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SOCIAL SECURITY
Incapacity for Work Appeals
Ms Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of appeals concerning incapacity for work during (a) 1995 96 and (b) 1996 97 by claimants of (i) incapacity benefit, ii) severe disablement allowance and (iii) income support.
Mr. Hague: The information is not available in the format requested. Current planning assumptions are that the number of appeals which will be lodged on the question of incapacity will be in the region of 140,000 in 1995 96 and 190,000 in 1996 97.
21-hour Rule
Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for changing the 21-hour rule; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Roger Evans: The "21-hour rule" is a special provision which enables income support claimants who are unemployed to spend their time usefully in part-time study while continuing their search for work. The rules governing study on benefit are designed to allow people to undertake study, which will increase their employability, while remaining available for, and actively seeking, work. The "Jobseeker's Allowance" White Paper, which was published on 24 October, makes it clear that the Government intend to continue broadly with the same approach in JSA. Details of the JSA scheme are still under consideration.
Column 795
Clock Adjustment
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many man hours were taken up by adjusting the clocks throughout his Department.
Mr. Hague: No records are kept of such activities.
Inflation
Mr. David Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect on pensioner spending power on the occasion when Great Britain last had inflation over 10 per cent.
Mr. Arbuthnot: The Government fully recognise the importance of maintaining low inflation in protecting pensioners' spending power. Since October 1990, when inflation was last above 10 per cent., it is estimated that pensioners' average weekly incomes have risen by more than 12 per cent. in real terms.
Notes :
1. Source: Family Expenditure Surveys.
2. Measurement based on pensioner units which include single pensioners and couples where the husband is over state pension age.
Market Testing
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his current calculation of the costs of preparation for market testing in his Department in terms of (a) payments to consultants and (b) other costs.
Mr. Arbuthnot: Consultancy costs to date in preparation for market testing are £4,614,579 and other costs are £5,819,468.
Departmental Post
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department has spent on postage, and how many items have been posted by his Department, in each of the last five years.
Mr. Hague: The departmental expenditure on postage in each of the last five years was:
|£
---------------------------------
1989-90 |38,515,000
1990-91 |46,969,000
1991-92 |59,718,000
1992-93 |70,198,000
1993-94 |71,320,000
The number of items posted is not available for the whole period in question. However, for the financial year 1993 94, the number of items posted via the Royal Mail was 311,043,023.
Lung Conditions
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many PD12D chronic bronchitis and emphysema cases (a) had been received up to 11 September, (b) had been processed and (c) were rejected on grounds of failure to meet (i) the qualification period, (ii) the FEVI test and (iii) the X-ray diagnosis of simple pneumoconiosis.
Column 796
Mr. Hague: Information as at 11 September 1994 is in the table:
|Number
------------------------------------------------------
Claims received |43,827
Claims processed |40,338
Disallowed on prescription |1,821
Failed FEV1 test |18,658
Diagnosed as Category O. pneumoconiosis |13,995
Based on a 100 per cent. count and subject to
amendment.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social security how many PD12D chronic bronchitis and emphysema appeals had been heard to 11 September by (a) a special medical board and (b) a medical appeals tribunal; and how many were successful at each stage.
Mr. Hague: The information is in the table.
Appeals |Number |Processed or |Appeals Upheld
|withdrawn
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special Medical Boards |5,913 |4,813 |214
Medical Appeal Tribunals |1,543 |237 |32
NB: Based on a 100 per cent. count and subject to amendment.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many PD12D chronic bronchitis and emphysema appeals to special medical boards up to 11 September have been against (a) X-ray evidence, (b) FEVI test and (c) the qualification period; and how many were successful in each category.
Mr. Hague: Information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The available information is in the table.
_
Criteria |Number |Test satisfied |Test not satisfied
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appeals to special medical boards and medical appeal tribunals
FEV1 |2,146 |97 |1,698
X-ray |3,333 |158 |2,534
Appeals to social security appeal tribunals at 11 September
20 year rule |135 |15 |32
Note
Figures in both tables based on a 100 per cent. count and subject to amendment.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the PD12D chronic bronchitis and emphysema appellants to the medical appeal tribunal have been referred for fresh X-rays; and of those how many have been successful at appeal.
Mr. Hague: The information requested is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many successful PD12D chronic bronchitis and emphysema applicants there were up to 11 September who have been awarded benefit; and what is their average age.
Mr. Hague: At 11 September 1994, 43,827 claims had been received and 4,469 awards of benefit made.
Column 797
Information on the average age of benefit recipients could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.NB: Based on a 100 per cent. count but subject to amendment.
Means Testing (Limits)
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the (a) £1,000 widow's payment, (b) £3,000 and £8,000 capital limits for income support and family credit, (c) £3,000 and £16,000 capital limits for housing benefit, (d) £2 per day earnings limit for unemployment benefit, (e) £12 earnings limit under the normal idle day rule, (f) £5 and £15 earnings disregards for income support, (g) £5, £10 and £25 earnings disregards for housing and council tax benefits, (h) £10 war pension disregard for income-related benefits, (i) £10 disregard of statutory or voluntary payments, (j) £20 disregard of income from a boarder, (k) £200 disregard of a training bonus (l) £15 maintenance disregard for income -related benefits other than income
Column 798
support, (m) £10 disregard of student loans, (n) £35 occupational pension limit for unemployment benefit, (o) £200 savings limit for the lower rate of voluntary unemployment deduction, (p) £27 (£8 if living in a hostel) protected earnings, and the £1 margin over protected earnings, where income support paid after a trade dispute is recoverable, (q) £52.50 rate of statutory sick pay, (r) £100 maternity payment from the social fund, (s) £500 and £1,000 capital limits for maternity and funeral payments from the social fund, (t) £75 limit on additional expenses included in a funeral payment from the social fund, (u) 25 pence age addition to retirement pension, (v) £10 Christmas bonus, (w) £2,500 exempt payments limit for recovery of benefits from compensation payments and (x) £30,000 vaccine damage payment were (i) last uprated and (ii) introduced; and what their present value would be if they had been uprated in each year since then in line with the increases in (A) prices and (B) average earnings.Mr. Roger Evans: The information requested is set out in the table.
|Col. 4 current value|Col. 5 current value
|if |if increased
|Col. 3 date from |increased in line |in line with average
|which |with prices |earnings
Col. 1 |Col. 2 date of |current rate |since date at Col. 3|since date at Col. 3
|introduction |applicable
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) £1,000 widow's payment |April 1988 |April 1988 |1,387.40 |1,523.60
(b) £3,000 and £8,000 capital limits for income support and
family credit:- |£3,000 |April 1988 |April 1988 |4,105.90 |4,570.65
|£8,000 |April 1988 |April 1990 |9,940.50 |10,202.60
(c) £3,000 and £16,000 capital limits, for housing benefits:- |£3,000 |April 1988 |April 1988 |4,105.90 |4,570.65
|£16,000 |April 1988 |April 1990 |19,881.10 |20,405.15
(d) £2 per day earnings limit for unemployment benefit |July 1948 |March 1982 |3.75 |4.80
(e) £12 earnings limit under the normal idle day rule |December 1989 |December 1989 |15.75 |16.70
(f) £5 and £15 earnings disregards for income support:- |£5.00 |April 1988 |April 1988 |6.85 |7.65
|£15.00 |April 1988 |April 1988 |20.50 |22.90
(g) £5, £10 and £25 earnings disregards for housing and council
tax benefits:- |£5 |April 1988 |April 1988 |6.85 |7.65
|£10 |April 1988 |April 1988 |13.70 |15.25
|£25 |April 1988 |October 1990 |31.05 |31.90
(h) £10 war pension disregard for income-related benefits |April 1998 |April 1990 |12.45 |12.75
(i) £10 disregard of charitable and voluntary payments |April 1988 |April 1990 |12.45 |12.75
(j) £20 disregard of income from a boarder (plus half of
charge in excess of £20) |April 1988 |April 1990 |24.80 |25.45
(k) £200 disregard of a training bonus |September 1988 |September 1988 |277.45 |304.80
(l) £15 maintenance disregard for income-related benefits other
than income support |April 1992 |April 1992 |16.10 |16.20
(m) £10 disregard of student loans |September 1990 |September 1990 |12.45 |12.75
(n)£35 occupational pension limit for unemployment benefit |April 1981 |April 1981 |72.60 |95.00
(o) £200 savings limit for the lower rate of voluntary
employment deduction |November 1980 |April 1988 |273.75 |304.80
(p) £27 (£8 if living in a hostel) protected earnings, and the
£1 margin over protected earnings, where income support
is paid after a trade dispute is recoverable |April 1988 |April 1988 |36.90 |41.10
(q) £52.50 rate of statutory sick pay |April 1990 |April 1990 |63.95 |67.00
(r) £100 maternity payment from the Social Fund |April 1987 |April 1990 |124.25 |127.55
(s) £500 and £1,000 capital limits for maternity and funeral payments
from the Social Fund |£500 |April 1990 |April 1990 |621.30 |637.65
|£1,000 |April 1990 |April 1990 |1,242.60 |1,275.35
(t) £75 limit on additional expenses (specifically arising from
the religious faith of the deceased) included in a funeral
payments from the Social Fund |April 1987 |April 1987 |105.95 |123.15
(u) 25 pence age addition to retirement pension |September 1971 |September 1971 |1.55 |2.60
(v) £10 Christmas bonus |December 1972 |December 1972 |65.70 |94.75
(w) £2,500 exempt payments limit for recover of benefits from
compensation payments |September 1990 |September 1990 |3,043.85 |3,188.30
(x) £30,000 vaccine damage payment |March 1979 |April 1991 |32,936.70 |34,908.45
Note:
1. The figures have been rounded to two decimal places.
2. In each step of the calculation the amount has been rounded to the nearest five pence.
3. The Retail Prices Index (all items) and the Retail Prices Index (all items except housing ROSSI) as published by the Central Statistical Office have been used for the prices up-rating -ROSSI
in relation to amounts which apply to income-related benefits.
4. Average Earnings Index (Whole Economy Unadjusted) as published by the Employment Department has been used to calculate the earnings up-rating.
Column 799
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has completed his review of the cold weather payments scheme network of temperature monitoring points; what proposals he has to announce in respect of Garve, Ross-shire, and the monitoring station on Tiree; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Roger Evans: This year's review of the cold weather payments scheme is complete. Amending regulations were laid on 11 October and will come into force on 1 November. No changes are to be made in respect of Garve.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much money has been spent in total on housing benefit in Scotland for private sector tenancies in each year since 1985;
(2) how much has been spent on housing benefit in Scotland in each financial year since 1985.
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is set out in the table.
Column 800
£ thousands
Year |Total Private Sector|Total Housing
|Housing Benefit |Benefit
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1985-86 |53,693 |270,098
1986-87 |69,260 |317,889
1987-88 |85,903 |367,005
1988-89<1> |81,968 |380,405
1989-90<1> |103,567 |434,152
1990-91 |109,257 |489,784
1991-92 |123,753 |535,526
1992-93 |154,617 |607,954
Note
<1> Amounts estimated as the data was not collected in the required format for
these two years.
All Figures have been rounded to the nearest £,000.
Source
Final subsidy claims.
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money was spent on housing benefit in each district council in Scotland in the last financial year.
Mr. Roger Evans: The available information is set out in the table.
Column 801
District |Total Housing
|Benefit (£,000)
-------------------------------------------------------
Berwickshire |1.422
Ettrick and Lauderdale |2,144
Roxburgh |3,619
Tweeddale |1,036
Clackmannan |4,823
Falkirk |13,492
Stirling |7,646
Annandale and Eskdale |2,792
Nithsdale |4,814
Stewartry |1,698
Wigtown |4,149
Dunfermline |11,761
Kirkcaldy |17,800
North East Fife |4,462
Aberdeen |14,984
Banff and Buchan |5,549
Gordon |2,935
Kincardine and Deeside |1,492
Moray |5,505
Badenoch |998
Caithness |2,203
Inverness |5,518
Lochaber |1,665
Nairn |829
Ross and Cromarty |4,754
Skye and Lochalsh |1,067
Sutherland |1,138
Edinburgh |67,641
East Lothian |7,688
Midlothian |4,341
West Lothian |9,242
Argyll-Bute |7,290
Bearsden and Milngavie |1,207
Clydebank |7,666
Clydesdale |4,287
Cumbernauld |3,381
Cumnock and Doon |5,020
Cunninghame |14,410
Dumbarton |8,844
East Kilbride |1,580
Eastwood |1,455
Glasgow |178,875
Hamilton |11,825
Inverclyde |12,739
Kilmarnock |8,131
Kyle and Carrick |10,926
Monklands |14,127
Motherwell |16,710
Renfrew |23,397
Strathkelvin |5,245
Angus |5,877
Dundee |32,078
Perth and Kinross |8,837
Islands
Orkney |1,165
Shetland |1,275
Western Isles |2,399
All figures rounded to the nearest £,000.
Source: Final subsidy claims.
Information relates to 1992-93 year.
Housing Benefit Subsidy 1992-93 Source: MPF720B (
Certified)
Districts |Housing Benefit
|Subsidy
-------------------------------------------------------
Berwickshire |1,422,031
Ettrick and Lauderdale |2,144,030
Roxburgh |3,618,630
Tweeddale |1,035,930
Clackmannan |4,822,713
Falkirk |13,492,425
Stirling |7,646,014
Annandale and Eskdale |2,791,643
Nithsdale |4,814,403
Stewartry |1,697,878
Wigtown |4,148,971
Dunfermline |11,761,442
Kirkcaldy |17,800,067
North East Fife |4,462,196
Aberdeen |14,984,313
Banff and Buchan |5,548,947
Gordon |2,934,543
Kincardine and Deeside |1,492,313
Moray |5,504,803
Badenoch |997,785
Caithness |2,202,847
Inverness |5,518,241
Lochaber |1,664,894
Nairn |828,642
Ross and Cromarty |4,753,973
Skye and Lochalsh |1,066,843
Sutherland |1,138,487
Edinburgh |67,640,909
East Lothian |7,688,208
Midlothian |4,341,099
West Lothian |9,242,218
Argyll-Bute |7,289,821
Bearsden and Milngavie |1,206,648
Clydebank |7,666,228
Clydesdale |4,287,072
Cumbernauld |3,381,167
Cumnock and Doon |5,019,841
Cunninghame |14,409,820
Dumbarton |8,844,003
East Kilbride |1,579,816
Eastwood |1,455,284
Glasgow |178,875,469
Hamilton |11,825,268
Inverclyde |12,738,576
Kilmarnock |8,131,272
Kyle and Carrick |10,926,069
Monklands |14,127,309
Motherwell |16,709,628
Renfrew |23,397,271
Strathkelvin |5,245,087
Angus |5,877,088
Dundee |32,077,629
Perth and Kinross |8,837,355
|-----
|603,115,159
Islands
Orkney |1,164,576
Shetland |1,275,119
Western Isles |2,398,951
|-----
|4,838,646
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the highest values of rent eligible for housing benefit in (a) the private sector and (b) the public sector, in each financial year since 1985.
Mr. Roger Evans: The available information for Scotland is set out in the table. It gives the maximum eligible rent and the 99th percentile eligible rent for the years for which the information could be extracted.
Enquiry date |Public sector |Private sector
|tenancies |tenancies
|Maximum eligible|99th percentile |Maximum eligible|99th percentile
|rent |eligible rent |rent |eligible rent
|£ |£ |£ |£
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May 1989 |46.42 |27.02 |87.94 |51.50
May 1990 |107.97 |32.72 |96.92 |80.77
May 1991 |124.45 |39.81 |105.00 |81.89
May 1992 |250.37 |42.64 |115.38 |95.00
May 1993 |170.2 |43.63 |150.00 |98.08
Source:
Housing Benefit Management Information System annual one per cent. inquiries.
Note:
<1> As the figures are from a one per cent. sample of recipients of Housing Benefit, the maximum
quoted above may not be the actual maximum eligible rent.
<2> The 99th percentile eligible rent (that is, the eligible rent which represents the boundary
between the top one per cent. of eligible rents and all other eligible rents) has been quoted as a
more reliable indicator of the highest values.
<3> The private sector includes Housing Association tenancies.
Column 803
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many housing benefit claims have been awarded for each district council area in Scotland in each year since 1985.Mr. Roger Evans: The available information is set out in the table.
Average Housing Benefit Caseload for each District in Scotland 1988-1993
Average Housing
Benefit Caseload
District |1988 |1989 |1990 |1991 |1992 |1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aberdeen |16,758 |17,615 |17,806 |16,584 |16,046 |16,163
Angus |6,959 |6,860 |6,739 |6,537 |6,562 |6,736
Annandale and Eskdale |3,552 |2,759 |2,356 |2,373 |2,412 |2,515
Argyll-Bute |5,064 |4,655 |4,698 |5,094 |5,115 |5,414
Badenoch |863 |715 |651 |667 |734 |780
Banff and Buchan |5,525 |5,568 |5,499 |5,379 |5,318 |5,468
Bearsden and Milngavie |1,047 |1,018 |942 |901 |900 |917
Berwickshire |508 |1,350 |1,310 |1,287 |1,298 |1,346
Caithness |2,106 |1,936 |1,929 |1,901 |1,940 |2,010
Clackmannan |4,846 |7,320 |7,110 |7,019 |6,872 |6,570
Clydebank |7,308 |6,948 |6,871 |6,692 |6,625 |6,709
Clydesdale |4,534 |4,336 |4,266 |4,278 |4,420 |4,474
Cumbernauld |2,260 |2,313 |2,338 |2,494 |2,591 |2,711
Cumnock and Doon |5,142 |4,937 |4,871 |4,895 |5,130 |5,358
Cunninghame |15,019 |13,266 |12,317 |12,398 |12,904 |13,358
Dumbarton |7,256 |7,116 |6,998 |6,879 |6,697 |7,232
Dundee |24,289 |23,372 |23,600 |23,108 |22,741 |23,043
Dunfermline |10,579 |10,694 |10,363 |10,488 |10,701 |10,936
East Kilbride |880 |861 |922 |963 |1,062 |1,151
East Lothian |8,018 |7,667 |7,072 |7,005 |6,978 |6,983
Eastwood |1,109 |1,079 |1,033 |1,014 |1,119 |1,198
Edinburgh |48,640 |45,318 |42,869 |40,000 |39,934 |41,203
Ettrick and Lauderdale |607 |2,102 |1,984 |1,786 |2,139 |2,231
Falkirk |14,899 |14,951 |14,498 |14,273 |14,150 |14,306
Glasgow |122,020 |121,430 |124,966 |122,018 |123,314 |122,577
Gordon |1,866 |2,655 |2,501 |2,282 |2,578 |2,644
Hamilton |11,969 |11,659 |11,278 |11,168 |11,133 |11,297
Inverclyde |15,502 |11,978 |11,899 |11,205 |11,018 |11,312
Inverness |5,167 |6,099 |6,235 |6,002 |5,248 |4,353
Kilmarnock |9,744 |9,380 |9,052 |9,015 |8,746 |8,709
Kincardine and Deeside |1,266 |1,405 |1,463 |1,439 |1,490 |1,595
Kirkcaldy |13,876 |13,841 |13,833 |13,584 |14,141 |14,500
Kyle and Carrick |10,582 |10,146 |9,849 |9,664 |9,443 |9,783
Lochaber |2,069 |1,686 |1,442 |1,380 |1,349 |1,572
Midlothian |6,176 |5,815 |5,190 |4,928 |5,721 |4,931
Monklands |15,804 |14,935 |14,184 |14,240 |12,879 |13,283
Moray |5,718 |5,616 |5,413 |5,236 |6,725 |5,401
Motherwell |20,336 |18,629 |17,916 |17,782 |15,813 |18,305
Nairn |806 |785 |680 |638 |1,058 |748
Nithsdale |5,150 |4,269 |3,959 |3,860 |4,120 |4,321
North East Fife |4,446 |4,247 |4,091 |3,556 |3,330 |3,747
Orkney Isles |1,269 |996 |829 |844 |1,730 |919
Perth and Kinross |7,964 |7,850 |7,758 |7,698 |9,346 |7,998
Renfrew |21,959 |20,294 |18,553 |19,877 |17,949 |20,945
Ross and Cromarty |3,648 |3,540 |3,396 |3,455 |3,598 |4,039
Roxburgh |827 |2,863 |2,742 |2,705 |2,697 |3,113
Shetland Isles |1,501 |1,020 |967 |963 |962 |1,043
Skye and Lochalsh |1,063 |1,165 |1,388 |678 |822 |753
Stewartry |2,174 |1,504 |1,317 |1,343 |1,892 |1,410
Stirling |8,240 |7,487 |6,442 |6,334 |5,795 |6,666
Strathkelvin |5,383 |4,887 |4,617 |4,363 |4,290 |4,341
Sutherland |973 |942 |947 |947 |926 |981
Tweeddale |156 |737 |919 |892 |933 |953
West Lothian |10,317 |9,802 |9,344 |9,560 |9,368 |9,440
Western Isles |4,405 |1,786 |1,143 |1,198 |1,551 |1,568
Wigtown |3,930 |3,182 |3,042 |2,899 |3,084 |3,170
Source
Housing Benefit Management Information System
Notes
(1) The above figures are benefit units. A benefit unit may be a single person or a
couple.
(2) The average caseload is based on 100 per cent. enquiries taken at the end of
February, May, August and November of each year.
(3) When the Local Authorities have failed to send in a return, figures have been
estimated.
(4) Prior to April 1989 the average caseload includes rate rebate cases.
Column 805
Mr. Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the total cost and number of recipients of housing benefit in the current year; and what were the equivalent figures for 1982.Mr. Roger Evans: pursuant to his reply, 24 October, Official Report, column 425]: The figures for rent allowance and rent rebate caseload had been transposed.
The correct information is set out in the table.
Great Britain Housing Benefit Housing Benefit
only plus an estimate
for the number of
people on
Supplementary
Benefit who get
help with housing
costs
|Spending £ |Caseload (thousands)|Spending £ |Caseload (thousands)
|(millions) |(millions)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982-83<1> |Rent rebate |929 |3,050 |1,777 |3,580
|Rent allowance |74 |260 |351 |851
1994-95<2> |Rent rebate |5,659 |3,186 |- |-
|Rent allowance |4,320 |1,432 |- |-
Note
1982-83 caseload and expenditure figures include estimates for people whose Supplementary Benefit payments included help with their housing costs.
<1> Information taken from Public Expenditure papers.
<2> "Government's Expenditure Plans 1994-95 to 1996-97". Caseload information extrapolated from figures in same report.
Column 805
Personal Injury Claims
Mr. Hutton: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the total value of all benefits recovered from claimants awarded damages for personal injury claims in each year since 1979 expressed in constant 1994 prices.
Mr. Roger Evans: The compensation recovery scheme came into force on 3 September 1990. No records are held of the amounts of benefit recovered by compensators before that date because the Department was not involved in the process. The amounts recovered since 3 September 1990 in 1994 95 prices are as follows:
1990-91 |1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95 ------------------------------------------------ 4.35 |27.96 |54.55 |84.36 |47.50 Notes 1. All figures are in £ millions. 2. Figures exclude recoveries from awards that do not exceed £2,500. Compensators may exercise the right to offset such awards by half the value of benefits payable, but the Department is not involved in the process. Accordingly, no records are held of these recoveries. 3. Figures for 1994-95 are to 30 September 1994 only.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who were the members of the group of experts who were asked to advise on the procedures for assessing the effects of mental health problems in relation to incapacity benefit.
Mr. Hague: Panel members who agreed to have their names published are listed in the report "The Medical Assessment for Incapacity Benefit", copies of which are in the Library. Ten members of the panel, including some members of the sub-group which advised on the mental health assessment, did not want their names published. We do not have the consent of any panel member to disclose his involvement in a particular part of the work, such as the mental health assessment. The sub-group which advised on the mental health assessment included panel members with experience in psychological medicine, occupational health and general practice.
Column 807
WALES
Rough Sleepers Initiative
Mr. Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to launch a rough sleepers initiative in Wales to alleviate the problems caused by homeless people sleeping overnight in open -air locations in the Principality.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The Welsh Office continues to devote considerable resources to the prevention and alleviation of homelessness. In 1994 95 some £5,000,000 was available to local authorities for capital schemes addressing homelessness or under-occupation; £500,000 revenue funding is also being directed to voluntary bodies.
Column 808
To tackle a specific identified problem of single vulnerable young homeless people, £800,000 is being provided for a three-year pilot project in Cardiff.Traffic Regulation Orders
Mr. Bennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the temporary traffic regulation orders for which he has authorised an extension under section 15(5) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1994 as amended by the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Act 1991, stating in each case (a) the name of the authority making the order, (b) the public rights of way stopped up by the order, (c) the duration of the extension and (d) why he granted the extension.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: The information is given in the table:
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Local authority |Public right of way |Duration |Reason for extension
|given by local
|authority
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Powys county council |Bridleways Nos. 6 and 7 in Craig DDU Forest, |12 weeks |Completion of road construction
|Penybontfawr |by the Forestry Commission
|Footpath No. 1 at Sychpwll, Llandrinio |1 month |Rebuilding of a flood bank
|Footpath No. 33 near Carreghofa Hall, | 38 weeks |To repair an unsafe bridge abutment
|Carreghofa Llanymynech
|Footpath No. 17 at Nant-Y-Wiber footbridge, Penygarnedd |42 weeks |Unsafe footbridge-likely to be replaced
|Footpath No. 53 and bridleway No. 54 at old lead mine, |33 weeks |Completion of reclamation works
|Van, Llanidloes
|Bridleway No. 22 at bridge No. CB 4137 |11 weeks |Public safety owing to weaknesses
|Near Blaen Glyn, Glyn Tarell |in the bridge structure
|Bridleway No. 22 at bridge No. CB 4137 |39 weeks |Reconstruction of bridge
|near Blaen Glyn, Glyn Tarell
|Public footpath No. 1 at Festival footbridge | 8 weeks |Essential maintenance works to footbridge
|near Aberhafesp
|Public footpath No. 65 at Trederwen | 35 weeks |Reconstruction of outfall
|outfall near Arddleen
Gwent county council |Public footpath No. 55 at Rogerstone |26 weeks |Infrastructure works on sides of Ebbw river
|power station
|Public footpath No. 10 at Garn-Y-Rerw, |130 weeks |Mineral workings
|Blaenavon
|Public footpath No. 14 at Langstone/Cats Ash |26 weeks |Residential development of adjacent land
|Public footpaths Nos. 36, 38, 39, and 40 at Cats Ash | 26 weeks |Public safety during construction of golf course
|-Celtic Manor golf course
|Public Footpath No. 247 at Pennar farm Newbridge-Maesycwmmer|26 weeks |Construction of bypass route A472
South Glamorgan county council |Footpath linking Ewenny close and Dynallt road, Barry |22 weeks |Public safety during construction
|work nearby
|Footpath under Eastern avenue at The Nant |78 weeks |Public safety during construction
| Pontprennau subway, Cardiff |of nearby link road
|Footpath No. 14 at Barry |13 weeks |Public safety during
|residential development of adjacent land
Clwyd county council |Public footpaths Nos. 102 and 108 at Cerrigydrudion |14 weeks |To facilitate repairs to dam bridge
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Selective Financial Assistance
Mr. Rowlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list the companies which received selective financial assistance in 1992, 1993 and 1994 to
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the latest date; and what were the total sums paid in selective assistance for each year.Mr. Redwood: Details of companies receiving regional selective assistance offers of £75,000 or more are published quarterly in the Employment Gazette , while
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summarised information relating to regional assistance is published each year in the Industrial Development Act 1982 annual reports. Copies of both publications are available in the Library of the House.Departmental Staff
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of people employed in his Department; and under what subject headings they work.
Mr. Redwood: The total full-time equivalent number of permanent staff employed by the Welsh Office at the beginning of October 1994 was 2,334. They work in the following broad subject areas:
|Number
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ministers' offices |29
Permanent secretary's office |2.5
Deputy secretaries' offices |5
Economic development |82.5
Industry and training |176.5
Agriculture |445
Health |210
Local government finance, housing and social services |113
Transport, planning and environment |595.5
Local government reorganisation |23
Education |85.5
Legal |66.5
Accommodation and management services |199
Personnel and central services |91
Statistics, information and library |96.5
Finance |94
|-----
Total |2,224.5
Note
In addition, there are 109.5 staff on maternity leave, unpaid career
breaks, and so on.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total and proportion of his staff of his Department employed on agricultural duties in each of the past 14 years for which figures are available.
Mr. Redwood: The total number and proportion of permanent staff in my Department employed on agricultural duties in each of the last 14 years is as follows:
|Number of staff |Proportion of Welsh
|employed on |Office
|agricultural
Year |duties (full-time |staff (per cent.)
|equivalents)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 (December) |623 |26.4
1981 (December) |598 |26.2
1982 (December) |585 |26.6
1983 (December) |564 |25.9
1984 (December) |553 |25.0
1985<1> |543 |23.8
1986 (December) |509 |22.6
1987 (December) |480 |21.7
1988 (November) |480 |22.0
1989 (October) |463 |20.8
1990 (October) |477 |20.3
1991 (July) |455 |19.0
1992 (July) |389 |16.0
1993 (December) |416 |15.6
1994 (October) |445 |19.0
<1>Figure relates to January 1986. Information for 1985 is available only at
disproportionate cost.
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Acid Rain
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new proposals he has to reduce the effects of acid rain on Welsh rivers.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: In June the Government signed a significant new international agreement within United Nations Economic Commission for Europe aimed at achieving substantial reductions in emissions of sulphur dioxide, one of the main contributors to acid rain. This represents the latest step in the Government's wide-ranging programme of measures to reduce the effects of acid rain in Wales and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, including tighter controls on emissions from industry and vehicles. As part of this, the Welsh Office is sponsoring studies with the National Rivers Authority on the effectiveness of liming of river catchments in Wales.
Quangos
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new proposals he has to improve the accountability of Welsh quangos.
Mr. Redwood: My ministerial colleagues and I hold regular review meetings with each Welsh executive non-departmental public body to consider targets and performance; and NDPBs are to be provided with clear statements of their responsibilities and the roles of the board and its staff and of the Department. I also expect each NDPB to adopt, with such adaptations as are appropriate to its circumstances, the recently published "Code of Best Practice for Board Members of Public Bodies", which requires public bodies and their boards:
To observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity and objectivity in relation to their stewardship of public funds. To comply with Government policy on openness and to respond to all reasonable requests for information.
To be accountable to Parliament, users of services, individual citizens and staff for the activities of the bodies concerned, their stewardship of public funds and the extent to which key performance targets have been met.
To maximise value for money by ensuring that services are delivered in the most efficient and economical way.
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the number of appointments made to quango boards by himself and each of his predecessors since 1979.
Mr. Redwood: The information is not available in the form requested. However, I have appointed 46 people to executive non-departmental public bodies since 1 September 1993.
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the quangos set up by himself and each of each predecessors since 1979.
Mr. Redwood: The following executive non-departmental public bodies have been set up since 1979:
|Year
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting |1983
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation |1987
Housing for Wales |1989
Countryside Council for Wales<1> |1991
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |1992
Further Education Funding Council for Wales |1992
Wales Youth Agency |1992
Welsh Language Board<2> |1993
Arts Council for Wales |1994
Curriculum and Assessment Authority |1994
<1> Assumed the function of the Countryside Commission and the Nature
Conservation Council in Wales.
<2> Replaced an advisory body.
Central Statistical Office
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new regional aid proposals he has to safeguard the jobs at the Central Statistical Office in Newport.
Mr. Redwood: Policy in relation to the Central Statistical Office is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Departmental Post
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department has spent on postage, and how many items have been posted by his Department, in each of the last five years.
Mr. Redwood: Expenditure from my Department's postage budget in each of the last five years was;
Financial year |£ --------------------------------------------- 1989-90 |394,750 1990-91 |440,779 1991-92 |556,659 1992-93 |541,539 1993-94 |486,614 Figures for the number of items are not available.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what medical training his Department advises is necessary for escorts of children with special educational needs being transported to and from school.
Mr, Richards: It is for local education authorities to satisfy themselves that appropriate supervision is made for the conveyance of children with special educational needs. The Government endorsed a Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents report in 1991 which recommended that escorts should receive adequate first aid training.
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice his Department has given to local education authorities on the transport of children with special educational needs to and from school.
Mr. Richards: Local education authorities are obliged to transport pupils in reasonable safety and comfort. Transport should be non-stressful, such as to enable a child to travel to and from school without undue stress, strain or difficulty such as would prevent the child benefiting from the education provided at the school. The advice was included in a draft circular issued for consultation earlier in the year, the final version of which should issue shortly.
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Redundant Churches and Chapels
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress in establishing redundant churches and chapels funds for Wales; and what comparisons he has drawn with arrangements elsewhere.
Mr. Gwilym Jones: Responsibility for issues relating to redundant churches and chapels has been delegated to Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from E.A.J. Carr to Mrs. Ann Clwyd, dated 26 October 1994:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about progress towards establishing redundant churches and redundant chapels funds in Wales.
In its response to the Welsh Affairs Committee report, "The Preservation of Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments", the Government indicated that it was prepared to fund 70 per cent. of the costs of mechanisms to care for the best redundant religious buildings for which no other arrangement could be made.
Cadw is making good progress with the Representative Body of the Church in Wales and the Friends of Friendless Churches in identifying arrangements to care for redundant churches of the Church in Wales. The Friends has a proven track record in caring sympathetically for redundant churches in Wales and already has four in its hands. Most recently, a wider package of financial support has been offered to the Friends, whose founder died last year meaning the organisation has had to regroup, opening the way for its care to be further extended. Our detailed discussions are continuing on how it is to be done.
The position with redundant chapels is rather different. There is no obvious mechanism which might be grant-aided to care for these and our aim is to stimulate the establishment of a body, in the voluntary sector, on the lines of the Historic Chapels Trust in England. To encourage a wider interest in the issue, Cadw has asked the Wales Council for Voluntary Action to organise a conference which will be held at the Norwegian Church, Cardiff on 29 November. The aim is to discuss the problems that such a mechanism might address and to promote the involvement of interested people.
Our Children's Education"
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many pensioner households received the publication "Our Children's Education".
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