |19,657
Lancashire |37,968 |24,430 |13,538
Leicestershire |30,509 |18,439 |12,070
Lincolnshire |11,110 |7,354 |3,756
City of London |1,023 |888 |135
Merseyside |34,577 |18,252 |16,325
Metropolitan police district |243,218 |163,650 |79,568
Norfolk |18,455 |13,559 |4,896
Northamptonshire |15,778 |9,085 |6,693
Northumbria |56,538 |26,125 |30,413
North Yorkshire |14,086 |9,342 |4,744
Nottinghamshire |43,666 |26,331 |17,335
South Yorkshire |44,889 |24,101 |20,788
Staffordshire |29,511 |17,436 |12,075
Suffolk |9,194 |6,528 |2,666
Surrey |15,512 |10,614 |4,898
Sussex |31,656 |22,855 |8,801
Thames Valley |64,820 |41,793 |23,027
Warwickshire |14,435 |9,200 |5,235
West Mercia |22,641 |14,176 |8,465
West Midlands |96,889 |55,530 |41,359
West Yorkshire |89,446 |51,204 |38,242
Wiltshire |9,984 |7,026 |2,958
|------- |------- |-------
England |1,502,824 |920,416 |582,408
|------- |------- |-------
Dyfed-Powys |4,466 |3,098 |1,368
Gwent |10,392 |6,563 |3,829
North Wales |12,622 |9,002 |3,620
South Wales |54,131 |30,796 |23,335
|------- |------- |-------
Wales |81,611 |49,459 |32,152
|------- |------- |-------
England and Wales |1,584,435 |969,875 |614,560
Prisons Ombudsman
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the post of prisons ombudsman to be readvertised ; which personnel recruitment agencies were asked to tender for the contract to head-hunt potential candidates for post ; and what is the anticipated cost of (a) advertising and (b) headhunting for the post.
Mr. Howard : The post of prisons ombudsman is being readvertised in the national press in the period 4 to 11 November 1993.
Three firms were invited to tender for the contract to headhunt : Coopers and Lybrand Executive Resourcing Ltd., Goddard Kay Rogers and Associates Ltd. and SSI.
The anticipated cost of advertising is £12,500. I am not able to provide details of the amount charged by the appointed headhunter since this information must be treated as commercial-in-confidence.
Ms Ruddock : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date interviews were held for the post of prisons ombudsman ; on what date the unsuccessful candidates were informed of the outcome ; and if he will make a statement.
Column 379
Mr. Howard : Interviews for the post of prisons ombudsman were held on 21 June 1993.
Unsuccessful candidates were informed of the outcome on 2 August and on 10 September 1993.
The post is now being readvertised.
Youth Organisations (Funding)
Ms Armstrong : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the level of grant in aid for all youth bodies in the United Kingdom for the last five years ; and what plans there are for the funding of these organisations over the next five years.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Information listing grants made by each Government Department directly to voluntary organisations, and showing the broad area of work for which the grant was given, is available for 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92. Copies of these lists are in the Library of the House. Prior to 1989-90 this information was not collected centrally.
It is not possible to say what the level of funding of voluntary organisations will be over the next five years.
INFORM
Sir Ivan Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further grants he intends to make to INFORM, the information network focus on new religious movements.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : Funding was originally provided to INFORM for a period of three years from 1987. This was extended for a further three years in 1990. Given competing bids for assistance from other voluntary sector groups, and the pressures on public expenditure generally, the Government have decided not to provide any additional funding for INFORM beyond the existing provision. Nor do the Government intend to fund any other groups working in this field.
Smart, Pegg, Doody and Pierson
Sir Ivan Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 27 July, Official Report, columns 863- 65, if he will make a further statement about his proposals for implementing the House of Lords judgment of 24 June in the case of Smart, Pegg, Doody and Pierson.
Mr. Howard : The judgment is concerned with the disclosure to prisoners serving mandatory life sentences of information about the minimum period of custody that they will be required to serve in order to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence. Inter alia, it requires that the prisoner should be told the gist of the judicial advice which the Secretary of State receives on this subject, the Secretary of State's decision and the reasons for any departure from the judicial view.
In my reply to my hon. and learned Friend on 27 July, I announced that I was consulting the Lord Chief Justice about the precise way in which the judgment would be implemented in respect of those prisoners who had already been sentenced. Those consultations have now been
Column 380
completed. Disclosure of the matters required by the judgment has already been given to four prisoners immediately affected by the judgment and to another four, in respect of whom there were extant judicial review proceedings.Following this consultation, I propose now to commence a programme of disclosure to all mandatory life sentence prisoners. There are two categories of such prisoners. First, there are approximately 100 prisoners who were sentenced either shortly before, or after, the House of Lords judgment, for whom a minimum period of detention has not yet been considered by a Minister. In accordance with my previous answer, they will, as soon as is practicable, be informed of the relevant judicial recommendations in their cases so that they may, if they wish, submit written representations before that period is set. Any such representations will be considered by me or by a Minister acting on my behalf ; and the prisoner will be informed of the decision with reasons for any departure from the judicial view. Secondly, there is a much larger number of some 2,600 prisoners whose cases have already been considered by Ministers, often some years ago, and who have already been notified of the date when their case would be first reviewed by the local review committee prior to consideration by the Parole Board. My officials will now begin the process of disclosure to them of the gist of the relevant judicial recommendations and advice, and of the decision by the Secretary of State of the day as to the minimum period which must be served for retribution and deterrence together, in appropriate cases, with a statement of the reasons why a recommendation from the judiciary was not followed. These prisoners will also be able to submit written representations. They will be considered and a response will be provided.
It will inevitably take some time to clear the "backlog" of cases represented by this second group, given the limited resources available in my Department for the task. Taking account of the need to consider and respond to prisoners' representations, it will probably be some 12 months before every mandatory life sentence prisoner has been considered. Priority will be given to prisoners who have first local review committee dates in the calendar years 1994 to 1996 inclusive, in the order of those dates. In fairness to all, and to ensure maximum efficiency, cases will not normally be taken out of turn.
Political Violence (Wales)
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now set up an independent inquiry into the activities of an agent provocateur in cases of alleged political violence in Wales in the late 1960s ; and if he will make a statement on the recent acknowledgement by a retired special branch officer of the existence of such an agent.
Mr. Howard [holding answer 22 October 1993] : I have asked for a report from the North Wales police on the interview to which the hon. Member refers and shall write to him once I have considered it.
Column 381
SOCIAL SECURITY
Low Incomes
Mr. Callaghan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people live on income below the appropriate benefit level for their circumstances.
Mr. Burt : The latest estimates for the take-up of income-related benefits are for 1989 and show that there were around 2.2 million people who were eligible for income support, housing benefit or family credit who had not claimed. Many of these would have been eligible only for small amounts of the relevant benefit.
National Insurance
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the answer of 4 December 1992, Official Report, column 421-22 on national insurance rebates for personal pensions, giving estimates for 1994-95 in addition to earlier years.
Mr. Hague : The information is in the tables.
Table 2
Tax year |Estimated national|Percentage
|insurance fund
|income (£ million)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |44,357 |6.4
1994-95 |45,353 |4.4
Note. The projected fall in percentage for 1994-95 is due to the drop in
the rebate from 5.8 per cent. to 4.8 per cent. from April 1993, the ending
of the 2 per cent. incentive payment from April 1993 and the onset of the
1 per cent. additional rebate for personal pension holders aged 30 or over
from April 1993. These changes are not reflected in the amounts paid out of
the National Insurance fund until 1994-95 year.
Column 382
Table 2
Tax year |Estimated national|Percentage
|insurance fund
|income (£ million)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993-94 |44,357 |6.4
1994-95 |45,353 |4.4
Note. The projected fall in percentage for 1994-95 is due to the drop in
the rebate from 5.8 per cent. to 4.8 per cent. from April 1993, the ending
of the 2 per cent. incentive payment from April 1993 and the onset of the
1 per cent. additional rebate for personal pension holders aged 30 or over
from April 1993. These changes are not reflected in the amounts paid out of
the National Insurance fund until 1994-95 year.
Housing Payments, Scotland
Mr. George Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each new town corporation in Scotland and Scottish Homes, for each available year since 1987-88 (a) the number of tenancies in their stock, (b) the number of these tenants in receipt of rent rebate, (c) the number of tamounts of housing benefit overpayments and the amount as a percentage of the overall housing benefit expenditure, (f) the numbers and amounts of housing benefit backdated awards under Regulation 72(15) and the amount paid as a percentage of the overall housing benefit expenditure and (g) the numbers and amounts of discretionary payments under Exceptional Circumstances Regulation 69(8) and their percentage in relation to total housing benefit expenditure.
Mr. Burt : The available information is in the tables.
Column 381
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
Column 381
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
Column 381
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
(g) Discretionary amounts as percentage of total expenditure
|1988-89 |1989-90 |1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93
|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.|Per cent.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cumbernauld (DC) |0.01 |0.00 |<2>- |0.01 |0.00
East Kilbride (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Glenrothes (DC) |<2>- |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.02
Irvine (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Livingston (DC) |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00
Scottish Homes |<1>- |0.05 |0.10 |0.12 |<2>-
|------- |------- |------- |------- |-------
Total |<2>- |0.03 |<2>- |0.08 |<2>-
Notes:
<1> Indicates that Scottish Homes did not exist in 1988.
<2> Not available.
1. Scottish Homes figure for total expenditure in 1992-93 is from the mid-year
estimate.
2. Information on the number of discretionary payments is not available.
Sources:
Tenancies: Scottish Office.
Cases: Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Expenditure: Final Subsidy claim forms.
Benefits
Mr. Dewar : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of indexation for all social security benefits in 1994-95 ; and what would be the
Column 386
net costs in addition to indexation of (a) raising all income-related benefits by 0.8 per cent., (b) raising all income-related benefits and the basic retirement pension by 0.8 per cent., (c) raising all benefits by 0.8 per cent., (d) giving all households on income support an extra £1 a week, (e) giving all households on income -related benefits an extra £1 a week, (f) giving pensioners over 80 years of age on income support an extra £1 a week and (g) giving all households on income-related benefit and all retirement pensioners an extra £1 a week.Mr. Hague : The information is in the table.
The costs in 1994-95 of increases to the income-related benefits and the basic state pension (£ million pa, 1994-95) Option |Cost ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Full cost for all benefits of indexation in line with RPI/Rossi increases |1,820 (a) increase all income-related benefits (IRBs) by extra 0.8 per cent. |250 (b) increase all IRBs and RP/linked benefits by extra 0.8 per cent. |430 (c) increase all benefits by extra 0.8 per cent. |570 (d) increase IS personal allowances by £1 per week |410 (e) increase personal allowances in all IRBs by £1 per week |430 (f) increase IS higher pensioner premium by £1 per week |60 (g) increase all IRB personal allowances and RP/linked benefits by £1 per week |840 Notes: 1. All estimates are at 1994-95 levels. They are based upon results from the 1993-94 policy simulation model, and should therefore be regarded as provisional. 2. Changes to the basic state pension have also been applied to those benefits that are statutorily linked (invalidity and widows' benefits). 3. It is assumed that the current links between benefit rates in IS and other income-related benefits are maintained. Thus, changes to IS allowances and premia have been assumed to feed through into HB/CTB and, where appropriate, FC. 4. In part (f), an extra £1 has been given to IS cases aged 80 and above by means of an increase in the higher pension premium. 5. Where RP and linked benefits are increased by £1 per week, it is assumed that the related rates of category B pension and adult dependency increases rise by 60p per week. 6. RPI/Rossi upratings in April 1994 are assumed to be 1.8/3.5 per cent.
Post Office Fees
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place a paper in the Library outlining the fee payment system to (a) sub-post offices and (b) the Post Office for benefit transactions, setting out all volume-related variable fees.
Mr. Hague : The system of fees to be paid by the Department of Social Security to Post Office Counters Limited for encashment of order books and other services in 1993-94 is still being negotiated. In earlier years the fee has included a fixed charge ; a variable charge to cover costs which vary with changes in volume ; a financial charge to cover the costs of activities necessary to ensure the supply of adequate quantities of notes and coin to pay pensions and allowances and other outpayments ; and a publicity charge relating to the cost of providing display of posters and leaflets.
The system for remunerating individual sub-post offices is a commercial agreement between Post Office Counters Ltd. and the National Federation of Sub-postmasters.
Index-linked Benefits
Mr. John Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the impact of a 1 per cent. rise in the retail prices index upon the cost of index-linked social security and unemployment benefits.
Column 388
Mr. Hague : A total of £710 million in 1994-5.
Crisis Loans
Ms Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown of reasons for applications for crisis loans, including alignment payments based on the latest available information.
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 a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Ms Ann Coffey, dated3 November 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if he will give a breakdown of reasons for applications for crisis loans, including alignment payments based on the latest available information. Statistical information about the reason for a Crisis Loan application is not held. I have, therefore, provided details of the number of Crisis Loans awarded nationally and the purpose of the award. The information is attached at Annex A for the period 1 April 1993 to 30 September 1993 (latest available data).
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Annex A
Number of crisis loan awards and reason for the award, 1 April 1993 to 30
September 1993 (latest available data)
Purpose of the award |Number of awards
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bed |13,235
Bedding |8,045
Clothing and footwear |4,879
Cooker |14,204
Floor covering |2,000
Home improvement and maintenance |472
Living expenses alignment |135,137
Living expenses general |165,901
Household items |20,467
Others |3,995
Removal expenses |1,122
Rent in advance |5,100
Travelling expenses |4,888
Washing machine |1,613
|----
Total |381,058
Ms Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time he estimates for the administrative proceedings, including reception, social fund payment section, finance and social fund administrative recovery section, to be completed for an application for a crisis loan because of an alignment payment and the average length of time to administer a benefit payment.
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 and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Column 389
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Ms Ann Coffey, dated 3 November 1993 :As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions raised about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking what is the average length of time he estimates for the administrative proceedings, including reception, social fund payment section, finance and social fund administrative recovery section, to be completed for an application for a crisis loan because of an alignment payment and the average length of time to administer a benefit payment.
Unfortunately, figures are not available which relate specifically to a Crisis Loan because of an "alignment payment". I can, however, give you figures for the administrative procedure you request for Crisis Loans in general :
|Minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------
Reception time |4.6
Time to process a Crisis Loan |88.4
Social Fund Loan Recovery and Transfer Action |59.9
Prepare and issue payment |4.0
|------
Total time |156.9
I have given a figure for the time taken to prepare and issue a Crisis Loan payment, as it is part of the administrative procedures you are enquiring about. However, if you require details about the time taken to administer the payment of a specific benefit I would be happy to supply you with further information.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Benefits Agency
Ms Coffey : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the efficient use of staff time in the Benefits Agency.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Michael Bichard. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Ms Ann Coffey, dated3 November 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions raised about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the efficient use of staff time in the Benefits Agency.
The Benefits Agency, as part of the Civil Service, is required to provide to Treasury improved efficiency of 2 per cent. each year. The savings are part of a rolling programme of efficiencies required under the Public Expenditure Survey.
With the introduction of new technology and other improvements in organisation, current measurement shows that, between 1989-90 and 1992-93, staff efficiency in respect of output improved by around 20 per cent.
The Benefits Agency seeks at all levels of the organisation improvements in service and efficiency through reviews of current methods and implementation of staff suggestions.
The Benefits Agency also has in place an Efficiency Review Unit responsible for seeking improvements in efficiency and achieving savings in administration costs.
As a result of the improvements in efficiency and working methods staff resources are more effectively used in delivering the service. I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Column 390
Child Support Agency
Mr. Channon : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what targets the Child Support Agency has set itself to ensure maintenance payments in cases of parents flouting any order made by the courts ;
(2) what proportion of staff and resources of the Child Support Agency is being directed to the cases of parents who are already making maintenance payments as a result of a court order ; (3) how many cases of fathers not making any maintenance payments the Child Support Agency is pursuing ; and if he will make a statement about its success in such cases.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the right hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library. Letter from Ms R. Hepplewhite to Mr. Paul Channon, dated 4 November 1993 :
As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking a number of questions about the Agency's operations.
You ask about parents who fail to comply with orders made by the courts and action taken by the Agency where fathers fail to pay maintenance. I should explain that the Agency is concerned only with pursuing maintenance in those cases for which we have accepted responsibility under the take on arrangements which are being phased in over a period of four years. We will pursue all those cases where we have made an assessment and the absent parent has subsequently failed to pay maintenance. Individual cases where payments are not made timeously are identified for follow up action but information on payments and arrears for the Agency as a whole is not yet available in a form which can be summarised.
I am sorry that the precise information about previous court orders for which you ask is not available as the Child Support Computer System, upon which the work of the Agency is based, records the information which is relevant to the calculation of a maintenance assessment. Information on previous court orders is not therefore collected. Under the take on arrangements, we have already issued 527,000 Maintenance Application Forms and have made assessments in over 36,000 cases. Among those will be clients who already receive maintenance but we cannot separately identify what resources are applied specifically in such cases.
I am sorry I cannot be more helpful but I hope you will find this explanation useful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated reduction in expenditure on each social security benefit resulting from the operation of the Child Support Agency in 1993-94 ; and what proportion this represents, in total, of the maintenance payments resulting from the agency's assessments.
Mr. Burt : It is estimated that Child Support Agency operations in 1993-94 will reduce income support expenditure by £500 million. This includes an amount for parents with care who cease to claim income support due to maintenance related activity of the agency. Family credit and disability working allowance expenditure is estimated to reduce by £30 million.
The proportion of total maintenance assessed by the Child Support Agency which is estimated to be recovered through reduced benefit payments is 90 per cent.
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