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All other Home Departments' forces expect to be able to carry out any such restructuring without voluntary or compulsory severance arrangements. The Government do not therefore intend to introduce legislative provision for such arrangements.Prison Escapes
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 February, Official Report, column 810, for what reason information on escapes from Greater London prisons is not available.
Mr. Michael Forsyth [holding answer 13 February 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 14 February 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question, pursuant to his Answer of 2 February, Official Report, column 810 , for what reason information on escapes from Greater London prisons is not available.
Information about escapes has only been recorded centrally since 20 June 1988. Before this date, all relevant information was held at establishments, or regional offices, for inclusion in the Annual Report on the work of the Prison Department.
The data for 1979 is contained in the Prison Department Annual Report for 1979. It details only escapes from specific establishments for male adult and young prisoners. It does not record the establishment from which borstal trainees or detention centre trainees escaped. The same Report details one escaper from Brixton prison and three escapers from Latchmere House remand centre within the Greater London area.
The Prison Department Annual Report for 1984 85 records three escapers from Ashford remand centre and one escaper from Latchmere House remand centre. It does not record the establishment from which young offenders or females escaped.
The Prison Department Annual Report for 1985 86 records four escapers from Ashford remand centre, five escapers from Brixton prison, four escapers from Pentonville prison and one escaper from Wormwood Scrubs prison. There are no details of the prisons from which the young offenders or females escaped.
During the year ending 31 March 1994 there were eleven escapers from establishments within the Greater London area, namely:
Six escapers from Downview prison
Three escapers from Feltham young offenders institution One escaper from Highdown prison
One escaper from Pentonville prison
These figures do not include those prisoners who escaped from escort from Greater London prisons.
Tiger Products
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tiger products were seized by the Metropolitan police in their raids on Chinese medicine shops in London on 7 February.
Mr. Maclean: I understand from the Commissioner that several hundred items were seized in raids on four premises in central London on 7 February. These included articles believed to be tiger bones, and medicinal powder and pill products believed to contain ingredients derived from tigers and other endangered species.
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what tiger products were seized in raids on Chinese medicine shops on 7 February outside the metropolitan area.
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Mr. Maclean: The Greater Manchester police and the West Midlands police seized hundreds of products in raids at eight premises on 7 February. These included articles believed to be tiger bone and products derived from tigers and other endangered species.
EDUCATION
Spending
Mr. Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will give the total amount spent or to be spent (a) in cash terms and (b) in 1995 prices on education in (i) 1978 79, (ii) 1994 95 and (iii) 1995 96.
Mr. Robin Squire: The table includes expenditure by central Government and English local authorities in 1978 79 and 1994 95. The 1994 95 figures are based on estimated outturn. Figures for local authority budgeted expenditure on education in 1995 96 are not yet available. Central Government's own expenditure for 1995 96 will total some £10,949 million. Figures include expenditure on mandatory student awards in Wales and for 1978 79 expenditure on universities in Great Britain, but otherwise are for England only.
£ million
|1978-79|1994-95
--------------------------------------
Cash |7,459 |28,262
Real terms<1> |21,801 |28,262
<1> Cash figures adjusted to 1994-95
levels using November 1994 GDP
deflator.
Budget Deficits
Mrs. Gorman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information she has as to budget deficits in Wycombe West school, Buckinghamshire; Langham secondary school, Haringey; King David's school, Manchester; Southridge first school, North Tyneside; and Bramingham JMI school, Bedfordshire; and under what provisions of their respective local authorities' schemes for local management of schools such deficits have been authorised.
Mr. Robin Squire: At 31 March 1994, the budget deficits at the schools as recorded on the outturn statements produced by the respective local education authorities were as follows:
|£
-----------------------------------------
Wycombe West school |114,000
Langham secondary school |143,667
Kind David high school |344,344
Southridge first school |68,585
Bramingham JMI school |47,000
I shall write to the hon. Member with the other information which has been requested; a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.
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Education Standard Spending Assessments
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what formula is used to calculate education standard spending assessments per pupil.
Mr. Robin Squire: The information requested is contained in the "Local Government Finance Report (England) 1995 96," a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The SSA system does not set out to provide the same sum of money per pupil, but to provide funding for a common standard of service across the country.
Class Sizes
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will amend the parents charter on maximum pupil numbers per class.
Ms Estelle Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the research carried out by her Department into the effect of class sizes on pupil progress and attainment levels.
Mr. Forth: As I said in reply to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Ms Church) on 24 January, Official Report, column 166, the Department has not undertaken such research itself, but monitors work generally in this field.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will state by school the classroom sizes in schools designated as seriously below standard in the report from Her Majesty's inspector of schools for 1993 94 on standards in schools.
Mr. Forth: This is a matter for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, who heads the independent Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.
Schools, Hampshire
Sir David Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what sum the Government's contribution to the Hampshire local education authority has changed for the years 1994 95 and 1995 96; and what information he has concerning the cash balances held by schools in Hampshire.
Mr. Robin Squire: Allowing for the reform of inter-authority recoupment, Hampshire's education standard spending assessment for 1995 96 will rise by £2.3 million over the comparable 1994 95 figure.
For the financial year ending in March 1994, the outturn statement prepared by the county council for that year under section 42 of the Education Reform Act 1988 showed that total balances held by schools in Hampshire were £25.542 million.
Aggregated Schools Budget
Mr. Patnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if she will list the proportion of the ASB retained by the local education authorities of the metropolitan cities for each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement;
(2) how much each metropolitan city retained on the non-schools section of their aggregated schools budget for 1995 96; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire: The aggregated schools budget represents, by definition, that part of a local education
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authority's general schools budget which is distributed to the schools themselves.Information on the percentage of the general schools budget, and the potential schools budget; retained centrally by each local education authority for 1994 95 and previous years is contained in the answer which I gave on 17 October 1994 to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) Official Report, columns 27 36. No corresponding information in relation to 1995 96 is yet available.
Surplus Places
Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the latest figure for surplus places for each local education authority of the metropolitan cities; and what representations she has received from Sheffield local education authority on its proposed reduction.
Mr. Robin Squire: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on Friday 9 December 1994, Official Report, columns 410 14. Sheffield is implementing approved reorganisation proposals which have reduced the primary figure and will reduce the secondary figure by July.
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school places surplus to requirements currently exist in (i) Ealing, (ii) other London boroughs and (iii) the remaining local education authorities of the country; what costs are involved in each case; and if she will make a statement.
Mr. Robin Squire: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on Friday 9 December 1994, Official Report, columns 410 14. The average premises-related cost of maintaining a surplus place is estimated to be £182 a year for a primary school and £303 a year for a secondary school at 1995 96 prices. The actual cost and scope for
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realising savings from removal of surplus places in practice will depend on local circumstances.Local Education Authorities
Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will arrange an early meeting with local education authorities.
Mr. Forth: My right hon. Friend meets local authority associations and officials from local education authorities in the normal course of business.
Teachers
Mr. Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will estimate the total loss of jobs among teachers and school support staffs which is currently expected in 1995 96.
Mr. Robin Squire: Under the arrangements for local management, decisions about school staffing levels are made by school governors on the basis of a variety of local factors. No central estimate is made.
School Closures
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many proposals for school closure and reorganisation and from which local education authority have been awaiting a decision from her for (a) up to three months, (b) three to six months, (c) six to nine months, (d) nine to 12 months and (e) more than 12 months.
Mr. Robin Squire: The table lists proposals under consideration by the Department as at 10 February 1995 for the closure, alteration or establishment of county and voluntary schools and the length of time the proposals have been under consideration. Following the publication of proposals, there is a statutory two-month period during which objections may be submitted. Where objections are submitted to the LEA there is a further one-month period within which the objections must be forwarded to the Secretary of State.
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Proposals under
consideration for:-
|(a) |(b) |(c) |(d) |(e)
|3-6 |6-9 |9-12 |In excess of 12
LEA |Up to 3 months |months |months |months |months
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |- |1 |3 |- |1
Barnet |- |- |- |1 |-
Bedfordshire |- |1 |1 |- |-
Berkshire |- |3 |5 |- |-
Birmingham |5 |- |- |- |1
Bradford |1 |- |- |1 |-
Buckinghamshire |3 |1 |- |- |2
Cambridgeshire |1 |- |- |- |-
Cheshire |4 |6 |1 |- |-
Croydon |1 |- |- |1 |-
Cumbria |6 |- |- |- |-
Devon |- |1 |- |- |-
Doncaster |- |29 |8 |- |-
Durham |- |1 |- |- |-
Ealing |1 |- |- |- |-
East Sussex |2 |1 |- |- |-
Essex |- |7 |4 |- |-
Gloucestershire |1 |- |- |- |-
Greenwich |- |1 |- |- |-
Hammersmith and Fulham |- |2 |- |- |-
Hampshire |4 |3 |1 |- |-
Haringey |- |1 |- |- |-
Harrow |- |- |- |- |1
Hillingdon |1 |- |- |- |-
Humberside |1 |- |- |- |-
Islington |- |1 |- |- |-
Kensington and Chelsea |1 |- |- |- |-
Kent |3 |6 |- |4 |-
Knowsley |3 |- |- |- |-
Lancashire |1 |3 |- |- |-
Leeds |1 |1 |1 |- |-
Leicestershire |- |- |1 |- |-
Lewisham |- |1 |- |- |-
Lincolnshire |1 |11 |- |- |-
Liverpool |1 |1 |- |- |-
Manchester |- |1 |- |- |-
Norfolk |2 |- |1 |- |-
North Tyneside |- |1 |- |- |-
North Yorkshire |- |1 |- |- |1
Northamptonshire |- |3 |- |- |-
Northumberland |3 |1 |- |- |-
Nottinghamshire |1 |5 |2 |- |-
Oldham |2 |- |- |- |-
Oxfordshire |1 |1 |- |- |-
Redbridge |2 |- |- |- |-
Richmond upon Thames |- |- |- |- |1
Sandwell |- |1 |- |- |-
Sefton |- |1 |- |- |-
Shropshire |- |1 |- |- |-
Solihull |2 |- |- |- |-
Somerset |1 |4 |- |- |-
Staffordshire |- |1 |- |- |-
Stockport |2 |2 |- |- |-
Suffolk |3 |- |- |- |-
Surrey |1 |- |- |- |-
Sutton |- |- |1 |- |-
Tameside |3 |- |- |- |-
Tower Hamlets |1 |- |- |- |-
Trafford |- |3 |- |- |-
Wakefield |1 |- |- |- |-
Walsall |1 |- |- |- |-
Waltham Forest |1 |- |- |- |-
Warwickshire |- |33 |- |- |1
West Sussex |- |1 |- |- |-
Wiltshire |1 |2 |- |- |-
Wirral |3 |- |- |- |-
Wolverhampton |1 |- |- |- |-
Total |74 |144 |29 |7 |8
St. Philip's College, Birmingham
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when she will announce her response to the recommendations of the Further Education Funding Council for England concerning St. Philip's Roman Catholic sixth form college, Birmingham; and if she will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard: Following the publication of the FEFC's report on the college and its recommendations last November, I have received a number of representations from the trustees, from present and former governors and others connected with the college. After considering these most carefully, I am satisfied that there was mismanagement of the college.
The recommendation from the Further Education Funding Council was that I should remove and replace all the members of the governing body in order, the Council advised, to provide a fresh start and a complete break from the past. However, the hon. Member will be aware that it is possible that the college will close at the end of
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the 1995 96 academic year. This is a matter in which the relevant legislation gives me no say. In the current circumstances, I have decided that it would not be expedient for me to replace the remaining governors. A number of governors have already resigned. Those who remain have all been in post for a very short time and are now, I believe, doing their best to ensure good governance of the college and, in particular, to secure that the education of the students remains the first priority.The funding council also made recommendations concerning amending the instrument of government and the provision of a statutory procedure to govern the closure of designated colleges in the further education sector. We shall be considering these recommendations in consultation with those concerned with St. Philip's and other designated colleges.
I am very grateful to the funding council for investigating the circumstances at the college and for the action it is taking to disseminate the lessons to be learnt. A copy of the official response to the funding council is
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being placed in the Library. It is clear that these difficulties are not typical of the further education sector as a whole. It is using its new freedoms responsibly, and has already made impressive progress. I hope that I shall not be required to exercise my powers again, but I shall not hesitate to do so if I consider it warranted.Derby Tertiary College
Mrs. Angela Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when she will announce her response to the recommendations of the Further Education Funding Council for England concerning Derby tertiary college, Wilmorton; and if she will make a statement.
Mrs. Gillian Shephard: Following the publication of the FEFC's report on the college and its recommendations last November, I have received a number of representations from present and former governors and others connected with the college. After considering these most carefully, I am satisfied that mismanagement took place for which the governing body bears a collective responsibility. I intend therefore to exercise my power under section 57 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to remove the remaining members of the governing body. I am excluding two governors from this action, whom I judge were not responsible for the mismanagement that took place. I intend to appoint seven new governors both as replacements and in order to restore a quorum to the governing body. I hope that all those connected with the college can now put these events behind them and work together in the interests of its students.
I am very grateful to the Further Education Funding Council for investigating the circumstances at the college and for the action it is taking to disseminate the lessons to be learnt from this episode. A copy of the official response to the funding council is being placed in the Library. It is clear that these difficulties are not typical of the further education sector as a whole. It is using its new freedoms responsibly and has already made impressive progress. I hope that I shall not be required to exercise my powers again, but I shall not hesitate to do so if it warranted.
Office for Standards in Education
Ms Estelle Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) full-time employees and (b) part-time employees were in Ofsted for each of the years since it commenced operation.
Mr. Forth: This is a matter for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, who heads the independent Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefits Agency
Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many full-time medical advisers are employed by the Benefits Agency at Arden house, Newcastle;
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(2) how many cases have been handled by Dr. Roger Bowmer and Dr. Sheila Hunter at Arden house, Newcastle medical centre for (a) all categories and (b) PD4 cases;(3) what is the civil service salary grade payable to full-time medical advisers employed by the Benefits Agency medical section.
Mr. Hague: The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 13 February 1995:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the number of Medical Advisers employed by the Benefits Agency at Arden House, Newcastle; the Civil Service salary grade payable to full time Medical Advisers employed by the Benefits Agency Services (BAMS); the number of cases handled by Dr. Roger Bowmer and Dr. Sheila Hunter for all categories and for PD D4.
In the BAMS at Arden House, Newcastle there are ten full-time Medical Advisers.
The salary scale payable to full time Medical Advisers in BAMS in the North East is between £28,213 (minimum) and £41,039 (maximum).
Information is not available relating specifically to the number of PD D4 cases handled by Dr. Bowmer and Dr. Hunter. However I have provided information relating to all categories at Annex A. Records relating to the number of cases handled are collated over differing periods.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Annex A
|Dr. Hunter|Dr. Bowmer
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1 March 1994-31 January 1995
Medical advice on files relating to
all prescribed diseases cases |410 |250
1 March 1994-31 January 1995
Advice on files relating to all other
benefits for which medical advice is
requested (excluding invalidity
benefit) |3,914 |1,279
1 January 1994-31 January 1995
Examination sessions to give
medical opinions on incapacity in
claims for invalidity benefit
(maximum-7 examinations per
session) |41 |74
1 October 1994-31 January 1995
Medical advice on files relating to
claims for invalidity benefit |5,377 |4,633
Reduced Earnings Allowance
Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many reduced earnings allowance awards for PD4 were made in each year since 1989 (a) nationally, (b) at Dunn house, (c) at Phoenix house and (d) at South Shields;
(2) what is the average time taken to process a PD4 claim (a) at the disability benefit centre, Arden house and (b) nationally;
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(3) what was the total number of reduced earnings allowance awards in each year since 1989 (a) nationally, (b) at Dunn house, Sunderland, (c) at Phoenix house, Sunderland, (d) in South Shields and (e) in Houghton-le-Spring.Mr. Hague: The administration of reduced earnings allowance is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 13 February 1995:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about awards of reduced earnings allowance since 1989 both nationally and at various Benefits Agency offices.
Information is not available in respect of new awards of reduced earnings allowance from 1989; the collection of such data did not begin until October 1991. In addition, information is not available separately for Dunn House and Pheonix House in Sunderland and for South Shields and Houghton-le -Spring. Those offices comprise the Benefits Agency's Wearside District and data is collated at District level. The information that is available is attached at Annex A. Information in respect of the number of reduced earnings allowance awards for PD4 is also collated at District level and the collection of such data did not commence until June 1992. I have provided at Annex B the information that is available relating to Wearside District and national figures.
Information is not available in respect of the average time taken to process a PD4 claim at the Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre (DBC). The Benefits Agency Medical Services do not hold information separately for PD D4 or other prescribed diseases. However statistics are held for clearance times of all Industrial Injury Disablement Benefit claims which includes prescribed diseases. The average national clearance time for the year ending 31 January 1995 was 32.6 days. The average clearance time in Newcastle DBC was 29.6 days.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Annex A
New awards of reduced earnings
allowance
|1991 |1992 |1993 |1994
---------------------------------------
Wearside |235 |950 |482 |642
National |2,895|6,077|3,514|3,593
Awards of reduced earning
allowance in respect of PD
D4
|1992|1993|1994
-----------------------------
Wearside |Nil |6 |17
National |933 |701 |702
Compensation Recovery Unit
Mr. Worthington: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many sufferers from asbestos-related diseases have had to pay back benefits to the compensation recovery unit during the current financial year; and what were the sums of money that were clawed back;
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(2) what is the largest sum of money that has ever been clawed back by the compensation recovery unit; and what was the type of sickness, accident or illness involved in this case;(3) what is the distribution by size of the amounts of money clawed back by the compensation recovery unit.
Mr. Roger Evans: This is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 13 February 1995:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the number of sufferers from asbestos related diseases who have had to pay back benefits to the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU); the largest sum of money recovered by the CRU and the distribution by size of the amounts recovered.
The CRU's computer system records cases involving victims of asbestosis rather then asbestos related diseases. In the period 1 April 1994 to 31 January 1995 there were 121 recoveries made in relation to asbestosis totalling £893,937.82. The individual amounts are shown on the attached schedule at Annex A.
The full range of information you requested in respect of a breakdown or recoveries by size is not available. This is because data prior to April 1994 is no longer held on the computer system and to obtain such information n would be at a disproportionate cost. However, the information that is available from 1 April 1994 to31 December 1994, has been provided at Annex B.
The largest amount recovered to date is £84,630.01. This was from an award for a back/spinal injury.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Annex A
Schedule of 121 cases
referred to in PQ 0873
showing amounts recovered
|£
------------------------------
1. |18.64
2. |18.64
3. |42.00
4. |55.92
5. |68.34
6. |89.90
7. |126.00
8. |173.70
9. |223.68
10. |337.95
11. |433.50
12. |484.64
13. |605.29
14. |621.20
15. |672.20
16. |706.28
17. |862.93
18. |1,032.31
19. |1,105.13
20. |1,176.00
21. |1,208.80
22. |1,219.80
23. |1,329.95
24. |1,582.87
25. |1,692.18
26. |1,693.30
27. |1,738.24
28. |1,747.37
29. |1,773.16
30. |1,798.56
31. |1,853.68
32. |1,927.64
33. |1,937.45
34. |2,069.31
35. |2,135.36
36. |2,147.76
37. |2,270.16
38. |2,298.58
39. |2,375.28
40. |2,414.16
41. |2,454.00
42. |2,547.84
43. |2,572.01
44. |2,579.18
45. |2,629.67
46. |2,655.15
47. |2,676.40
48. |2,768.28
49. |2,815.44
50. |3,002.10
51. |3,061.41
52. |3,125.32
53. |3,270.80
54. |3,416.08
55. |3,422.72
56. |3,662.04
57. |4,038.28
58. |4,039.11
59. |4,119.04
60. |4,135.12
61. |4,165.87
62. |4,279.80
63. |4,297.84
64. |4,406.56
65. |4,582.56
66. |4,626.08
67. |4,763.04
68. |4,814.80
69. |4,873.36
70. |5,059.80
71. |5,263.56
72. |5,298.16
73. |5,442.85
74. |5,527.24
75. |5,527.34
76. |5,909.44
77. |6,000.72
78. |6,274.02
79. |6,304.15
80. |6,559.10
81. |6,582.70
82. |6,603.92
83. |6,668.43
84. |6,689.10
85. |6,691.50
86. |6,946.10
87. |6,973.50
88. |7,609.51
89. |7,758.84
90. |8,029.77
91. |8,082.43
92. |8,969.48
93. |9,076.00
94. |9,314.79
95. |9,533.69
96. |10,170.90
97. |10,367.62
98. |10,917.52
99. |10,947.30
100. |11,062.90
101. |11,725.80
102. |12,796.04
103. |14,946.17
104. |15,862.47
105. |16,832.00
106. |17,136.67
107. |17,140.01
108. |19,027.45
109. |19,749.98
110. |23,719.15
111. |24,395.44
112. |25,294.82
113. |25,355.18
114. |27,518.62
115. |28,421.77
116. |28,855.99
117. |31,153.19
118. |32,203.62
119. |35,220.65
120. |36,558.38
121. |47,994.18
Annex B £ |Percentage ------------------------------------------- To 5,000.01 |31.5 5,000.01to10,000.00 |17.8 10,000.01to15,000.00 |15.4 15,000.01to20,000.00 |12,0 20,000.01to25,000.00 |8.4 25,000.01 |14.9
Income-related Benefits
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make an estimate of how many individuals (a) receive means-tested benefits, (b) receive means-tested benefits and pay income tax, (c) receive means-tested benefits and pay national insurance contributions; how many individuals would cease to be eligible for means-tested benefits if they no longer paid income tax or national insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Roger Evans: It is estimated that 8.53 million people were in receipt of an income-related benefit at May 1993, the latest date for which figures are available for all benefits.
An adjustment has been made to take account of the fact that individuals may be in receipt of more than one income-related benefit at the same time. Such adjustment does, however, not produce reliable estimates of the number who also pay tax and national insurance contributions or whose eligibility would cease if no tax or national insurance contributions were paid. The table therefore provides this information separately for each income- related benefit.
Income-related benefit recipients paying tax and National Insurance
|Recipients who
|cease to be eligible
|Recipients paying |Recipients paying |if tax and NI not
|tax |National Insurance |payable
|(000s)<3> |(000s)<3> |(000s)<4>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income support |20 |10 |0
Family credit |340 |455 |80
Housing benefit |580 |355 |160
Council tax benefit |520 |225 |85
Disability working allowance |* |5 |-
Notes:
<1>All estimates are on a benefit unit basis.
<2> Estimates are rounded to the nearest 5,000 (* indicates a figure less than 2,500).
<3> Estimates for Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are based on data from the 1990, 1991
and 1992 Family Expenditure Surveys, uprated to 1994-95 benefit levels and prices. Estimates for Family Credit
are based on the 1994 Family Credit Enquiry. Estimates for Disability Working Allowance are based on the 1994
Disability Working Allowance Enquiry.
<4>All estimates are based on data from the 1990, 1991 and 1992 Family Expenditure Surveys, uprated to 1994-95
benefit levels and prices. Insufficient information is available on Disability Working Allowance for an estimate
to be made.
<5> Columns cannot be totalled because of the various overlaps between the benefits.
Invalidity Benefits
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many male claimants of invalidity benefit have had working wives in each of the last 10 years.
Mr. Hague: The information is not available in the form requested. The available information is in the table.
Percentage of all invalidity benefit recipients who are male with working wives Years |Percentage --------------------------------- 1987-89 |19 1990-92 |20 Notes: 1. Percentages rounded to the nearest whole percentage point. Source: Family Expenditure Survey.
National Insurance
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women have opted for the reduced national insurance liability in each year since 1965.
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