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Non-departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Gallie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations made by the efficiency scrutiny of the Scottish Office on sponsored non-departmental public bodies. [9474]
Mr. Michael Forsyth: The results of the efficiency scrutiny of my Department's sponsorship of non-departmental public bodies were announced to the House on 19 October 1994, Official Report, columns 285-86. The recommendations included new training and development programmes for staff involved in sponsorship; the provision of more advice and assistance to sponsor staff; and action programmes for putting strategic frameworks into place for each NDPB as appropriate.
I am pleased to announce that the recommendations contained in the scrutiny report have been achieved ahead of target and copies of the implementation report have been placed in the Library of the House.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Loss of Benefit
Mr. William O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what protection is afforded to people who lose social security benefits because of a change in legislation. [4096]
Mr. Burt: When there is a change in legislation affecting people already in receipt of a specific social security benefit, the extent to which, if at all, transitional protection arrangements will be required depends on a number of circumstances, including the purpose and nature of the benefit in question, the likely needs of those in receipt of it who may be affected by the change, and what other help is available to meet those needs. Consequently, protection may not be available for every beneficiary against all changes. Where protection is given sometimes it is for rights or concessions awarded to existing claimants, and sometimes for existing amounts of money paid to them. Protection against the effect of a change in legislation can also be offered by means of a lengthy period of introduction of the new rules, or by announcement of the change many months ahead of the date on which it is due to come into effect.
For such changes in the law there are procedures for consultation with the Social Security Advisory Committee--and, where appropriate, with the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council or Disability Living Allowance
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Advisory Board--and, concerning housing benefit and council tax benefits, with organisations representing the local authorities.
Mr. William O'Brien:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision will be made on the proposed social security legislation to protect claimants who have made their plans on the basis of the benefit they would have received under the existing legislation. [4117]
Mr. Burt:
The need for transitional protection is considered in accordance with the individual circumstances of proposed policy changes. In announcing proposals on 29 November, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made it clear that the proposal to limit housing benefit for some people under 25 living in private rented accommodation will not affect those in receipt of housing benefit prior to January 1996, which is 92 per cent. of the total, unless they change their address or have a break in entitlement of more than four weeks. Also, those who make a new claim between 2 January 1996 and 7 October 1996 will not be affected by the new rules until the date of the first review of their claim after 7 October 1996. The announcement of the proposal to bring the mobility component of disability living allowance into line with similar benefits which are withdrawn during hospital stays also made it clear that those who have been in hospital for 12 months or more, for example, will continue to receive the mobility component at an amount equivalent to the lower rate. Also mobility agreements, for a car or wheelchair, funded by the mobility component of disability living allowance, which are current when a person enters hospital will continue for the full term of the agreement.
Ms Lynne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the amount of down time recorded for the Child Support Agency's operational accounting system in each months since April 1993. [4077]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell:
The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the table.
| Period | Service availability percentage |
|---|---|
| 3 August 1994-9 August 1994 | 99.8 |
| 15 August 1994-21 August 1994 | 97.6 |
| 28 August 1994-4 September 1994 | 99.6 |
| 5 September 1994-11 September 1994 | 99.6 |
| 12 September 1994-18 September 1994 | 99.9 |
| 19 September 1994-25 September 1994 | 99.6 |
| 14 November 1994-20 November 1994 | 99.6 |
| 28 November 1994-4 December 1994 | 99.6 |
| 9 January 1995-15 January 1995 | 99.2 |
| 6 March 1995-12 March 1995 | 99.7 |
| 27 March 1995-2 April 1995 | 99.8 |
| 12 June 1995-18 June 1995 | 99.7 |
| 26 June 1995-2 July 1995 | 98.9 |
| 31 July 1995-6 August 1995 | 99.6 |
| 7 August 1995-13 August 1995 | 99.7 |
| 14 August 1995-20 August 1995 | 99.8 |
| 6 November 1995-12 November 1995 | 99.7 |
The operation accounting system went live on 7 June 1994.
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Pensioners (Benefit Take-up)
Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number and proportion of pensioners in the United Kingdom who do not take up (a) income support, (b) housing benefit and (c) council tax benefit to which they are entitled; and what is the estimated value of the unclaimed benefits. [7646]
Mr. Heald: The most recent information is for 1993-94 and applies to Great Britain.
The latest figures for take-up are contained in the "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take Up in 1993/94" which was published on 15 December 1995, copies of which are in the Library.
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Gareth Wardell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the mean and median periods of time in weeks that people who have submitted an appeal against the decision by the Benefit Agency to stop their incapacity benefit have to wait before a hearing is held. [7795]
Mr. Burt: The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Executive Agencies
Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if answers sent to hon. Members in reply to parliamentary questions by the head of executive agencies in his Department are (a) seen, (b) approved and (c) amended by him before they are sent; and if he will identify such letters to which amendments by him have been made in 1994-95.
Mr. Burt: Parliamentary questions are passed to the head of an executive agency for reply when the matter is one delegated to him or her under the agency framework document. The relevant Minister sees a copy of the reply before it is sent, but would not normally intervene in operational matters. No record is kept of any amendments suggested by Ministers.
Retirement Pensions
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the pension for (a) a couple and (b) an individual in 1979; and what it would currently be if the pension had been uprated in line with (i) inflation and (ii) earnings. [8080]
Mr. Heald: The information is in the table.
| November 1979 £ | April 1995 (if increased in line with RPI) £ | April 1995 (if increased in line with average earnings) £ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard rate cat. A RP for a single person | 23.30 | 56.95 | 77.75 |
| Standard RP for a married couple | 37.30 | 91.15 | 124.65 |
1. Calculations are rounded to the nearest 5p at each uprating date.
2. Increases in RPI are calculated using the retail prices index (all items) as supplied by Central Statistical Office.
3. Earnings increases are calculated using the average earnings index (whole economy unadjusted) as published by the Central Statistical Office.
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11 Jan 1996 : Column: 325
Poverty
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent assessment he has made of the extent of poverty in the United Kingdom. [8082]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: There is no simple or meaningful way to define or measure poverty. Income is not always an accurate guide to living standards, especially among households in the lowest income deciles.
National Insurance
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change the means of levying national insurance. [7100]
Equal Treatment
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each form of institutional discrimination listed by his Department between men and women for social security benefit purposes; what is the approximate number of claimants affected by each different form and the approximate annual cost of removing each form if there were no retrospective effect of removal; and what assessment he has made as to what extent each form is necessarily and objectively to the
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difference in pensionable age; and if he will make statement. [1080]
Mr. Heald [holding answer 23 November 1995]: The table sets out the different treatment of men and women in the social security system. These either relate to the differences in pensionable age or are otherwise considered to be permitted in law. Estimates of the financial effects of equalisation depend on the basis on which provisions are equalised.
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Unemployment benefit(8) | The maximum age for receipt is 65 for women, 70 for men. The age at which the benefit rate changes to the retirement pension rate is 60 for women, 65 for men. |
| Long-term incapacity benefit | The maximum age for receipt is 60 for women, 65 for men. |
| Short-term incapacity benefit | The maximum age for receipt is 65 for women, 70 for men. The age at which the benefit rate changes to the retirement pension rate is 60 for women, 65 for men. |
| Transitional invalidity allowance and related age addition to retirement pension(9) | The upper age limit for acquiring entitlement to the lower rate of allowance was 55 for women, 60 for men. |
| Widow's payment, widowed mother's allowance, widow's pension | Married women are entitled on widowhood where statutory conditions are satisfied. There are no equivalent benefits for men. |
| Category A retirement pension (own insurance) | The minimum age of entitlement is 60 for women, 65 for men. Women may defer their entitlement in order to receive increments between age 60 and 65; men between 65 and 70. Entitlement to retirement pension is calculated on a working life of 44 years for women, 49 for men. |
| Category B retirement pension (spouse's contributions | A woman must be aged 60 and over and (i) married to husband who is entitled to category A retirement pension, or (ii) widowed after age 60 and late husband satisfied contribution condition for category A retirement pension, or (iii) widowed before age 60 and in receipt of widow's pension at that age in consequence of husband's death. A man is entitled only where (i) both he and his late wife were over pensionable age when she died and (ii) she satisfied the contribution conditions for category A retirement pension. |
| Retirement pension--earnings-related additional pension (SERPS) 1986 Act changes to SERPS calculation for people reaching pensionable age from 6 April 1999 affect men born after 5 April 1934 and women born after 5 April 1939. | |
| Graduated retirement benefit | The minimum age of entitlement is 60 for women, 65 for men. The amount of graduated contributions paid to obtain one graduated retirement benefit "unit" was £9.00 for women, £7.50 for men. |
| Reduced earnings allowance(10) | Recipients transfer to retirement allowance at age 60 for women, 65 for men. |
| Increase of unemployment benefit or short-term incapacity benefit paid at the lower rate in respect of a dependent child. Child dependency increase are available for women from age 60, men from age 65. | |
| Increase of category A retirement pension for adult dependant. A woman claiming an adult dependency increase of retirement pension for a dependent husband has to satisfy the condition that she was entitled to an increase of unemployment benefit or incapacity benefit immediately before claiming her pension. There is no similar condition for a man claiming an increase of retirement pension for his wife. | |
| Child benefit | A wife or mother of the child(ren) has priority of entitlement over a husband or father. |
| Family credit | In couples cases the claim is made by the woman and any benefit paid to her. |
| Guardian's allowance | A wife has priority of entitlement over husband. |
(8) Jobseeker's allowance will replace unemployment benefit in October 1996. JSA will cease at pension age. As pension ages are aligned under the 1995 Pensions Act, different treatment will be reduced.
(9) Invalidity addition was abolished from 13 April 1995 but continues in payment to former invalidity benefit recipients.
(10) Women aged 60 and over and men aged 65 and over before 10 April 1989 continue to receive a frozen rate of reduced earnings allowance.
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