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North West Training and Enterprise Council

Mr. Bermingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 1 February, 0fficial Report , column 716, if he will name the members on the board of the north west training and enterprise council together with the interests they represent.

Mr. Paice: The names of all training and enterprise council board members are available from the Library. TEC board members join and remain on the board of directors as individuals and not as representatives of another company or organisation. There is no such single organisation as the north west TEC.

Redundancies

Mr. McAllion: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the firms in the Dundee travel-to-work area which have notified his Department


Column 187

of redundancies involving more than 10 people since 1 August 1993, giving in each case the actual number.

Mr. Oppenheim: Information given to the Department under the statutory redundancy handling provisions is provided in confidence.

Special Advisers

Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the severance payments made to special advisers in each of the last five years indicating (a) the amount and (b) the date.

Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 1 February 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury on 6 February 1995, Official Report, column 69 .

TRANSPORT

East Coast Main Line

Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of the subsidence of old mine workings under the east coast main line between Prestonpans and Wallyford; what assessment he has made of the completeness of the record of such workings under railway lines; and what will be the liability of Railtrack for the consequences and costs of similar incidents following privatisation.

Mr. Watts: A temporary speed restriction was imposed in November 1994 between Prestonpans and Wallyford station following discovery of subsidence of old mine workings during routine maintenance. To prevent further subsidence, Railtrack is injecting concrete slurry into the former mine workings. It is anticipated that the work will be completed in the next few weeks and the line speed will be back to 60 mph by March 1995 and restored to 125 mph later in the year. Railtrack is carrying out a search of mining records compiled by the British Railways Board, the Coal Authority and other sources for a report identifying the locations of mine shafts, drifts and shallow mine workings in the vicinity of Railtrack property.

Liability for costs and consequences of remedial work to a collapsed mineshaft or shallow mine working will depend on the circumstances of each case. Privatisation will make no difference to Railtrack's liabilities.

Driving Test Centre, Rhyl

Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from individuals and organisations with regard to the proposed relocation of the driving test centre at 96 Cefndy road, Rhyl; if he will review the objections for himself; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.


Column 188

Letter from L. M. Manley to Mr. David Hanson, dated 7 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about the Rhyl driving test centre. I wrote to you on 20 January about the need to relocate the Rhyl and Llandudno driving test centres and the public consultation exercise we are carrying out.

The public consultation exercise concluded on 30 November 1994. Some 25 individuals and organisations responded, mostly expressing concern at our proposals. In the meantime the Rhuddlan Borough Council and the Vale of Clwyd Traders Council have offered to assist us in finding alternative accommodation in Rhyl. We will delay consideration of the representations made during the public consultation exercise until our discussions with Rhuddlan Borough Council and Vale of Clwyd Traders Council have been completed.

Sickness Absence

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 1994, Official Report, column 881, if he will list the areas of work in his Department which have been reorganised following the Vehicle Inspectorate's total qualityinitiative; and what assessment he has made of the relationship between these reorganisations and the stress level and sick absences among employees of his Department.

Mr. Norris: This is an operational matter for the Vehicle Inspectorate. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ron Oliver to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 6 February 1995:

Total Quality Initiative in the Vehicle Inspectorate

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding reorganisation within the Vehicle Inspectorate following its Total Quality Initiative.

To meet its commitments, the Inspectorate has to keep pace with developments and be able to respond to change. We are currently in the second stage of the Total Quality Initiative (TQI) and we expect it to deliver improvements in efficiency, as well as effectiveness and service. During the course of this financial year, Corrective Action Teams and Continuous Improvement Teams have been working across the Inspectorate. We believe that staff participation and understanding can help in minimising the stress of change and their recommendations as part of the "Teams" have contributed to the reorganisations under way in the Inspectorate's 3 divisions. The Inspectorate surveyed staff attitude at the start of the TQ process in Autumn 1993. We plan to survey staff attitude again during the 1995/96 financial year and continue to look at staff absence rates to provide us with as full a picture as possible.

If you have any further questions about the Inspectorate's initiatives, please contact me at the above address.

Policies and Programmes

Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether each of the transport policies and programmes of highway authorities for the past two years are in his Department's library; whether the library is open to researchers; where the library is; when it was last moved; and what the cost consequences have been.


Column 189

Mr. Norris: Current transport policies and programmes are held by local transport policy division. They are available to the DOT library in 2 Marsham street, if required. Old TPPs are stored off site. Researchers may use the library by prior arrangement. The library moved in April 1994, saving £1 million a year.

Publicity

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each of the last three financial years, the amount spent by his Department on publicity for the work of the traffic area offices, excluding that spent on the traffic area network, the traffic commissioners and the licensing authorities' annual reports.

Mr. Norris: Excluding the annual reports, the amount spent directly on publicity for the work of the traffic area offices is as follows:

1992 93: £4,756.74

1993 94: £2,520.28

1994 95: £5,801.00

Driving Standards Agency

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 1994, Official Report, column 881 , if he will (1) list the occasions in 1994 on which risk assessments by the Driving Standards Agency have led to reorganisations in his Department;

(2) list the dates of risk assessments by the Driving Standards Agency in 1994; and if he will make a statement on the nature of these assessments.

Mr. Norris: These are operational matters for the Driving Standards Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from L. M. Manley to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 7 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about risk assessments in the Agency which have led to reorganisation.

To date it has not been found necessary to make any reorganisation as a result of risk assessments. Where risks have been identified, they have been controlled or eliminated without the need for reorganisation.

Letter from L. M. Manley to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 7 February 1995:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your question about risk assessments in the Driving Standards Agency.

The attached table provides the dates and numbers of risk assessments carried out in 1994. The assessments covered display screen equipment, manual handling procedures and general risks.


Year            |Month/Date     |Number                         

----------------------------------------------------------------

1994            |January                                        

                |6              |1                              

                |19             |1                              

                |25             |1                              

                |29             |1                              

                                                                

                                |4                              

                                                                

                |February                                       

                |8              |7                              

                |9              |3                              

                |10             |1                              

                |11             |7                              

                |14             |6                              

                |15             |3                              

                |18             |1                              

                |22             |2                              

                |28             |2                              

                                                                

                                |32                             

                                                                

                |March                                          

                |1              |1                              

                |4              |1                              

                |8              |1                              

                |17             |6                              

                |28             |1                              

                |29             |3                              

                |30             |1                              

                |31             |4                              

                                                                

                                |32                             

                                                                

                |April                                          

                |5              |1                              

                |6              |2                              

                |8              |6                              

                |11             |8                              

                |12             |12                             

                |13             |1                              

                |14             |6                              

                |22             |5                              

                |25             |1                              

                                                                

                                |42                             

1994 (cont.)    |May                                            

                |4              |1                              

                |9              |2                              

                |10             |2                              

                |11             |2                              

                |13             |31                             

                |16             |1                              

                |17             |6                              

                |18             |2                              

                |20             |2                              

                |21             |18                             

                                                                

                                |67                             

                                                                

                |June                                           

                |2              |1                              

                |3              |4                              

                |6              |7                              

                |10             |2                              

                |20             |1                              

                |22             |6                              

                |24             |12                             

                |28             |2                              

                |29             |5                              

                |30             |1                              

                                                                

                                |41                             

                                                                

                |July                                           

                |1              |1                              

                |4              |1                              

                |8              |1                              

                |17             |1                              

                |18             |1                              

                |19             |4                              

                |22             |1                              

                                                                

                                |10                             

                                                                

                |August                                         

                |9              |1                              

                |10             |1                              

                |12             |2                              

                |16             |3                              

                |17             |6                              

                |22             |2                              

                |23             |9                              

                |24             |4                              

                |25             |3                              

                |26             |5                              

                |30             |7                              

                |31             |7                              

                                                                

                                |50                             

                                                                

                |September                                      

                |1              |4                              

                |2              |8                              

                |5              |3                              

                |6              |12                             

                |7              |10                             

                |8              |2                              

                |9              |3                              

                |10             |1                              

                |12             |4                              

                |13             |6                              

                |14             |8                              

                |15             |2                              

                |16             |1                              

                |17             |1                              

                |19             |4                              

                |20             |4                              

                |21             |3                              

                |22             |2                              

                |23             |4                              

                |24             |1                              

                |25             |2                              

                |26             |3                              

                |27             |6                              

                |28             |4                              

                |29             |2                              

                |30             |6                              

                                                                

                                |106                            

                                                                

                |October                                        

                |1              |2                              

                |3              |9                              

                |4              |5                              

                |5              |7                              

                |6              |13                             

                |7              |7                              

                |10             |15                             

                |11             |15                             

                |12             |9                              

                |13             |9                              

                |14             |7                              

                |17             |5                              

                |18             |10                             

                |19             |13                             

                |20             |5                              

                |21             |2                              

                |24             |7                              

                |25             |5                              

                |26             |1                              

                |27             |10                             

                |28             |5                              

                |29             |2                              

                |30             |1                              

                |31             |3                              

                                                                

                                |167                            

                |November                                       

                |1              |3                              

                |2              |1                              

                |3              |1                              

                |4              |3                              

                |7              |2                              

                |8              |2                              

                |9              |4                              

                |10             |2                              

                |11             |26                             

                |12             |1                              

                |14             |2                              

                |15             |2                              

                |16             |4                              

                |17             |4                              

                |18             |7                              

                |20             |1                              

                |21             |30                             

                |22             |12                             

                |23             |9                              

                |24             |2                              

                |25             |6                              

                |26             |9                              

                |29             |8                              

                |30             |7                              

                                                                

                                |148                            

                                                                

                |December                                       

                |1              |19                             

                |2              |7                              

                |4              |3                              

                |5              |10                             

                |6              |12                             

                |7              |4                              

                |8              |3                              

                |12             |10                             

                |13             |1                              

                |15             |3                              

                |16             |3                              

                |21             |3                              

                |22             |3                              

                |28             |1                              

                |30             |1                              

                                                                

                                |83                             

                                                                

                                |Total 1994 768                 

                                                                

1995            |January                                        

                |3              |2                              

                |5              |2                              

                |6              |1                              

                |9              |4                              

                |12             |4                              

                |16             |1                              

                |17             |4                              

                |18             |3                              

                |19             |1                              

                |20             |1                              

                |23             |7                              

                |24             |5                              

                |25             |13                             

                |26             |3                              

                |27             |1                              

                                                                

                                |Total 1995 52                  

                                                                

                                |Grand Total 820                

Casual Staff

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the status of employees of his Department which make up the panels which recruit casual staff at AA or AO level.

Mr. Norris: Casual staff within the Department of Transport at AA or AO level are recruited by the division where the vacancy arises. Usually two members of staff, at EO level or above, would conduct the recruitment interview.

Vehicle Inspectorate

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about his employment of the former head of personnel for the Vehicle Inspectorate to undertake a report on the Register of Shipping and Seamen office in Cardiff; and if he will list (a) the status of this employee, (b) the status of any severance pay granted following redundancy from the Vehicle Inspectorate and (c) the process by which he was chosen to fill this post.

Mr. Norris: The former head of personnel for the Vehicle Inspectorate is employed as a consultant by the Marine Safety Agency and was selected from a shortlist of retired departmental employees with the appropriate skills and experience.

There is no direct employer-employee relationship between MSA and Mr. Walton, and the status of his severance pay is not affected.

West Coast Main Line

Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made on the improvement of the west coast main line; if it is up to schedule; when the works will commence; what is the total likely cost; and what is the expected completion date.

Mr. Watts: The feasibility study was completed on schedule at the end of December. Railtrack will be publishing a summary of its findings shortly.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions since the channel tunnel rail link has been established, his inspectors have inspected the operation of the security services on the route; and what were their findings.

Mr. Watts: The channel tunnel security inspectors have inspected the security measures in place on a number of occasions. It would not be appropriate on security grounds to detail their findings.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 2 February, Official Report, column 859, about the channel tunnel link route on what date the delegation was led by the hon. Members for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) and for Dartford (Mr. Dunn), at which Miss Maureen Tomison made a presentation to his predecessor on behalf of the Ebbsfleet Promoter Group.


Column 194

Mr. Watts: The presentation referred to in my reply of 2 February took place on 11 May 1994. Miss Tomison made no presentation at this or any other departmental delegation.

Highland Railways

Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the adequacy of safety measures in place at accommodation crossings on rail lines in the highlands; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watts: Accommodation level crossings are private crossings, and it is the responsibility of the authorised user to ensure that the railway is clear before attempting to cross. Instructions on the safe use of crossings are displayed at each crossing.

Rail Stations (Wheelchairs)

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the railway stations in (a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland which are inaccessible to wheelchair users; and what proposals he has to make such stations barrier free.

Mr. Watts: The facilities available for disabled passengers vary from place to place. The leaflet "British Rail and Disabled Travellers" is designed to help disabled passengers plan their rail journeys and gives contact details for British Rail managers who will provide passengers with information about their nearest suitably designed and equipped station. A copy of this leaflet is available in the House Library.

Government proposals to improve accessibility at stations for disabled passengers are included in the Disability Discrimination Bill, published last month.

Bull Bars

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 31 January to the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Gapes), Official Report, column 586, what steps he proposes to take to discourage vehicle manufacturers from fitting bull bars.

Mr. Norris: My predecessor wrote to vehicle manufacturers in 1993 expressing concern about the fitting of aggressive bull bars. We have since put in hand the accident analysis referred to in my answer of 31 January. We shall consider whether further steps should be taken to discourage vehicle manufacturers from fitting bull bars, and owners of existing vehicles from using them on the road with bull bars attached, in the light of that analysis.

Rules and Regulations

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the rules and regulations in his Department which have been withdrawn in the last 12 months, or which his Department plans to withdraw in the next 12 months; and what impact this will have on his Department's manpower.

Mr. Norris [holding answer 6 February 1995]: The Department is continuing to identify rules and regulations for withdrawal. Most of the rules and regulations which


Column 195

were identified for withdrawal in last year's reviews have yet to be implemented. Those for withdrawal in the next 12 months will be announced as and when the consultations are completed.

The manpower implications are taken into account in the Department's central manpower plans, which will be published in the Department's annual report in March.

Train Timetables

Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many trains between London and Plymouth in the last 28 days have arrived at the time advertised in the timetable, on weekdays and at the weekend; and if he will make a statement on the level of delays.

Mr. Watts [holding answer 6 February 1995]: Statistics are compiled according to service groups, not individual routes, and on a four- weekly basis. The most recent figures covering the 28 days up to 7 January 1995 show that 88 per cent. of all trains in the Great Western service group arrived within 10 minutes of their advertised time. The figure for the 12 months up to this date is 91.2 per cent.

Channel Tunnel (Safety)

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made as to the existing integrity of the safety regime operating in the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watts [holding answer 2 February 1995]: Under the terms of the treaty of Canterbury the channel tunnel intergovernmental commission takes decisions in the name of the two Governments for the implementation of the concession.

The channel tunnel safety authority is established under the treaty to advise and assist the commission on all matters concerning safety in the construction and operation of the tunnel. It ensures that safety measures and practices applicable to the tunnel comply with national and international laws.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects that agreement will be reached clarifying the respective responsibilities for the enforcement of channel tunnel safety measures between the French authorities, the channel tunnel safety authority and Britain's Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement;

(2) if he will place in the Library the proposals of the Health and Safety Executive for the future division of responsibility for safety in the channel tunnel between the French authorities, the channel tunnel safety authority and Britain's Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watts [holding answers 2 February 1995]: The channel tunnel safety authority is preparing advice for the intergovernmental commission. Formal agreement between the United Kingdom and French authorities will be reached in due course. The Health and Safety Executive works in close co-operation with the United Kingdom delegation to the safety authority.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what considerations have so far led the channel tunnel safety authority not to exercise its power to make regulations and appoint inspectors; and if he will make a statement;


Column 196

(2) when inspectors will be appointed by the channel tunnel safety authority.

Mr. Watts [holding answers 2 February and 3 February 1995]: The channel tunnel safety authority does not have power to make regulations. It has powers to authorise experts to observe and inspect Eurotunnel's activities and exercises those powers as it considers appropriate.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken with the French authorities and Eurotunnel to meet the concerns about the responsibility and jurisdiction for safety in the channel tunnel as expressed by the Health and Safety Executive to the Employment Committee in November 1994; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Watts [holding answer 2 February 1995]: These matters are under continuing discussion within the channel tunnel

intergovernmental commission.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Pensioners' Incomes

Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown on the number of (a) single pensioners, (b) pensioner couples and (c) all pensioners (i) aged under 75 years, (ii) aged 75 years and over and (iii) in total given in the analysis of pensioner incomes by quintile published on 15 April 1994, Official Report, column 304.

Mr. Arbuthnot: The latest information relating to 1992 pensioners' incomes details is in the tables.


The numbers of pensioner units in each quintile of the net        

equivalised                                                       

income distribution of pensioners-Table 1: Single pensioners      

            |Q1      |Q2      |Q3      |Q4      |Q5               

------------------------------------------------------------------

Under 75    |300,000 |350,000 |350,000 |400,000 |400,000          

75 and over |*250,000|*150,000|*150,000|*150,000|*100,000         

                                                                  

Total       |550,000 |500,000 |500,000 |550,000 |550,000          


Table 2: Pensioner couples                                  

            |Q1     |Q2     |Q3     |Q4     |Q5             

------------------------------------------------------------

Under 75    |350,000|450,000|400,000|450,000|550,000        

75 and over |550,000|450,000|450,000|450,000|350,000        

                                                            

Total       |900,000|900,000|900,000|900,000|900,000        


Table 3: All pensioner units                                            

            |Q1       |Q2       |Q3       |Q4       |Q5                 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Under 75    |650,000  |750,000  |750,000  |850,000  |1,000,000          

75 and Over |750,000  |650,000  |650,000  |550,000  |450,000            

                                                                        

Total       |1,400,000|1,400,000|1,400,000|1,400,000|1,400,000          

Notes:                                                                  

1. These estimates are taken from the 1992 family expenditure survey    

and are for private households in the UK.                               

2. The estimates denoted by an asterisk are based on unreliably small   

sample sizes and therefore should be treated with caution.              

3. The estimates have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.     

Total population figures may therefore be misleading.                   


1992 Version of Table 1 of the answer made on 15 April 1994-Table 1 the Average Incomes of Pensioners 1979-1992                                                                                                

(by quintile-quintile 1 = lowest-(£per week July 1992 prices).                                                                                                                                                 

                          Quintile 1                  Quintile 2                  Quintile 3                  Quintile 4                  Quintile 5                  Total                                    

Income Source            |1979         |1992         |1979         |1992         |1979         |1992         |1979         |1992         |1979         |1992         |1979         |1992                       

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(a) Single Pensioners                                                                                                                                                                                          

Earnings*                |0.40         |0.00         |0.10         |0.20         |0.40         |0.50         |3.80         |1.60         |25.00        |23.20        |5.90         |5.10                       

Benefit Income           |51.00        |57.20        |59.20        |68.10        |62.10        |78.50        |61.60        |78.40        |55.90        |72.00        |58.00        |70.80                      

Investment Income        |2.00         |10.50        |2.20         |5.00         |2.40         |4.60         |6.90         |12.80        |33.00        |93.20        |9.30         |25.20                      

Occupational Pension     |0.60         |2.10         |1.90         |5.40         |3.30         |8.00         |7.90         |24.30        |37.10        |82.90        |10.10        |24.50                      

Other*                   |0.50         |0.10         |0.20         |0.40         |0.30         |0.20         |1.00         |0.30         |1.00         |2.80         |0.60         |0.70                       

Gross Income             |54.50        |69.80        |63.50        |79.00        |68.50        |91.90        |81.20        |117.40       |152.00       |274.10       |83.90        |126.40                     

Deductions               |5.60         |12.90        |4.70         |5.60         |4.40         |6.20         |7.30         |10.70        |29.50        |49.50        |10.30        |17.00                      

Net Income BHC (mean)    |48.90        |56.90        |58.90        |73.40        |64.10        |85.70        |74.00        |106.70       |122.50       |224.60       |73.60        |109.40                     

Net Income AHC (mean)    |38.10        |42.30        |47.40        |55.80        |51.30        |64.30        |59.60        |90.40        |107.10       |212.80       |60.70        |93.00                      

Net Income (BHC (median) |50.50        |58.90        |60.20        |75.50        |66.80        |86.30        |74.40        |105.60       |106.10       |184.30       |66.80        |86.30                      

Net Income AHC (median)  |40.20        |46.60        |47.40        |55.70        |52.10        |62.80        |60.00        |88.60        |92.80        |175.50       |52.10        |62.80                      

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

(b) Pensioner Couples                                                                                                                                                                                          

Earnings*                |0.30         |0.10         |1.30         |2.70         |5.90         |6.60         |28.00        |15.60        |95.50        |65.20        |26.10        |18.00                      

Benefit Income           |85.50        |100.80       |93.10        |110.00       |93.00        |111.80       |88.10        |110.60       |78.80        |102.10       |87.70        |107.10                     

Investment Income        |2.70         |4.60         |3.70         |8.40         |5.80         |26.20        |10.70        |42.80        |64.70        |145.60       |17.50        |45.40                      

Occupational Pension     |2.60         |7.00         |7.30         |19.10        |19.20        |35.30        |38.30        |79.10        |96.30        |189.70       |32.60        |65.90                      

Other*                   |0.30         |0.40         |0.40         |0.30         |1.60         |1.30         |0.90         |1.40         |1.10         |3.70         |0.90         |1.40                       

Gross Income             |91.40        |112.90       |105.80       |140.40       |125.50       |181.20       |166.00       |249.50       |336.40       |506.30       |164.80       |237.80                     

Deductions               |6.10         |10.60        |5.70         |11.10        |8.40         |17.00        |18.40        |26.90        |80.80        |92.70        |23.80        |31.60                      

Net Income BHC (mean)    |85.20        |102.30       |100.20       |129.30       |117.10       |164.20       |147.60       |222.70       |255.60       |413.60       |141.00       |206.20                     

Net Income AHC (mean)    |70.60        |83.80        |83.20        |112.00       |100.10       |148.10       |128.90       |209.80       |228.70       |400.80       |122.20       |190.70                     

Net Income BHC (median)  |85.80        |105.10       |99.20        |128.10       |115.10       |162.90       |145.50       |220.80       |221.00       |364.60       |115.10       |162.90                     

Net Income AHC (median)  |70.90        |84.90        |82.30        |112.50       |97.90        |145.80       |128.00       |208.50       |197.90       |352.70       |97.90        |145.80                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

(c) Pensioner Units                                                                                                                                                                                            

Earnings*                |0.30         |0.00         |0.50         |0.80         |0.90         |1.90         |10.50        |7.40         |52.20        |39.50        |12.90        |9.90                       

Benefit Income           |62.70        |70.80        |71.30        |83.10        |69.40        |89.00        |70.30        |92.30        |67.40        |86.70        |68.20        |84.40                      

Investment Income        |2.20         |8.40         |2.80         |5.20         |3.00         |9.90         |8.50         |24.50        |44.10        |116.00       |12.10        |32.80                      

Occupational Pension     |1.30         |3.60         |3.90         |8.70         |6.40         |15.40        |17.20        |41.20        |60.80        |131.10       |17.90        |40.00                      

Other*                   |0.40         |0.20         |0.20         |0.30         |0.50         |0.60         |1.40         |0.50         |0.80         |3.40         |0.70         |1.00                       

Gross Income             |67.00        |83.00        |78.70        |98.20        |80.20        |116.70       |107.90       |165.80       |225.40       |376.70       |111.80       |168.10                     

Deductions               |5.80         |11.80        |5.00         |7.30         |5.20         |8.90         |10.20        |16.90        |48.50        |67.40        |14.90        |22.40                      

Net Income BHC (mean)    |61.20        |71.20        |73.70        |90.90        |75.00        |107.90       |97.70        |148.90       |176.90       |309.30       |96.90        |145.60                     

Net Income AHC (mean)    |52.80        |57.70        |57.90        |65.80        |61.90        |93.00        |83.10        |137.50       |154.00       |293.90       |81.90        |129.50                     

Net Income BHC (median)  |53.70        |63.60        |62.50        |80.40        |68.40        |93.50        |85.10        |134.20       |163.00       |266.60       |68.40        |93.50                      

Net Income AHC (median)  |43.40        |50.50        |48.00        |57.70        |53.00        |76.40        |67.40        |120.80       |141.20       |254.70       |53.00        |76.40                      


Average income change (per cent.)-Single Pensioners (S), Pensioner Couples (C) and Pensioner Units (U)                                                                             

                                        Quintile 1                                Quintile 2                                Quintile 3                                             

Income Source                          |S            |C            |U            |S            |C            |U            |S            |C            |U                          

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(d) Growth in Pensioner Income 1979-92                                                                                                                                             

Earnings*                              |-96          |-59          |-89          |50           |107          |59           |50           |12           |121                        

Benefit Income                         |12           |18           |13           |15           |18           |17           |26           |20           |28                         

Investment Income                      |413          |70           |274          |132          |128          |87           |94           |350          |226                        

Occupational Pension                   |227          |165          |178          |187          |162          |126          |139          |84           |140                        

Other*                                 |-87          |56           |-45          |125          |-22          |34           |-30          |-22          |16                         

Gross Income                           |28           |24           |24           |24           |33           |25           |34           |44           |45                         

Deductions                             |129          |73           |104          |21           |96           |45           |41           |103          |71                         

Net Income BHC (median)                |17           |23           |18           |25           |29           |29           |29           |42           |37                         

Net Income AHC (median)                |16           |20           |16           |17           |37           |20           |20           |49           |44                         


Average income change (per cent)-Single Pensioners(S), Pensioner Couples(C) and Pensioner Units(U)                                                                                   

                                          Quintile 4                                Quintile 5                                Total                                                  

Income Source                            |S            |C            |U            |S            |C            |U            |S            |C            |U                          

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(d) Growth in Pensioner Income 1979-1992                                                                                                                                             

Earnings*                                |-57          |-44          |-30          |-7           |-32          |-24          |-14          |-31          |-23                        

Benefit Income                           |27           |26           |31           |29           |30           |29           |22           |22           |24                         

Investment Income                        |85           |300          |189          |182          |125          |163          |172          |160          |171                        

Occupational Pension                     |207          |106          |139          |124          |97           |116          |142          |102          |123                        

Other*                                   |-72          |61           |-68          |190          |235          |307          |29           |65           |48                         

Gross Income                             |45           |50           |54           |80           |50           |67           |51           |44           |50                         

Deductions                               |47           |46           |66           |68           |15           |39           |65           |33           |50                         

Net Income BHC (median)                  |42           |52           |58           |74           |65           |63           |49           |46           |50                         

                                                                                                                             |(mean)       |(mean)       |(mean)                     

Net Income AHC (median)                  |48           |63           |79           |89           |78           |80           |53           |56           |58                         

                                                                                                                             |(mean)       |(mean)       |(mean)                     

Notes: N.B. means given for total income growth.                                                                                                                                     

* Indicates that sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates. Figures are shown only to demonstrate how totals are arrived at.                                          

1. All figures before housing costs (BHC) unless otherwise stated. After housing costs= AHC.                                                                                         

2. All average amounts are means except where otherwise stated.                                                                                                                      

3. Components may not sum to totals owing to rounding.                                                                                                                               

4. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age and couples in which the husband is over state pension age.                                                   

5. Estimates of percentage growth are based on unrounded income figures and may not therefore be the same as those calculated from the rounded amounts shown in the table.           

6. Estimates of growth in total net incomes by quintile are based on medians. Estimates of growth of components of income and total incomes of all pensioners are based on means.    


Column 201

Benefits

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each of the past 30 years (a) the number and percentage of people claiming the state retirement pension, (b) the number and percentage


Column 202

receiving income support, (c) the number of people over retirement age who draw only income support and (d) the number receiving the relevant pension plus housing benefit.

Mr. Arbuthnot: The available information is in the tables.


Column 201


Claimants over state retirement age with and without Retirement Pension (RP), Supplementary Benefit (SB), Income        

Support (IS) and                                                                                                        

Housing Benefit (HB). Table 1A: Number of claimants-(Thousands)                                                         

             People with RP                                  People without RP                                          

                        |With IS/SB |With IS/SB |With HB                |With IS/SB |With IS/SB |With HB                

Year        |All (a)    |only (b)   |and HB     |only (c)   |All        |only (b)   |and HB     |only (c)               

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1964        |6,158(d)   |-          |-          |-          |1,747      |-          |-          |-                      

1965        |6,357(d)   |-          |-          |-          |1,710      |-          |-          |-                      

1966        |6,540(d)   |-          |-          |-          |1,622      |-          |-          |-                      

1967        |6,769(d)   |-          |-          |-          |1,560      |-          |-          |-                      

1968        |6,973(d)   |-          |-          |-          |1,497      |-          |-          |-                      

1969        |7,170(d)(e)|1,662      |-          |-          |1,457      |208        |-          |-                      

1970        |7,363(d)(e)|1,700      |-          |-          |1,396      |200        |-          |-                      

1971        |7,515(d)   |1,735      |-          |-          |1,404      |185        |-          |-                      

1972        |7,668(d)   |1,733      |-          |-          |1,367      |177        |-          |-                      

1973        |7,688      |-          |-          |-          |1,467      |-          |-          |-                      

1974        |7,822      |1,654      |-          |-          |1,454      |156        |-          |-                      

1975        |7,985      |1,538      |-          |-          |1,399      |142        |-          |-                      

1976        |8,155      |1,547      |-          |-          |1,295      |143        |-          |-                      

1977        |8,266      |1,590      |-          |-          |1,242      |150        |-          |-                      

1978        |8,397      |1,593      |-          |-          |1,138      |147        |-          |-                      

1979        |8,528      |1,599      |-          |-          |1,032      |121        |-          |-                      

1980        |8,681      |1,576      |-          |-          |1,032      |114        |-          |-                      

1981        |8,780      |1,624      |-          |-          |1,030      |116        |-          |-                      

1982        |8,877      |1,683      |-          |-          |990        |97         |-          |-                      

1983        |8,936      |1,549      |-          |-          |946        |101        |-          |-                      

1984        |9,003      |1,565      |-          |-          |907        |115        |-          |-                      

1985        |9,085      |-          |-          |-          |936        |-          |-          |-                      

1986        |9,210      |1,592      |-          |-          |892        |128        |-          |-                      

1987        |9,310      |1,613      |-          |-          |863        |117        |-          |-                      

1988        |9,298      |1,431      |-          |-          |923        |109        |-          |-                      

1989        |9,305      |1,314      |-          |1,057      |974        |116        |-          |108                    

1990        |9,391      |595        |789        |1,033      |919        |59         |60         |109                    

1991        |9,380      |595        |677        |1,026      |976        |68         |65         |124                    

1992        |9,425      |692        |626        |1,031      |955        |76         |64         |123                    

1993        |9,448      |674        |712        |952        |943        |80         |75         |120                    

1994        |9,442      |-          |-          |-          |-          |-          |-          |-                      


Table 1B: As a percentage of all people over state retirement age.                                            

            People with RP                              People without RP                                     

                      |With IS/SB|With IS/SB|With HB              |With IS/SB|With IS/SB|With HB              

Year       |All (a)   |only (b)  |and HB    |only (c)  |All       |only (b)  |and HB    |only (c)             

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1964       |77.9      |-         |-         |-         |22.1      |-         |-         |-                    

1965       |78.8      |-         |-         |-         |21.2      |-         |-         |-                    

1966       |80.1      |-         |-         |-         |19.9      |-         |-         |-                    

1967       |81.3      |-         |-         |-         |18.7      |-         |-         |-                    

1968       |82.3      |-         |-         |-         |17.7      |-         |-         |-                    

1969       |83.1      |19.3      |-         |-         |16.9      |2.4       |-         |-                    

1970       |84.1      |19.4      |-         |-         |15.9      |2.3       |-         |-                    

1971       |84.3      |19.5      |-         |-         |15.7      |2.1       |-         |-                    

1972       |84.9      |19.2      |-         |-         |15.1      |2.0       |-         |-                    

1973       |84.0      |-         |-         |-         |16.0      |-         |-         |-                    

1974       |84.3      |17.8      |-         |-         |15.7      |1.7       |-         |-                    

1975       |85.1      |16.4      |-         |-         |14.9      |1.5       |-         |-                    

1976       |86.3      |16.4      |-         |-         |13.7      |1.5       |-         |-                    

1977       |86.9      |16.7      |-         |-         |13.1      |1.6       |-         |-                    

1978       |88.1      |16.7      |-         |-         |11.9      |1.5       |-         |-                    

1979       |89.2      |16.7      |-         |-         |10.8      |1.3       |-         |-                    

1980       |89.4      |16.2      |-         |-         |10.6      |1.2       |-         |-                    

1981       |89.5      |16.6      |-         |-         |10.5      |1.2       |-         |-                    

1982       |90.0      |17.1      |-         |-         |10.0      |1.0       |-         |-                    

1983       |90.4      |15.7      |-         |-         |9.6       |1.0       |-         |-                    

1984       |90.8      |15.8      |-         |-         |9.2       |1.2       |-         |-                    

1985       |90.7      |-         |-         |-         |9.3       |-         |-         |-                    

1986       |91.2      |15.8      |-         |-         |8.8       |1.3       |-         |-                    

1987       |91.5      |15.9      |-         |-         |8.5       |1.2       |-         |-                    

1988       |91.0      |14.0      |-         |-         |9.0       |1.1       |-         |-                    

1989       |90.5      |12.8      |-         |10.3      |9.5       |1.1       |-         |1.0                  

1990       |91.1      |5.8       |7.7       |10.0      |8.9       |0.6       |0.6       |1.1                  

1991       |90.6      |5.8       |6.6       |10.0      |9.5       |0.7       |0.6       |1.2                  

1992       |90.8      |6.7       |6.1       |10.0      |9.3       |0.7       |0.6       |1.2                  

1993       |90.9      |6.5       |6.9       |9.2       |9.1       |0.8       |0.7       |1.2                  

1994       |90.8      |-         |-         |-         |-         |-         |-         |-                    

Notes:                                                                                                        

- not available.                                                                                              

(a) Including AP only from 1979.                                                                              

(b) All SB/IS claimants prior to 1990.                                                                        

(c) All claimants aged 60 or over.                                                                            

(d) Figures include a small number of pensions paid to persons overseas.                                      

(e) Estimated figures.                                                                                        

1. Males aged 65 or over and females aged 60 or over.                                                         

2. Supplementary benefit, income support and housing benefit figures are for claimants only, ie partners are  

not counted.                                                                                                  

3. Housing benefit data are not available prior to 1989.                                                      

4. Income support replaced supplementary benefit in 1988.                                                     

5. "People without RP" includes those who have elected to receive invalidity benefit or widows benefit,       

rather than any retirement pension to which they may be entitled.                                             

6. To arrive at the total number and proportion of people over pension age receiving IS/SB, it is necessary   

to add the figures in columns 3, 4, 7 and 8.                                                                  

Sources:                                                                                                      

Supplementary benefit/income support statistics annual inquiries.                                             

Retirement pension annual inquiries.                                                                          

Housing benefit management information statistics.                                                            

Invalidity Benefit and Sick Pay

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list for each of the last 30 years for which figures are available (a) the number and percentage of claimants drawing invalidity benefit, (b) the number and percentage drawing invalidity benefit and income support, (c) the number and percentage drawing invalidity benefit and housing benefit and (d) the number and percentage of long-term sick drawing income support and or housing benefit;

(2) if he will list for each of the past 30 years (a) the number and percentage of people claiming sick pay or statutory pay only, (b) the number and percentage of this group drawing sick pay and income support, (c) the number and percentage claiming sick pay and housing benefit and (d) the number and percentage without sick pay cover who draw only income support and/or housing benefit.

Mr. Hague: The available information is in the tables.


Table 1 Statutory sick pay beneficiaries in Great       

Britain                                                 

                            |Percentage                 

Year ended    |Number       |of population              

--------------------------------------------------------

1985          |4,963,000    |14.7                       

1986          |5,059,000    |14.9                       

1987          |5,203,000    |15.3                       

1988          |5,386,000    |15.7                       

1989          |5,497,000    |16.0                       

1990          |5,871,000    |17.0                       

1991          |5,664,000    |16.4                       

1992          |5,283,000    |15.3                       

1993          |4,822,000    |13.9                       

Notes:                                                  

1. Statutory sick pay was introduced on 6 April 1983,   

and was payable for a maximum of eight weeks in any one 

tax year. This increased to 28 weeks from 6 April 1986  

and the tax year limit removed. Data are not available  

for the year ending April 1984.                         

2. An employee may have more than one spell of          

statutory sick pay in the year.                         

3. The figures are in respect of the number of          

employees who received statutory sick pay in the year   

ended April.                                            

4. Statutory sick pay is not payable to men aged 65 and 

over. Prior to 6 April 1994 it was not payable to women 

aged 60 and over.                                       

5. There are a limited number of cases where the region 

within the United Kingdom is not known, which are not   

included within the Great Britain figure.               

6. Population in Great Britain aged 16 to 59 for a      

woman, 16 to 64 for a man, each mid-year, supplied by   

OPCS.                                                   

Sources:                                                

1. 1 per cent. sample of employer tax returns in        

respect of their employees, rounded to the nearest      

thousand.                                               

2. Estimated mid-year resident population figures       

supplied by OPCS.                                       


Table 2A Recipients of invalidity benefit (IVB) and sickness benefit (SB) with and        

without supplementary benefit                                                             

(SuppB)/income support (IS) and housing benefit (HB)                                      

Number of recipients-Thousands                                                            

          Invalidity                          Sickness benefit                            

          benefit recipients                  recipients                                  

                  |With    |With                      |With    |With                      

                  |SuppB/IS|SuppB/IS|With             |SuppB/IS|SuppB/IS|With             

Year     |All     |only (a)|and HB  |HB only |All     |only (a)|and HB  |HB only          

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1964     |-       |-       |-       |-       |876     |-       |-       |-                

1965     |-       |-       |-       |-       |923     |-       |-       |-                

1966     |-       |-       |-       |-       |900     |-       |-       |-                

1967     |-       |-       |-       |-       |903     |-       |-       |-                

1968     |-       |-       |-       |-       |934     |-       |-       |-                

1969     |-       |-       |-       |-       |923     |16      |-       |-                

1970     |-       |-       |-       |-       |932     |16      |-       |-                

1971     |-       |-       |-       |-       |857     |21      |-       |-                

1972     |414     |110     |-       |-       |455     |20      |-       |-                

1973     |435     |-       |-       |-       |449     |-       |-       |-                

1974     |442     |72      |-       |-       |455     |18      |-       |-                

1975     |450     |54      |-       |-       |403     |15      |-       |-                

1976     |-       |48      |-       |-       |-       |17      |-       |-                

1977     |505     |45      |-       |-       |452     |17      |-       |-                

1978     |557     |42      |-       |-       |472     |16      |-       |-                

1979     |610     |33      |-       |-       |430     |11      |-       |-                

1980     |615     |34      |-       |-       |384     |13      |-       |-                

1981     |633     |43      |-       |-       |353     |19      |-       |-                

1982     |683     |55      |-       |-       |393     |24      |-       |-                

1983     |737     |63      |-       |-       |338     |21      |-       |-                

1984     |797     |83      |-       |-       |190     |24      |-       |-                

1985     |849     |-       |-       |-       |180     |-       |-       |-                

1986     |899     |92      |-       |-       |179     |25      |-       |-                

1987     |968     |112     |-       |-       |110     |20      |-       |-                

1988     |1,047   |97      |-       |-       |117     |23      |-       |-                

1989     |1,126   |102     |-       |189     |109     |27      |-       |9                

                                                                                          

1990     |1,209   |110     |4       |205     |103     |12      |11      |9                

1991     |1,306   |51      |53      |237     |110     |13      |17      |13               

1992     |1,439   |65      |65      |260     |138     |16      |16      |11               

1993     |1,580   |80      |77      |267     |147     |16      |17      |11               

Notes:                                                                                    

1. See notes to table 2B                                                                  


Table 2B-As a percentage of all people of eligible age for invalidity benefit/sickness    

benefit                                                                                   

          Invalidity                          Sickness benefit                            

          benefit recipients                  recipients                                  

                  |With    |With                      |With    |With                      

                  |SuppB/IS|SuppB/IS|With             |SuppB/IS|SuppB/IS|With             

Year     |All     |only (a)|and HB  |HB only |All     |only (a)|and HB  |HB only          

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1964     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.5     |-       |-       |-                

1965     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.7     |-       |-       |-                

1966     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.6     |-       |-       |-                

1967     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.6     |-       |-       |-                

1968     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.7     |-       |-       |-                

1969     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.7     |*       |-       |-                

1970     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.7     |*       |-       |-                

1971     |-       |-       |-       |-       |2.5     |0.1     |-       |-                

1972     |1.2     |0.3     |-       |-       |1.3     |0.1     |-       |-                

1973     |1.3     |-       |-       |-       |1.3     |-       |-       |-                

1974     |1.3     |0.2     |-       |-       |1.3     |0.1     |-       |-                

1975     |1.3     |0.2     |-       |-       |1.2     |*       |-       |-                

1976     |-       |0.1     |-       |-       |-       |*       |-       |-                

1977     |1.5     |0.1     |-       |-       |1.3     |*       |-       |-                

1978     |1.6     |0.1     |-       |-       |1.4     |*       |-       |-                

1979     |1.8     |0.1     |-       |-       |1.2     |*       |-       |-                

1980     |1.8     |0.1     |-       |-       |1.1     |*       |-       |-                

1981     |1.8     |0.1     |-       |-       |1.0     |0.1     |-       |-                

1982     |2.0     |0.2     |-       |-       |1.1     |0.1     |-       |-                

1983     |2.1     |0.2     |-       |-       |1.0     |0.1     |-       |-                

1984     |2.3     |0.2     |-       |-       |0.5     |0.1     |-       |-                

1985     |2.5     |-       |-       |-       |0.5     |-       |-       |-                

1986     |2.6     |0.3     |-       |-       |0.5     |0.1     |-       |-                

1987     |2.8     |0.3     |-       |-       |0.3     |0.1     |-       |-                

1988     |3.0     |0.3     |-       |-       |0.3     |0.1     |-       |-                

1989     |3.3     |0.3     |-       |0.5     |0.3     |0.1     |-       |*                

                                                                                          

1990     |3.5     |0.3     |*       |0.6     |0.3     |*       |*       |*                

1991     |3.8     |0.1     |0.2     |0.7     |0.3     |*       |*       |*                

1992     |4.2     |0.2     |0.2     |0.8     |0.4     |*       |*       |*                

1993     |4.6     |0.2     |0.2     |0.8     |0.4     |*       |*       |*                

Notes: - not available                                                                    

* less than 0.1 per cent.                                                                 

(a) All supplementary benefit income support claimants prior to 1990.                     

1. Males aged 16 to 69 and females aged 16 to 64. Figures rounded to the nearest          

thousand.                                                                                 

2. Income support and housing benefit figures are for claimants only, i.e. partners are   

not counted and include claimants with statutory sick pay.                                

3. Housing benefit data not available prior to 1989.                                      

4. Income support replaced supplementary benefit in 1988.                                 

5. Invalidity benefit was introduced on 23 September 1971, and is payable from the 169th  

day of incapacity.                                                                        

6. From 1972 to 1982 invalidity benefit figures are at May/June, and thereafter at        

March/April.                                                                              

7. The sickness benefit information for 1964, 1965 and 1966 in respect of claimants, may  

include a number of cases where benefit was not in payment.                               

8. Statutory sick pay was introduced on 6 April 1983, and was payable for a maximum of 8  

weeks in any one tax year. This was increased to 28 weeks from 6 April 1986 and the tax   

year limit removed.                                                                       

9. From 1964 to 1982 sickness benefit figures are at May/June, and thereafter at          

March/April.                                                                              

Sources:                                                                                  

Supplementary benefit/income support statistics annual inquiries 1969-1993.               

Housing benefit management information statistics.                                        

Sickness benefit based on a 5 per cent. sample of claimants up to 1969, 2.5 per cent.     

between 1970 and 1975, 2 per cent. for 1977 and 1978 and 1 per cent. thereafter.          

Invalidity benefit based on a 2.5 per cent. sample of claimants up to 1975, 2 per cent.   

for 1977 and 1978 and 1 per cent. thereafter.                                             


Table 3A-Sick and disabled claimants of supplementary benefit (SuppB)/income support (IS) and housing benefit ( 

HB)                                                                                                             

but without invalidity benefit (IVB), sickness benefit and statutory sick pay (SSP)                             

Number of claimants-thousands                                                                                   

                             Long term sick                                          Short term sick            

                             and disabled                                                                       

              |All sick and               |With SuppB/IS|With SuppB/IS                                          

Year          |disabled(a)  |All          |only (b)     |and HB       |With HB only |With SuppB/IS              

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1964          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1965          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1966          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1967          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1968          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1969          |310          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1970          |307          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1971          |284          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1972          |168          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1973          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1974          |170          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1975          |173          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1976          |178          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1977          |167          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1978          |165          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1979          |163          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1980          |158          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1981          |159          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1982          |160          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1983          |157          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1984          |168          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1985          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1986          |185          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1987          |220          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1988          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1989          |349          |270          |258          |-            |12           |79                         

1990          |386          |307          |297          |-            |10           |79                         

1991          |421          |353          |348          |-            |5            |68                         

                                                                                                                

1992          |470          |390          |206          |176          |8            |80                         

1993          |562          |481          |235          |237          |9            |81                         

Note:                                                                                                           

1. See notes to Table 3B                                                                                        


Table 3B As a percentage of people of eligible age for invalidity benefit/sickness benefit                      

                             Long term sick                                          Short term sick            

                             and disabled                                                                       

              |All sick and               |With SuppB/IS|With SuppB/IS                                          

Year          |disabled(a)  |All          |only (b)     |and HB       |With HB only |With SuppB/IS              

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1964          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1965          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1966          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1967          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1968          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1969          |0.9          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1970          |0.9          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1971          |0.8          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1972          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1973          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1974          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1975          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1976          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1977          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1978          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1979          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1980          |0.4          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1981          |0.4          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1982          |0.4          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1983          |0.4          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1984          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1985          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1986          |0.5          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1987          |0.6          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1988          |-            |-            |-            |-            |-            |-                          

1989          |0.9          |0.7          |0.7          |--           |*            |0.2                        

1990          |1.0          |0.8          |0.8          |-            |*            |0.2                        

1991          |1.1          |0.9          |0.9          |-            |*            |0.2                        

                                                                                                                

1992          |1.3          |1.0          |0.6          |0.5          |*            |0.2                        

1993          |1.5          |1.3          |0.6          |0.6          |*            |0.2                        

Notes:                                                                                                          

"-" not available                                                                                               

"*" less than 0.1 percent                                                                                       

(a) Sick and disabled supplementary benefit claimants only prior to 1988.                                       

(b) All income support claimants from 1989 to 1991                                                              

1. Males aged 16 to 69 and females aged 16 to 64. Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.                      

2. Income support and housing benefit figures are for claimants only, ie partners are not counted.              

3. Supplementary benefit figures include all claimants (males under 65, females under 60) who are sick and      

disabled without invalidity benefit, sickness benefit or statutory sick pay. Long-term sick or disabled income  

support claimants without invalidity benefit, sickness benefit and statutory sick pay are those who qualify for 

a disability premium or a higher pensioner premium (males aged 60 to 64 only) in their own right, ie not        

because of their partners' condition, and those in residential care or nursing homes (males aged under 65,      

females aged under 60). Short-term sick income support claimants without invalidity benefit, sickness benefit   

or statutory sick pay are those aged under 60 who are incapable of work but who have not yet qualified for a    

disability premium.                                                                                             

4. Long-term sick or disabled housing benefit claimants without invalidity benefit, sickness benefit or         

statutory sick pay are those who qualify in their own right for a disability premium, ie not because of their   

partners' condition.                                                                                            

It is not possible to identify short-term housing benefit claimants without invalidity benefit, sickness        

benefit or statutory sick pay.                                                                                  

5. Housing benefit data not available prior to 1989.                                                            

6. Income support replaced supplementary benefit in 1988.                                                       

Sources:                                                                                                        

Supplementary benefit/income support statistics annual inquiries 1969-1993.                                     

Housing benefit management information statistics.                                                              

Family Credit

Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families receive family credit; and how many of these also pay income tax and/or national insurance.

Mr. Roger Evans: Some 572,000 families receive family credit, of whom 456,000 pay income tax and/or national insurance.

Source: Five per cent. sample of family credit recipients as at July 1994.

National Disability Council

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with the


Column 210

Minister for Social Security and Disabled People on the composition of the national disability council.

Mr. Hague: My right hon. Friend and I were both fully involved in the discussions on the provisions within the Disability Discrimination Bill, including those relating to the composition of the national disability council.

Child Support Agency

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many cases of mothers with care successfully claiming as a good cause not to co-operate with the Child Support Agency's request about an absent father in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole, were based upon (i) emotional distress, (ii) mental


Column 211

illness or (iii) welfare of the child in the period April 1993 to March 1994;

(2) What is his estimate of the number of mothers with care in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole who had their claim of a risk of violence if they revealed the father's name accepted by the Child Support Agency;

(3) how many of the cases in which the Child Support Agency accepted that parent had good cause not to co-operate to the latest available date involved parents with care in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole;

(4) how many of the requirements to co-operate cases between April 1993 and March 1994 involved parents with care in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole;

(5) how many parents with care in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole gave authorisation or information concerning absent parents when issued with a formal requirement to co-operate order between April 1993 and March 1994;

(6) how many reduced benefit directives were referred by the Child Support Agency to the Benefits agency in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole between April 1993 and March 1994.

Mr. Burt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ann Chant to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 6 February 1995:

I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of state for Social Security about the requirements to co-operate.

The information is not available in the format requested. Figures are only available for Great Britain as the Agency does not collect separate statistics for Scotland, and has no responsibility for the UK as a whole. Northern Ireland has a separate Child Support Agency, which is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Between April 1993 and March 1994, the requirement to co-operate was considered in 64,800 cases. After investigation, good cause not to co- operate was accepted in 31,700 cases. Of these 8,400 were cases where the parent with care was unable to name the parent of the child; 15,800 were cases where there was a risk of violence and 7,500 were cases where other reasons such as emotional distress, emntal illness or concern for the welfare of the child were accepted. After interview, 14,200 parents with care subsequently provided their authorisation or the necessary information. Good cause not to co-operate was not accepted in 18,900 cases.

Six hundred and twenty-seven benefit directions were issued in this period.

Between April 1993 and November 1994, the Agency had investigated 124,300 cases, of which good cause not to co-operate was accepted in 60,000.


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