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Sight Tests
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 15 June, Official Report, columns 589-90, what estimates of the total number of NHS and private sight tests have been made for each of the last five financial years ; and what estimates of the total number of NHS and private sight tests for 1993-94 have been made by the technical sub -committee of the Department of Health and the ophthalmic profession.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 29 June 1994] : (a) The number of National Health Service sight tests paid for in the last five financial years for which figures are available in Great Britain are shown in the table.
Number of NHS sight tests paid for by
financial year
|Great Britain
|(millions
------------------------------------------
<1>1989-90 |6.0
<1>1990-91 |4.8
1991-92 |5.8
1992-93 |6.4
<2>1993-94 |6.9
<1>From 1 April 1989, NHS sight tests
were restricted to certain eligible
groups in the population. The figures for
1989-90 included 1.82 million sight tests
paid for in 1989-90 but conducted in
1988-89 under the previous scheme. The
remaining 4.22 million were conducted and
paid for in 1989-90, which does not
constitute a full twelve months of the
new scheme. The figures for 1990-91,
which do represent twelve months under
the new scheme, are not therefore
directly comparable with those for
1989-90.
<2>This figure is provisional.
(b) From the survey carried out on behalf of the technical sub-committee, it was estimated that the total number of sight tests performed in Great Britain in 1993-94 would be 6.594 million NHS and 6.589 million private.
Research and Development
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been (a) her Department's and (b) the NHS's research and development spend in (a) 1990-91, (b) 1991-92, (c) 1992-93 and (d) 1993-94 ; what is the planned amount for 1994-95 ; and how much of these totals is used to fund research.
Dr. Mawhinney [holding answer 4 July 1994] : The information on central research and development
Column 223
expenditure by the Department of Health, including the national health service executive, is collected annually in the "Forward Look of Government-Funded Science, Engineering and Technology". The information for 1990-91 is available in the "1993 Annual Review of Government Funded Research and Development". Copies of these documents are available in the Library.Information on NHS research and development commissioned at regional and local level is not collected by the Department.
Police Surgeons
Ms Primarolo : To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many police surgeons there were in each of the last five years by local authority and region.
Mr. Charles Wardle : I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
ENI Group
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what transactions his Department has had since 1979 with the ENI Group of companies.
Mr. Heseltine : My Department has no record of any transaction with the ENI Group.
Sellafield
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to arrange a meeting with the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels plc to discuss the commercial implications for nuclear reprocessing and the oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield of a delay in the Japanese plutonium fuel re-use policy.
Mr. Eggar : I meet the chairman of British Nuclear Fuels plc from time to time to discuss a range of issues.
Plutonium
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent communications he has received from the United States Department of Energy in regard to the historic use or current disposition of the plutonium from United Kingdom civil reactors exported to the United States since 1964 under the provisions of the Anglo-American agreement on the "Co- operation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes" of 1958, Cm. 537, as amended.
Mr. Eggar : I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 8 February 1994, Official Report , columns 227-28.
Defence Exports
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) of 22 June, Official Report, column 230, if he will exceptionally give details of the three export licences issued to Argentina for defence equipment, to which the reply refers.
Column 224
Mr. Needham : The export licences referred to covered sporting shotgun cartridges and humane cattle stunning blanks. None of the goods were covered by the arms embargo.
I cannot give more information for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
Oil and Gas, Scotland
Mr. Ian Bruce : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of United Kingdom oil and gas production comes from Scotland at the latest available date ; and what was the proportion in 1979.
Mr. Eggar : Nearly all of the United Kingdom's oil and natural gas production comes from the offshore part of the United Kingdom continental shelf. In 1993, this accounted for 97.4 per cent. of production, with the remaining 2.6 per cent. coming from onshore production in England. The corresponding proportions in 1979 were 99.9 per cent. and 0.1 per cent. respectively.
Iran
Mr. Peter Ainsworth : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further exceptions there have been concerning the Government's export licensing policy towards Iran following his statement of 18 January, Official Report, column 509.
Mr. Needham : As I said in my earlier statement, a number of representations have been received by my Department concerning export business entered into before the moratorium on export licenses was imposed on 17 December 1992. We have identified a second case concerning the completion of a contract for repair and overhaul in the United Kingdom of non-lethal aircraft components.
Given the circumstances, we have agreed to issue a licence for a small number of components to be returned to their owners in Iran unrepaired.
Deregulation
Mr. Peter Ainsworth : To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will announce the membership and terms of reference of the deregulation task force.
Mr. Heseltine : The terms of reference of the dereguation task force, chaired by the right hon. Francis Maude are :
To help the President of the Board of Trade promote deregulation which will enhance the competitiveness of United Kingdom business and the effectiveness of the voluntary sector.
To advise him on action for Government Departments and associated bodies or agencies to take to remove unnecessary regulation or to reduce the burden of necessary regulation. This will include domestic, European and international regulation enforced in the United Kingdom.
The members are :
Tessa Baring (Barnados), David Campbell (Fine Organics), Maurice Denyer (Fowler Bros.), Michael Fallon (Management Consultant), Mike Fisher (Whale Tankers), Teresa Graham (Baker Tilly), George Goring (Goring Hotel), Janet Morgan (Sainsbury Family Trusts), Archie Norman (Asda), Tim Parker (Kenwood), David Parry (Business Consultant), Tony Rammelt (Regis), Dan Wright (Albion Automotive) and Peter Wyman (Coopers and Lybrand).
Other appointments may be made in due course.
Column 225
Recycled Paper
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of his Department's (a) press releases and (b) written answers are printed on recycled paper.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 4 July 1994] : All my Department's written answers are printed on recycled paper. Press notices have to be printed in substantial numbers and are printed, on the advice of the printing machine manufacturers, on environmentally friendly paper manufactured from wood from sustainable sources.
Competitiveness White Paper
Mr. Robin Cook : To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total financial cost of publicising his competitiveness White Paper, including unsolicited letters to companies.
Mr. Heseltine [holding answer 4 July 1994] : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 14 June 1994, Official Report , columns 423-24 .
Coal Industry
Mr. Tipping : To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much subsidy for extra sales of deep-mined coal, as outlined in "Prospects for Coal" was paid out by 31 March ; how many contracts this involves ; what was the tonnage of coal involved in that contract ; and what is his estimate of the financial support that will be paid in 1994-95.
Mr. Eggar [holding answer 5 July 1994] : To date, the Department has paid £3,237,639 of subsidy covering the sale of 361,523 tonnes of additional coal in 1993-94. Of this, £651,966 was paid by 31 March. The remainder was paid in June following receipt of authorisation from the European Commission for payments in respect of production from 1 January 1994 onwards.
Altogether the Department has made six offers of subsidy in relation to seven contracts covering some 2 million tonnes of coal. The total amount of subsidy paid in 1994-95 will depend on how successful British Coal and the private sector are in securing further sales.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Child Support Agency
Mr. Redmond : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimate for the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of (a) the number of absent parents who have been assessed by the Child Support Agency and (b) the proportion of those who have made payments as a result of such assessment.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 6 July 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of people assessed by the Child Support Agency, and the number of people paying child maintenance.
Column 226
To the end of April 1994, 225,600 absent parents had been assessed by the Agency. I regret that a breakdown of those assessed in the Doncaster and Mexborough areas is not available.With regard to how many absent parents are paying, the Child Support Computer System records client's details on an individual case by case basis, and it is not configured to produce information on the total number of absent parents paying maintenance. I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) deductions from earnings orders, (b) poindings and warrant sales and (c) arrestments of bank and building society accounts the Child Support Agency has pursued in Scotland ; and what amounts of money have been recovered in each case.
Mr. Burt : The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 6 July 1994 :
I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the deductions from earnings orders issued by the Child Support Agency ; the number of poindings and warrant sales pursued ; and number of arrestments of bank and building society accounts.
To the end of April 1994, deductions from earnings orders had been carried out in 3,800 cases. I regret that a figure for Scotland is not available separately. It is not possible to provide details of the amount of money collected as this is not identified separately from other receipts.
To the same date, the Agency has pursued no poindings and warrant sales, nor arrestments of bank and building society accounts.
Compensation Recovery Unit
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what have been the total amounts recovered by the compensation recovery unit in each year since its formation ;
(2) in how many cases since its formation the compensation recovery unit has reclaimed money from the bereaved ;
(3) what have been the amounts recovered by the compensation recovery unit in each year since its formation from sufferers of asbestos-related diseases or their surviving relatives.
Mr. Scott : The administration of the compensation recovery unit 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. Tony Worthington, dated 5 July 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking in each year since its formation (i) the total amounts recovered by the Compensation Recovery Unit, (ii) in how many cases it has reclaimed money from the bereaved, (iii) what amounts have been recovered from sufferers of asbestosis related diseases or their surviving relatives. The total amounts recovered by the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU) are as follows :
Column 227
Period |Amount
|Recovered
|£ million
-----------------------------------------------
1 April 1990-31 March 1991 |3.7
1 April 1991-31 March 1992 |25.3
1 April 1992-31 March 1993 |51.3
1 April 1993-31 March 1994 |81.9
The full range of information for your other questions is not available because this information prior to 1993 is no longer held on the CRU computer system. However, I can tell you that in the period 1 April 1993-- 31 March 1994 there were 170 recoveries made in cases involving deceased claimants and in the same period £408,665 recovered in relation to asbestosis (the system is not designed to identify asbestosis related diseases).
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Childcare Disregard
Sir David Knox : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish tables similar to those in his Department's 1993 tax benefit model tables, but with rents, council tax, benefits and direct taxes updated to 1994, showing the net weekly spending power of a lone mother with two children aged four and six years, now and after introduction of the childcare disregard for family credit, on the assumptions she is (a) not in paid work, (b) working part time earning the maximum income support earnings disregard, (c) working part time for 16 hours earning £40 per week, (d) working part time for 24 hours earning £60 a week and (e) working full time and earning weekly sums from £100 to £300 in increments of £10 and assuming childcare costs of £25 when working 16 hours a week, of £40 when working 24 hours a week, and of £70 when working full time.
Mr. Burt : The information is in the tables. The childcare disregard will be introduced in October and will apply to the calculation of housing benefit, council tax benefit and disability working allowance as well as family credit. Up to £40 of childcare costs for children under 11 will be disregarded against earnings, provided that care is arranged with a registered childminder or nursery.
The level of earnings in some of the questions is particularly low and not representative of the average working lone parent. In addition, some of the childcare costs specified are significantly higher than those typically encountered at the level of earning specified. Recent research shows that the average weekly childcare costs of working lone parents are £24.60 per week.
"Families, Work, and Benefit" (Policy Studies Institute, June
1993).
Lone mother with 2 children aged 4 and 6.
Position at April 1994 and October 1994
|£
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Not in paid work
Gross earnings |0.00
Tax |0.00
National insurance |0.00
Take home pay |0.00
Income support |67.55
Family credit |0.00
Child benefit |24.60
Rent |36.42
Rent rebate |36.42
Council tax |8.30
Council tax benefit |8.30
FSM/FWF |6.80
Child care costs |0.00
Total net income |143.67
Net income after Rent, Council tax, child care costs |98.65
Position at April 1994 and October 1994
|£
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(b) Working part-time earning the maximum income support disregard
Gross earnings |15.00
Tax |0.00
National insurance |0.00
Take home pay |15.00
Income support |67.55
Family credit |0.00
Child benefit |24.60
Rent |36.42
Rent rebate |36.42
Council tax |8.30
Council tax benefit |8.30
FSM/FWF |6.80
Child care costs |0.00
Total net income |158.67
Net income after Rent, Council tax, child care costs |113.95
Position at April 1994
|£
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Working part-time for 16 hours earning £40.00 per week with chi
Gross earnings |40.00
Tax |0.00
National insurance |0.00
Take home pay |40.00
Income support |0.00
Family credit |66.70
Child benefit |24.60
Rent |36.42
Rent rebate |31.22
Council tax |8.30
Council tax benefit |6.70
FSM/FWF |0.00
Child care costs |25.00
Total net income |169.22
Net income after Rent, Council tax, child care costs |99.50
Position at October 1994
|£
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Child care allowance=£25.00
Gross earnings |40.00
Tax |0.00
National insurance |0.00
Take home pay |40.00
Income support |0.00
Family credit |66.70
Child benefit |24.60
Rent |36.42
Rent rebate |36.32
Council tax |8.30
Council tax benefit |8.30
FSM/FWF |0.00
Child care costs |25.00
Total net income |176.02
Net income after Rent, Council tax, child care costs |106.30
Position at April 1994
|£
-------------------------------------------------------------------
(d) Working part-time for 24 hours earning £60.00 per week with
child care
Gross earnings |60.00
Tax |0.00
NI |1.44
Take home pay |58.56
Income support |0.00
Family credit |66.70
Child benefit |24.60
Rent |36.42
Rent rebate |19.16
Council tax |8.30
Council tax benefit |2.99
FSM/FWF |0.00
Child care costs |40.00
Total net income |172.01
Net income after Rent, Council tax, child care costs |87.29
Position at October 1994
|£
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Child care allowance=£40.00
Gross earnings |60.00
Tax |0.00
NI |1.44
Take home pay |58.56
Income support |0.00
Family credit |66.70
Child benefit |24.60
Rent |36.42
Rent rebate |36.42
Council tax |8.30
Council tax benefit |8.30
FSM/FWF |0.00
Child care costs |40.00
Total net income |194.58
Net income after Rent, Council tax, child care costs |109.86
Column 229
e: Working full-time with child care costs of £70.00
Position at April 1994
Gross |Tax |NI |Take |Income |Family |Child |Rent |Rent |Council |Council |FSM/ |Child |Total net |Net income
earnings |home |support |credit |benefit |rebate |tax |tax |FWF |care |income |after rent,
|pay |benefit |costs |council tax
|child care
|costs
|(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
100.00 |0.14 |5.44 |94.42 |0.00 |50.79 |24.60 |36.42 |6.19 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |176.00 |61.28
110.00 |2.14 |6.44 |101.42 |0.00 |45.89 |24.60 |36.42 |4.82 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |176.73 |62.01
120.00 |4.14 |7.44 |108.42 |0.00 |40.99 |24.60 |36.42 |3.46 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |177.47 |62.75
130.00 |6.44 |8.44 |115.12 |0.00 |36.31 |24.60 |36.42 |2.15 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |178.18 |63.46
140.00 |8.94 |9.44 |121.62 |0.00 |31.76 |24.60 |36.42 |0.88 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |178.86 |64.14
150.00 |11.44 |10.44 |128.12 |0.00 |27.21 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |179.93 |65.21
160.00 |13.94 |11.44 |134.62 |0.00 |22.66 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |181.88 |67.16
170.00 |16.44 |12.44 |141.12 |0.00 |18.11 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |183.83 |69.11
180.00 |18.94 |13.44 |147.62 |0.00 |13.56 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |185.78 |71.06
190.00 |21.44 |14.44 |154.12 |0.00 |9.01 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |187.73 |73.01
200.00 |23.94 |15.44 |160.62 |0.00 |4.46 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |189.68 |74.96
210.00 |26.44 |16.44 |167.12 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |191.72 |77.00
220.00 |28.94 |17.44 |173.62 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |198.22 |83.50
230.00 |31.44 |18.44 |180.12 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |204.72 |90.00
240.00 |33.94 |19.44 |186.62 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |211.22 |96.50
250.00 |36.44 |20.44 |193.12 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |217.22 |103.00
260.00 |38.94 |21.44 |199.62 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |224.22 |109.50
270.00 |41.44 |22.44 |206.12 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |230.72 |116.00
280.00 |43.94 |23.44 |212.62 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |237.22 |122.50
290.00 |46.44 |24.44 |219.12 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |243.72 |129.00
300.00 |48.94 |25.44 |225.62 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |250.22 |135.50
Column 229
Position at October 1994
Child care allowance = £40.00
Gross |Tax |NI |Take |Income |Family |Child |Rent |Rent |Council |Council |FSM/ |Child |Total net |Net income
earnings |home |support |credit |benefit |rebate |tax |tax |FWF |care |income |after rent,
|pay |benefit |costs |council tax
|child care
|costs
|(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£) |(£)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
100.00 |0.14
94.42 |0.00 |66.70 |24.60 |36.42 |21.84 |8.30 |3.82 |0.00 |70.00 |211.38 |96.66
110.00 |2.14 |6.44 |101.42 |0.00 |66.70 |24.60 |36.42 |17.29 |8.30 |2.42 |0.00 |70.00 |212.43 |97.71
120.00 |4.14 |7.44 |108.42 |0.00 |66.70 |24.60 |36.42 |12.74 |8.30 |1.02 |0.00 |70.00 |213.48 |98.76
130.00 |6.44 |8.44 |115.12 |0.00 |64.31 |24.60 |36.42 |9.95 |8.30 |0.15 |0.00 |70.00 |214.13 |99.41
140.00 |8.94 |9.44 |121.62 |0.00 |59.76 |24.60 |36.42 |8.68 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |214.66 |99.94
150.00 |11.44 |10.44 |128.12 |0.00 |55.21 |24.60 |36.42 |7.41 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |215.34 |100.62
160.00 |13.94 |11.44 |134.62 |0.00 |50.66 |24.60 |36.42 |6.14 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |216.02 |101.30
170.00 |16.44 |12.44 |141.12 |0.00 |46.11 |24.60 |36.42 |4.88 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |216.71 |101.99
180.00 |18.94 |13.44 |147.62 |0.00 |41.56 |24.60 |36.42 |3.61 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |217.39 |102.67
190.00 |21.44 |14.44 |154.12 |0.00 |37.01 |24.60 |36.42 |2.34 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |218.07 |103.35
200.00 |23.94 |15.44 |160.62 |0.00 |32.46 |24.60 |36.42 |1.07 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |218.75 |104.03
210.00 |26.44 |16.44 |167.12 |0.00 |27.91 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |219.63 |104.91
220.00 |28.94 |17.44 |173.62 |0.00 |23.36 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |221.58 |106.86
230.00 |31.44 |18.44 |180.12 |0.00 |18.81 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |223.53 |108.81
240.00 |33.94 |19.44 |186.62 |0.00 |14.26 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |225.48 |110.76
250.00 |36.44 |20.44 |193.12 |0.00 |9.71 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |227.43 |112.71
260.00 |38.94 |21.44 |199.62 |0.00 |5.16 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |229.38 |114.66
270.00 |41.44 |22.44 |206.12 |0.00 |0.61 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |231.33 |116.61
280.00 |43.94 |23.44 |212.62 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |237.22 |122.50
290.00 |46.44 |24.44 |219.12 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |243.72 |129.00
300.00 |48.94 |25.44 |225.62 |0.00 |0.00 |24.60 |36.42 |0.00 |8.30 |0.00 |0.00 |70.00 |250.22 |135.50
Notes:
1. The family is assumed to live in council property appropriate to their size and pay estimated average rent and council tax.
2. The family is assumed to have no capital and take up entitlement to One Parent Benefit and all income-related benefits.
3. The cash value of free school meals and welfare foods available to the family receiving Income Support is shown in the column headed FSM/FWF.
Bicycles
Mr. Robathan : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what facilities his Department provides for the parking of the bicycles of visitors to its offices in Westminster.
Mr. Hague : The Department's HQ offices in Westminster are at Richmond house where the facilities are provided by the Department of Health. Richmond house has a cycle rack in the car park where visitors' bicycles can be parked.
Compensation
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what powers the compensation recovery unit has to reclaim money paid through invalidity benefit to people aged over 65 years who win court awards for industrial damage to their health ;
(2) what powers the compensation recovery unit has to reclaim money paid through the state pension to asbestosis sufferers who win court awards for industrial damage to their health.
Mr. Scott : Section 82 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and its supporting legislation requires the compensator to deduct the value of invalidity benefit and other relevant benefits and to pay this sum to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State. Benefits such as retirement pension, which are not paid in respect of an accident, injury or disease, are exempted from recoupment.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons for his policy in respect of the money of court awards for (a) pain, (b) suffering and (c) loss of income by the compensation recovery unit from asbestosis sufferers.
Mr. Scott : The compensation recovery scheme is underpinned by a set of straightforward rules which are designed to be easy to understand and administer.
Because the vast majority of compensation claims are settled informally without an allocation to separate heads of damages, it would be impracticable to introduce a mechanism for disaggregating awards. The scheme therefore has regard to the total payment of damages. The same arrangements apply to out-of-court settlements and to the one per cent. of cases settled in court.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a person receiving unemployment or sickness benefit before he has contracted asbestosis has to repay a court award for industrial disease under the rules of the compensation recovery unit.
Mr. Scott : The value of unemployment benefit or sickness benefit should be recovered provided it is paid in
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consequence of the disease for which compensation is awarded. No recovery would be made of prior benefit payments if these were not attributable to the disease.Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons for his policy in respect of providing credit to victims of asbestosis for previous national insurance contributions when the compensation recovery unit reclaims court awards.
Mr. Hague : Individuals suffering from asbestosis are awarded national insurance contribution credits in respect of each week of incapacity for which medical evidence is produced, irrespective of any action taken by the compensation recovery unit to recover amounts of contributory benefits paid. Except where they have been paid in error, current provisions do not allow for the refund of contributions, including those on which an award of contributory incapacity benefit was based, since this could have adverse effects on the individual's future benefit entitlement.
Mr. Worthington : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) from what date the compensation recovery unit may reclaim benefits in cases where an asbestosis sufferer wins a court award for industrial disease or damages ;
(2) what is the policy of the compensation recovery unit in respect of the length a court claim for damages from an asbestosis sufferer takes to settle and the length of claim back by the unit.
Mr. Scott : The period of recovery commences with the date on which a relevant benefit is first claimed in consequence of the disease and ends on the date of settlement or five years from the date of this claim, whichever is earlier. The period is not affected by the time it takes to settle a case in court.
Social Fund
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when he intends to publish his annual report on the social fund and the social fund commissioner's annual report ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Scott : My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State's annual report for 1993-94 (CM 2598) has been published and laid before Parliament today. The report records that gross expenditure in 1993-94 was £442 million, the highest level of expenditure since the fund was established in 1988. This includes 1.8 million non-repayable grants and interest free loans worth £344 million ; and funeral, maternity and cold weather payments worth £98 million. The gross budget allocated to the
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discretionary part of the fund was £346 million, representing an increase of £29 million--nearly 10 per cent-- on 1992-93.In 1994-95 we have built on the substantial increases of earlier years and the gross discretionary budget now stands at £353 million. Since the social fund's inception nearly 9 million discretionary grants and interest- free loans worth almost £1.6 billion have been made to people on low incomes. Cold weather payments will increase from £6 to £7 from 1 November 1994 and further increase to £7.50 a year later. These increases will enhance safeguards for the most vulnerable in the community such as elderly and disabled people and those with very young children.
The social fund commissioner's annual report has also been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.
WALES
Location Grants
Mr. Wigley : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish the number of companies for each of the last 10 years which have received grants or loans in respect of locating in Wales and which have been subsequently moved from Wales, indicating the year of removal ; and if he will make a statement ;
(2) if he will publish for each of the last 10 years and the total for the last 10 years (i) the total cost to the Exchequer of grants or loans made in respect of companies locating in Wales, (ii) the total cost to the Exchequer of grants or loans made in respect of companies locating in Wales but which subsequently moved from Wales and (iii) the figures in (ii) as a percentage of (i) ;
(3) if he will publish a list of all companies for each of the last 10 years which have received grants or loans in respect of locating in Wales and which have subsequently moved from Wales.
Mr. Redwood : This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Public Bodies
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the advisory bodies which he has set up in his Department since the publication of "Public Bodies 1993".
Mr. Redwood : The only advisory body set up in Wales since the publication of "Public Bodies 1993" last December is the Welsh Economic Council.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which are required to publish their advice to Government.
Mr. Redwood : None of the advisory NDPBs sponsored by the Welsh Office is required by statute to publish its advice to Government ; however, they may choose to do so and some do. The objective, for example, of the housing management advisory panel is to produce good practice guidance in housing management aimed primarily at local authorities ; this guidance is published.
Mr. Kilfoyle : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department are required to lay their annual reports before Parliament ; and if he will list them.
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Mr. Redwood : The list is as follows :
Ancient Monuments Board for Wales
Historic Buildings Council for Wales
Library and Information Services Council (Wales)
In addition, the National Rivers Authority advisory committee for Wales, although not required to do so by statute, does publish an annual report, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.
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