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Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who is responsible for the issuing of licences for radio broadcasts on Anguilla.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : Under Anguilla's Telecommunications Ordinance, the licensing authority is the telecommunications officer of the Government of Anguilla.
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is prepared to set up a training programme for employees of Radio Anguilla at the BBC World Service.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : A training programme with the BBC for employees of Radio Anguilla already exists.
Mr. Bernie Grant : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects of a free and fair process in the forthcoming general elections in Anguilla ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : I am confident that, as in the past, the forthcoming elections in Anguilla will be conducted in a fair and democratic manner.
Women Conference
Mr. Watson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who represented Her Majesty's Government at the inter- sessional working group for the fourth world conference on women held in New York, 10 to 14 January ; if he will place in the Library a copy of the draft platform for action ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : At the intersessional meeting in New York the United Kingdom was represented by the following officials : Ms J. Whitaker, sex equality branch, Department of Employment, Ms J. Graham, social development division, ODA, Ms A. Grant, counsellor, United Kingdom mission in New York, and Mr. P. Tissot, second secretary, United Kingdom mission in New York. The draft platform for action will not be completed until all national reports have been submitted and all preparatory conferences have been held. This will not be before 1995. A copy of the draft platform will then be placed in the Library of the House.
Kathmandu Air Crash
Mr. Waterson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Nepal concerning publication of the official report into the air disaster at Kathmandu in September 1992 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We have not made any representations to the Nepalese Government since the final report of the investigation into the crash of PIA flight PK 268 on 28 September 1992 was circulated in August 1993 by the Nepalese Government to the interested parties including
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the air accidents investigation branch, which led the investigation. The air accidents investigation branch subsequently distributed copies of this report to relatives of the British victims.Consultants
Dr. Wright : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions since 1979 his Department has employed the services of external consultants ; and if he will give details of the purposes for which they were employed and the cost of employing them.
Mr. Goodlad : The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Yugoslavia
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest position regarding peace initiatives to bring about a ceasefire in the former Yugoslavia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The latest round of talks between the parties in Geneva took place on 18 and 19 January. The talks are due to resume on 10 February. All sides violated an agreed ceasefire over the Christmas period. The United Kingdom and our European Union partners remain fully behind the efforts of Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg to bring the parties to a negotiated settlement.
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what deadline has been set for a withdrawal of British troops from the former Yugoslavia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : There is no deadline for the withdrawal of British troops. No decision has been taken on whether the current British contingent in UNPROFOR will be replaced, and none is imminent. Any such decision would be taken after consultation with our fellow troop contributors and other allies.
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests Her Majesty's Government have received for additional British troops in the former Yugoslavia.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : Britain is one of the leading contributors to UNPROFOR, with more than 2,300 troops in the former Yugoslavia. We have not been approached by the United Nations to increase this contribution.
Mr. Jim Cunningham : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost to date to the Exchequer of British peacekeeping operations in the former Yugoslavia ; and to what extent this cost will be reimbursed for the cost from the United Nations.
Mr. Douglas Hogg : The United Kingdom share of United Nations assessed contributions to UNPROFOR is likely to total around £36.5 million for this financial year. The United Kingdom pays 6.373 per cent. of peacekeeping costs on the United Nations scale of assessment. The costs fall to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Additional Ministry of Defence costs for United Kingdom participation in UNPROFOR also fall to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. For the financial year
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1993-94, this will amount to about £66.79 million, made up of Operation Grapple--Bosnia--£61.87 million ; OperationCheshire--airlift--£4.54 million ; Operation Hanwood--the field ambulance which withdrew in September--£381,975. All amounts are net of standard rate of VAT.
The United Nations has paid standard rate reimbursement for troop contributions to UNPROFOR for the period to the end of October 1993, and for nations to the end of September 1993. Refunds for the financial year 1993-94 to date amount to £15.7 million. Troop costs for the month of November 1993 are due to be paid at the end of January 1994. Other claims for reimbursable items of expenditure--for example, vehicles and equipment- -have been submitted to the United Nations, and reimbursement will depend on the United Nation's ability to pay.
Private Education Allowances
Mr. Jamieson : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on private education and boarding school allowances for the children of personnel employed by his Department, in each of the last five years ; and how many children had their fees paid in each of those years.
Mr. Goodlad : In each of the last five years expenditure on boarding school allowances, and the number of children who attended boarding schools in the United Kingdom, was as follows :
Financial year |£ million |Number of
|children
------------------------------------------------------------
1992-93 |7.88 |744
1991-92 |7.73 |880
1990-91 |7.58 |910
1989-90 |7.21 |988
1988-89 |7.17 |998
Expenditure on fee-paying schools for children educated locally at post was as follows :
Financial year |£ million --------------------------------------------- 1992-93 |2.00 1991-92 |1.80 1990-91 |1.68 1989-90 |1.58 1988-89 |1.54
Details of the total number of children for whom such allowances were paid are not available.
Diplomatic Bags
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 January, Official Report , column 723 , when the present policy of destroying records of material carried by diplomatic bag within one year was introduced.
Mr. Goodlad : The practice of destroying bag schedules after a period of not less than six months has been part of standing instructions for over 30 years. Records of the precise date on which the policy was introduced are no longer available.
Mr. Flynn : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of
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20 January, Official Report , column 723 , what are the reasons for the Government's present policy of destroying records of material carried by diplomatic bag within one year.Mr. Goodlad : Foreign and Commonwealth Office bag schedules record the delivery of material between originator and addressee, and are considered to have served their purpose once the contents of bags have been recorded as safely received. The bag schedules are treated in the same manner as other documents considered ephemeral, which are destroyed after a minimum period of six months.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Hill Farmers
Mr. Hicks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will provide details of the basis of the sample that her Department use for determining the national average incomes of hill farmers who are in receipt of hill livestock compensatory payments ; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Jack : Details of the sample, which is part of that used in the farm business survey, together with notes on the
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method and definitions used are set out each year in "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the Library of the House. The latest published data relate to the 1991-92 survey ; details of the 1992-93 survey will be published in March. The survey is carried out by experienced field officers who are employed by universities and agricultural colleges. They visit a sample of 2,300 farmers throughout England and record a wide range of detailed physical and financial information about the farm business. The sample of farms covers all the different types and sizes of farm businesses in the country which are considered to be full-time. Such businesses account for 98 per cent. of agricultural activity in the country as a whole and 97 per cent. on farms wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas. Great care is taken in the analysis of the results to ensure that the averages produced fully reflect the distribution of full-time farms in the country. Similar surveys are carried out in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. I am confident that the surveys are carried out to the highest professional standards and that they provide a fair reflection of trends in the income position of full- time farm businesses.Column 263
Full time farm businesses at June 1991 census and in the complete 1990-91 to 1991-92 identical sample by country, farm type, size group and tenure
England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
|June |1991-92 |Sampling |June |1991-92 |Sampling |June |1991-92 |Sampling |June |1991-92 |Sampling
|Census |Census |Census |Census
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dairy
Small |5,504 |49 |0.9 |1,854 |28 |1.5 |142 |6 |4.2 |3,558 |106 |3.0
Medium |11,274 |225 |2.0 |2,364 |88 |3.7 |1,187 |40 |3.4 |2,015 |92 |4.6
Large |5,189 |190 |3.7 |627 |52 |8.3 |1,074 |47 |4.4 |257 |- |-
All sizes |21,967 |464 |2.1 |4,845 |168 |3.5 |2,403 |93 |3.9 |5,830 |198 |3.4
of which:
owned |9,796 |168 |1.7 |2,833 |102 |3.6 |1,753 |64 |3.7 |5,830 |198 |3.4
tenanted |5,251 |100 |1.9 |790 |20 |2.5 |650 |12 |1.8 |- |- |-
mixed tenure |6,920 |196 |2.8 |1,222 |46 |3.8 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Hill and upland LFA livestock
Small |4,354 |101 |2.3 |5,139 |75 |1.5 |4,897 |86 |1.8 |4,045 |103 |2.5
Medium |3,145 |124 |3.9 |3,332 |119 |3.6 |3,296 |128 |3.9 |340 |19 |5.6
Large |1,033 |25 |2.4 |683 |37 |5.4 |953 |49 |5.1 |34 |- |-
All sizes |8,532 |250 |2.9 |9,154 |231 |2.5 |9,146 |263 |2.9 |4,419 |122 |2.8
of which:
owned |4,068 |93 |2.3 |5,718 |130 |2.3 |5,646 |133 |2.4 |4,419 |122 |2.8
tenanted |1,994 |73 |3.7 |1,220 |24 |2.0 |3,500 |95 |2.7 |- |- |-
mixed tenure |2,470 |84 |3.4 |2,216 |77 |3.5 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Lowland livestock
Small |10,439 |76 |0.7 |1,224 |16 |1.3 |362 |14 |3.9 |1,240 |20 |1.6
Medium |3,645 |78 |2.1 |338 |10 |3.0 |489 |25 |5.1 |176 |6 |3.4
Large |1,121 |36 |3.2 |76 |2 |2.6 |237 |12 |5.1 |24 |- |-
All sizes |15,205 |190 |1.2 |1,638 |28 |1.7 |1,088 |51 |4.7 |1,440 |26 |1.8
of which:
owned |8,920 |84 |0.9 |959 |18 |1.9 |743 |24 |3.2 |1,440 |26 |1.8
tenanted |2,616 |44 |1.7 |300 |5 |1.7 |345 |19 |5.5 |- |- |-
mixed tenure |3,669 |62 |1.7 |379 |5 |1.3 |- |- |- |- |- |-
Cropping
Small |9,295 |46 |0.5 |- |- |- |774 |8 |1.0 |443 |- |-
Medium |10,917 |203 |1.9 |- |- |- |1,547 |31 |2.0 |185 |- |-
Large |13,949 |530 |3.8 |- |- |- |1,438 |43 |3.0 |54 |- |-
All sizes |34,161 |779 |2.3 |- |- |- |3,759 |82 |2.2 |682 |17 |2.5
of which:
owned |14,233 |268 |1.9 |- |- |- |2,336 |50 |2.1 |682 |17 |2.5
tenanted |7,981 |163 |2.0 |- |- |- |1,423 |22 |1.5 |- |- |-
mixed tenure |11,947 |348 |2.9 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Pigs and poultry
Small |1,812 |28 |1.5 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Medium |1,595 |38 |2.4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Large |1,506 |43 |2.9 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
All sizes |4,913 |109 |2.2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
of which:
owned |3,515 |65 |1.8 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
tenanted |506 |11 |2.2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
mixed tenure |892 |33 |3.7 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Horticulture
Small |3,481 |68 |2.0 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Medium |1,212 |56 |4.6 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Large |748 |49 |6.6 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
All sizes |5,441 |173 |3.2 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
of which:
owned |3,667 |123 |3.4 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
tenanted |673 |12 |1.8 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
mixed tenure |1,101 |38 |3.5 |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |-
Total holdings
Small |34,963 |368 |1.1 |8,217 |119 |1.4 |6,175 |114 |1.8 |9,458 |246 |2.6
Medium |31,829 |724 |2.3 |6,034 |217 |3.6 |6,519 |224 |3.4 |2,765 |126 |4.6
Large |23,573 |873 |3.7 |1,386 |91 |6.6 |3,702 |151 |4.1 |373 |- |-
All sizes |90,365 |1,965 |2.2 |15,637 |427 |2.7 |16,396 |489 |3.0 |<2>12,596|<3>372 |3.0
of which:
owned |44,328 |801 |1.8 |9,510 |250 |2.6 |10,478 |271 |2.6 |<2>12,596|<3>372 |3.0
tenanted |19,028 |403 |2.1 |2,310 |49 |2.1 |5,918 |148 |2.5 |- |- |-
mixed tenure |27,009 |761 |2.8 |3,817 |128 |3.4 |- |- |- |- |- |-
<1> The data in this table relate to farm types and sizes sampled for the Farm Business Survey. The totals quoted are therefore slightly lower than the grand
totals of full-time
farm businesses.
<2> Includes 225 mixed livestock farms not included in the breakdown.
<3> Includes 9 mixed livestock farms not included in the breakdown.
PRIME MINISTER
Iraq
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will place in the Library the information note prepared by his private secretary on 3 December 1990 on options for responding to allegations published in The Sunday Times on United Kingdom assistance to the Iraqi machine tool industry ;
(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the chronology of United Kingdom trade with Iraq, including the export guideline milestones, prepared for his office by the Cabinet Office in November 1992 ;
(3) if he will place in the Library the briefing note prepared for him in support of his answer to the right hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown) of 12 November 1992, Official Report, column 990.
The Prime Minister : No. All the relevant documents have been made available to the Scott inquiry.
Christmas Cards
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 18 January, Official Report, column 456, how many official Christmas cards he sent out in 1993 ; and how much this cost.
The Prime Minister : Nine hundred ; the direct total cost of purchase and dispatch to the Prime Minister's office was approximately £205. The cost of the other cards I send does not fall on official funds.
Trinidad Terms
Mr. Pike : To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had in the last six months regarding the Trinidad terms ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : Under the existing Trinidad terms, which resulted from my personal initiative, 18 countries have benefited. Over $4 billion of debt has been restructured and nearly $2 billion will be reduced over the
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lifetime of the individual agreements. We expect more countries to benefit over the coming months. These terms have the effect of halving the payments due to creditors and give a commitment to consider restructuring the whole stock of a country's eligible debt after a good track record of economic reform has been established. This would lead to significant additional relief for indebted countries in the medium term.At the G7 Tokyo summit last July, I secured agreement that improved debt reduction terms should be considered for the poorest and most indebted countries, including, for the first time, earlier action case by case on reducing the whole stock of debt--a key Trinidad terms objective.
The United Kingdom is active in the Paris club and elsewhere in seeking co- ordinated action by creditors on the comprehensive debt reduction which these countries need, the Government miss no opportunity for urging other creditors to make progress.
Second World War Commemorations
Mr. Mackinlay : To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will ensure that recognition is given in the commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landings to the contribution made by the construction of Mulberry harbours at the town of Tilbury ; (2) if he will consult on ways to commemorate the sacrifices made, and the contribution to victory given, by dock workers and dockland communities throughout the United Kingdom during the second world war.
The Prime Minister : The Government's programme for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings was announced on 6 January : I have arranged for details to be placed in the House Library. Included in the programme is a dinner at the Portsmouth guild hall and representatives of those who designed and built specialised equipment such as the Mulberry harbour will be invited.
Plans are also being made for an official commemorative event in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of world war II. This will be a national event involving not only the armed forces, but those civilian organisations
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which served this country during the war. It pays tribute to all those who sacrificed so much during the second world war.Correspondence
Mr. Madden : To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer on 17 January, Official Report, column 367, if he will place in the Library a copy of the unsigned letter on Mr. Adams's headed notepaper, dated 7 January, which he recently received.
The Prime Minister : I have done so.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Invalidity Benefit
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will withdraw his appeal to the Court of Appeal against the decision of the Social Security Commissioner that the United Kingdom social security law discriminates against women being paid invalidity benefit.
Mr. Scott : We have no plans to do so.
Mr. Canavan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to hear the result of his appeal to the Court of Appeal against the Social Security Commissioner's decision that the United Kingdom social security law discriminates against women being paid invalidity benefit.
Mr. Scott : A hearing before the Court of Appeal took place on 18 January, when the court decided to refer the case to the European Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling on questions of European law.
State Pensions
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his Department's estimate of the additional cost to the Exchequer in each year from 1980 of linking the state pension to average earnings ; and if he will extend this estimate to each year up until 2000-01 ;
(2) what would the state old age pension for 1994-95 be, in cash terms, if the link with earnings had been maintained since 1980.
Mr. Hague : It is estimated that the weekly rate of category A retirement pension would be £75.10 from April 1994 if it had been increased in line with average earnings since 1980.
The estimated additional cash cost for the years 1980-81 to 1994-95 is shown in the table. An equivalent estimate for the years 1995-96 to 2000-01 is not available in the form requested, and depends on the assumed rate of increase of prices and earnings. However, a comparison between the cost of earnings uprating of benefits and that of prices uprating of benefits from 1990-91 to 2050-51 can be made by referring tables 13 and 14 of the "National Insurance Fund Long Term Financial Estimates--Report of the Government Actuary on the Second Quinquennial Review under Section 137 of the Social Security Act 1975" published in July 1990 as HoC 582.
Column 268
Additional cost of uprating state Retirement
Pension
in line with average earnings<1>
Financial year |Cash cost
|£ million
---------------------------------------------
1980-81 |66
1981-82 |294
1982-83 |396
1983-84 |465
1984-85 |920
1985-86 |1,084
1986-87 |1,762
1987-88 |2,711
1988-89 |3,506
1989-90 |4,510
1990-91 |5,437
1991-92 |5,712
1992-93 |6,985
1993-94 |7,751
1994-95 |7,916
<1>Source Government Actuary's Department.
Administration Costs
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is (a) the administrative cost and (b) the administrative cost as a percentage of the payments made by his Department of (i) income support, social fund, (ii) grants, (iii) social fund loans and (iv) family credit.
Mr. Burt : The latest available information is for 1991-92. The administrative cost as a percentage of benefit expenditure is in the table, which is an extract from the 1993 departmental report.
Estimated administration costs 1991-92
|Administration cost|Administration cost
|as a percentage of
|(£ million) |benefit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income support |1,373 |11.8
Social fund<1> |163 |<2>45.2
Family credit |33 |5.3
<1>Separate costs for social fund grants-loans are not available.
<2>Costs reflect the discretionary nature of most social fund decisions
and recovery and recycling of money from loans.
The next departmental report is due to be published by March 1994.
Mr. Corbyn : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average cost, as a proportion of each claim, of administration of (a) child benefit, (b) income support, (c) invalidity benefit, (d) family credit and (e) the social fund.
Mr. Burt : The latest available information for the year 1991-92 is in the table.
Estimated administration costs 1991-92
|Administration cost|Administration cost
|as a percentage of
|(£ million) |benefit
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Child benefit and one
parent benefit<1> |118 |2.2
Income support |1,373 |11.8
Sickness and invalidity
benefit<1> |275 |5.7
Family credit |<2>33 |5.3
Social fund |163 |<3>45.2
Source: 1993 departmental report.
<1>Costs not available in respect of separate benefits.
<2>Includes increased capital investment for information technology
and publicity costs.
<3>Costs reflect the discretionary nature of most social fund decisions
and recovery and recycling of money from loans.
The next departmental report is due to be published by March 1994.
VAT (Fuel)
Mr. Nigel Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what specific help with increased heating and fuel bills will be available to those using continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis as treatment for kidney disease, including help for those just above the income support threshold, after the imposition of value added tax on fuel ;
(2) what specific help with increased heating and fuel bills will be available to people with already high bills as a result of necessary medical treatment, after the imposition of value added tax on fuel ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : We have announced a package of measures worth around £2.5 billion over three years. Pensioners and 80 per cent. of disabled people will receive extra help, as will all those receiving income-related benefits. Those disabled people who do not qualify for extra help are likely to be younger, less severely disabled, in work or better off. In addition, from April, disabled people receiving disability living allowance will become entitled to help with insulation costs through the home energy efficiency scheme.
Income Support (Young People)
Sir David Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many young people aged (a) 16 to 17 years and (b) 18 to 24 years were receiving supplementary benefit of income support in each year since 1978- 79 and the latest month for which figures are available.
Mr. Burt : Such information as is available is in the table.
Thousands Year |Aged 16 to 17|Aged 18 to 24 -------------------------------------------------------- 1978 |80 |252 1979 |79 |256 1980 |141 |345 1981 |166 |533 1982 |183 |719 1983 |175 |813 1984 |185 |847 1986 |168 |903 1987 |141 |823 1988 |101 |687 1989 |18 |683 1990 |21 |688 1991 |22 |809 1992 |30 |925 1993 |36 |1,073 Notes: 1. Sources: Supplementary Benefit Annual Enquiries, 1978-1987; Income Support Annual Enquiries, 1988-1992 (1 in 100 samples each May); February 1993 is the latest information and is based on a Quarterly Enquiry (1 in 20 sample). 2. The figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. 3. The information is not available for 1985. 4. Eligibility for 16 and 17-year-olds changed from 12 September 1988.
Severe Weather Payments
Mrs. Ewing : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the total level of severe weather payments so far triggered over the winter months 1993-94 ; what were the figures for each of the past two years for the same period ; and if he will give this as a breakdown according to recognised weather stations.
Mr. Scott : All the available information is in the Library.
Unemployment Benefit
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of administering unemployment benefit in 1993 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Burt : The information is not yet available. Costs for the financial year 1992-93 will be contained in the next departmental report due to be published in March. The latest available figure is £322 million for 1991-92.
Retirement Pensioners
Mr. Hicks : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are in receipt of the state retirement pension ; and what percentages of these (a) pay tax and (b) receive income support.
Mr. Hague : At 31 March 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, approximately 10 million people (total number of contributory and non-contributory pensions including those payable to people residing abroad) were in receipt of state retirement pension, of whom approximately 14 per cent. were also in receipt of income support.
On the basis of the 1990-91 family expenditure survey, it is estimated that approximately 68 per cent. of individuals in receipt of state retirement pension were taxpayers.
Child Maintenance
Sir Ivan Lawrence : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases the maintenance assessment by the Child Support Agency has been lower than a previous maintenance agreement.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to my hon. and learned Friend.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Sir Ivan Lawrence, dated 25 January 1994 :
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for the number of cases in which the maintenance assessment of the Child Support Agency has been lower than a previous maintenance agreement.
The Agency does not routinely have information on the amounts of maintenance awarded, and therefore cannot make the comparsion asked for. Average court payments however, prior to 5 April 1993, when the Agency took over from the courts most of its work on assessment and collection and child maintanence, were £25 to £30 a week. Under the Agency's formula, we estimate that payments will average £45 to £50 a week.
I hope that you find this reply useful.
Column 271
War Pensions
Mr. Gordon Prentice : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many jobs in each grade are to be transferred to Blackpool from the DSS archieves at Brunswick street, Nelson ; and on what date this is scheduled to occur ;
(2) what consultations have taken place with the relevant civil service unions concerning proposals to transfer staff from the Government Records Office at Brunswick street, Nelson, to Blackpool ;
(3) how many and at what grade jobs are to be transferred to Blackpool from the Records Office at Brunswick street, Nelson ; and when this is scheduled to occur.
Mr. Burt : The administration of war pensions is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 25 January 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the transfer of staff from DSS Archives in Nelson to Blackpool.
I understand that your question refers to staff employed within the War Pensions Unit and are working in the same premises as the DSS Archives in Nelson.
With a reducing number of claims and a new computer system in 1995 the War Pensions Unit is looking at its service delivery to see how work can be better processed.
One option is to centralise the work currently carried out at Nelson within the War Pensions main operations centre at Norcross, Blackpool. There are currently 126 staff engaged on War Pensions duties at Nelson, but as no final conclusion has been reached as to the relocation I am not in a position to comment on the precise numbers or grades of staff which may be involved in such a move, or when such a move may take place.
Full consultation has taken place with all the relevant Civil Service Unions concerning the proposals.
I hope you find my reply helpful.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Azerbaijan Refugees
Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been given by Her Majesty's Government to Iran to help refugees from Azerbaijan ; and if he will make a statement.
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