| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Child Benefit
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 16 January, Official Report, column 571, on child benefit, if, in the course of statutory consultation on the integration of one-parent benefit and child benefit, he will issue a draft timetable for the integration of those benefits. [13098]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: It is expected that the consultation process will be completed in early April. Regulations, which will be subject to affirmative resolution, will be laid before Parliament as soon as possible after the end of the consultation process. Subject to parliamentary approval, the regulations will come into force in April 1997.
Office Equipment and Uniforms
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what sums have been spent (a) by DSS offices and (b) by executive agencies on (i) uniforms for staff and (ii) furniture for offices in each region in each of the last five years; and if he will list those items valued over £5,000. [13093]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
| Year (calendar) | £ |
|---|---|
| 1991 | n/a |
| 1992 | 1,544,695 |
| 1993 | 1,092,464 |
| 1994 | 1,488,005 |
| 1995 | 1,120,623 |
1. The figures are provisional and subject to change.
2. The table shows the total amount spent on uniforms for staff by the Department and its executive agencies.
| Year (financial) | £ |
|---|---|
| 1990-91 | 15,918,340 |
| 1991-92 | 1,795,241 |
| 1992-93 | 11,762,878 |
| 1993-94 | 13 034,386 |
| 1994-95 | 13,563,886 |
1. The figures are provisional and subject to change.
2. The table shows the total amount spent on furniture by the Department and its executive agencies.
3. Information regarding individual items of furniture is available only at disproportionate cost.
National Insurance (Contribution Holidays)
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the estimates given in the Department of Social Security press release of 29 November 1994, on (a) the effect on public revenues of the proposed national insurance contribution holidays for people unemployed for two years or more and (b) the estimated number who will benefit from the scheme, giving the figures for 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99. [13403]
Mr. Heald:
The information is in the table.
7 Feb 1996 : Column: 277
| 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated cost (£ million)(23) | 30(25) | 50 | 50 |
| Estimated number of new employees benefiting each year(24) | 130,000 | 130,000 | 130,000 |
(23). National insurance contribution income forgone.
(24). Estimates are based on a forecast of 2.1 million unemployed, but do not include the impact on the level of unemployment, because the response of employers and the size of any behavioural effects cannot be estimated with certainty.
(25). The first year cost is lower than a full year's cost because the national insurance holiday lasts for one year and applies to new cases flowing off unemployment. Thus in respect of people leaving unemployment in the latter half of the year, a full year's cost in the first year will not accrue.
Official Documents (Braille)
Mr. Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision is made by his Department to provide official documents in braille and large text. [13445]
Mr. Burt: The Department and its agencies have a policy of making public information available in braille and large text and on audio cassette. When producing material for blind and partially sighted people, the recommended guidelines of the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Government's own document, "Accessible Information Meeting the Government Commitment", are followed.
Facilities are available to produce one-off documents in Braille on request.
Pensioner Incomes
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average income of the bottom 20 per cent. of pensioner households as a percentage of average household incomes; and what was the equivalent figure in 1979. [13957]
Mr. Heald: Since 1979, the median income of the bottom 20 per cent. of pensioners has risen by nearly 20 per cent. For the population as a whole, median income rose by just over 25 per cent. More information is in the tables.
| Median income of the bottom 20 per cent. of pensioners | Median household income--all individuals | Pensioner bottom quintile median as per cent. of: whole population median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 93 | 178 | 52 per cent. |
| 1992-93 | 111 | 224 | 49 per cent. |
Notes:
1. The information in the tables is derived from the 1979 and 1992-93 households below average income datasets. 1992-93 is the latest date for which results are available.
2. Estimates are of weekly household equivalised disposable income, for monetary amounts estimates are shown as equivalent monetary amounts for a couple with no children. Figures are given to the nearest whole £.
3. All estimates are subject to sampling error.
4. Figures for 1992-93 are for two calendar years data combined.
5. Figures are for the UK.
7 Feb 1996 : Column: 278
| Median income of the bottom 20 per cent. of pensioners | Median household income--all individuals | Pensioner bottom quintile median as per cent. of: whole population median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 80 | 154 | 52 per cent. |
| 1992-93 | 95 | 195 | 49 per cent. |
1. The information in the tables is derived from the 1979 and 1992-93 households below average income datasets. 1992-93 is the latest date for which results are available.
2. Estimates are of weekly household equivalised disposable income, for monetary amounts estimates are shown as equivalent monetary amounts for a couple with no children. Figures are given to the nearest whole £.
3. All estimates are subject to sampling error.
4. Figures for 1992-93 are for two calendar years data combined.
5. Figures are for the UK.
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the tables given in the written answer on 30 November 1993, Official Report, columns 426-27. [13959]
Mr. Heald: The information on the numbers of single pensioners treated as having notional income from savings is in the table.
| Amount of notional Income | Income support | Housing benefit | Council tax benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | |||
| 1 | 14,000 | 17,000 | 29,000 |
| 2 | 10,000 | 13,000 | 23,000 |
| 3 | 8,000 | 11,000 | 19,000 |
| 4 | 7,000 | 11,000 | 21,000 |
| 5 | 6,000 | 10,000 | 17,000 |
| 6 | 5,000 | 9,000 | 15,000 |
| 7 | 4,000 | 7,000 | 11,000 |
| 8 | 4,000 | 7,000 | 14,000 |
| 9 | 3,000 | 6,000 | 12,000 |
| 10 | 3,000 | 7,000 | 11,000 |
| 11 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 7,000 |
| 12 | 3,000 | 5,000 | 9,000 |
| 13 | 2,000 | 5,000 | 8,000 |
| 14 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 7,000 |
| 15 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 5,000 |
| 16 | 2,000 | 4,000 | 9,000 |
| 17 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 4,000 |
| 18 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 5,000 |
| 19 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 5,000 |
| 20 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 5,000 |
| All cases | 87,000 | 133,000 | 236,000 |
Notes:
1. The figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Single pensioners are defined as people in receipt of income support and/or housing benefit and/or council tax benefit aged 60 or over who do not have a partner.
3. There is a considerable overlap in the figures as most people receive both housing benefit and council tax benefit. There is also some overlap with the income support recipients.
Sources:
Income Support Quarterly Enquiry May 1994.
Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiry taken at the end of May 1994.
7 Feb 1996 : Column: 279
Mr. Denham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the total of state benefits paid to pensioners, including state earnings related pension and the basic state pension, expressed as a percentage of (a) gross domestic product and (b) the total personal incomes of the population as a whole in each year since 1979; [13960]
7 Feb 1996 : Column: 280
Mr. Heald:
The information is in the tables.
7 Feb 1996 : Column: 279
(2) if he will estimate the total of income support, housing benefit and council tax, or equivalent benefits applicable at the time paid to pensioners expressed as a percentage of (a) gross domestic product and (b) the total personal incomes of the population as a whole in each year since 1979. [13961]
| 1978-79 | 1979-80 | 1980-81 | 1981-82 | 1982-83 | 1983-84 | 1984-85 | 1985-86 | 1986-87 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total benefit expenditure on the elderly (£ million) | 8,752 | 10,138 | 12,134 | 14,357 | 16,105 | 17,456 | 18,522 | 20,241 | 21,703 |
| Expressed as a percentage of GDP | 5.04 | 4.86 | 5.10 | 5.50 | 5.64 | 5.63 | 5.58 | 5.55 | 5.53 |
| Expressed as a percentage of PDI | 7.45 | 7.12 | 7.34 | 7.99 | 8.28 | 8.32 | 8.11 | 8.15 | 8.05 |
| Total HB/CTB expenditure for the elderly (£ million) | 510 | 570 | 747 | 1,172 | 1,478 | 1,719 | 1,927 | 2,144 | 2,324 |
| Expressed as a percentage of GDP | 0.29 | 0.27 | 0.31 | 0.45 | 0.52 | 0.55 | 0.58 | 0.59 | 0.59 |
| Expressed as a percentage of PDI | 0.43 | 0.40 | 0.45 | 0.65 | 0.76 | 0.82 | 0.84 | 0.86 | 0.86 |
| Total IS expenditure for the elderly (£ million) | 561 | 624 | 729 | 924 | 941 | 985 | 1,162 | 1,302 | 1,453 |
| Expressed as a percentage of GDP | 0.32 | 0.30 | 0.31 | 0.35 | 0.33 | 0.32 | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.37 |
| Expressed as a percentage of PDI | 0.48 | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.51 | 0.48 | 0.47 | 0.51 | 0.52 | 0.54 |
The Elderly are men and women aged 60 and over.
GDP = Gross domestic product. PDI = Personal disposable income.
IS = Income support (and equivalent for earlier years).
HB/CTB = Housing benefit/council tax benefit and equivalent for earlier years.
7 Feb 1996 : Column: 279
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |