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Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 30 January concerning a constituent. [17440]
Mr. Roger Evans: A reply was issued on 23 February.
Contributions and Benefits Agencies
Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) contributions and (b) benefit agencies there have been in Scotland in each of the past 10 years; and how many are located in rural districts. [17105]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables:
| Year ended | Locations |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 63 (including 20 rural) |
| 1991 | 55 (including 18 rural) |
| 1992 | 39 (including 17 rural) |
| 1993 | 38 (including 17 rural) |
| 1994 | 32 (including 17 rural) |
| 1995 | 26 (including 17 rural) |
The Contributions Agency was established in April 1990.
| Year ended | Locations |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 99 (including 34 rural) |
| 1992 | 100 (including 34 rural) |
| 1993 | 101 (including 34 rural) |
| 1994 | 99 (including 32 rural) |
| 1995 | 97 (including 30 rural) |
The Benefits Agency was established in April 1991.
Mrs. Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Secuity what was the total number of staff working for (a) benefits agencies and (b) contributions agencies in Scotland for each year since 1993. [17108]
Mr. Evans: This information is set out in the table.
| 1 January 1993 | 1 January 1994 | 1 January 1995 | 1 January 1996 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff | BA | CA | BA | CA | BA | CA | BA | CA |
| Permanent | 5,755 | 324 | 5,940 | 329 | 6,336 | 290 | 6,610 | 219 |
| Casuals | 239 | 0 | 281 | 0 | 351 | 2 | 354 | 26 |
| Total | 5,994 | 324 | 6,221 | 329 | 6,687 | 292 | 6,964 | 245 |
Notes:
BA = Benefits Agency.
BA = Contributions Agency.
Source: Personnel Data from each Agency.
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Reduced Earnings Allowance
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from the Industrial Injuries advisory council on the draft regulations on reduced earnings allowance. [18275]
Mr. Roger Evans: The council was content with the substance of the draft regulations, but suggested an amendment to the wording of the prescription for carpal tunnel syndrome and a delay in implementation of the provisions limiting to 12 months the backdating of new awards of reduced earnings allowance. A copy of the council chairman's letter and my response have been placed in the Library. The regulations have now been laid before Parliament as the Social Security (Industrial Injuries and Diseases) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 1996.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are (a) the total costs of administering the cold weather payment scheme and (b) the annual value of the contract with Meteorological Office for forecasting in respect of the scheme; and what proportion of the total budget for the scheme each of these sums represented in 1994-95. [18301]
Mr. Roger Evans: A detailed breakdown of the administration costs of the cold weather payment scheme
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 282
is not available. Payments are issued automatically, so, administration costs are comparatively low.
The cost of the cold weather payment scheme is dependent on weather conditions in any particular year. During the mild winter of 1994-95, 10,969 payments were made at a total cost of £76,786. Administration costs were therefore minimal.
Out of a total of £15,806 charged by the Meteorological Office for the cold weather payment scheme during 1994-95, £7,755 was for forecasting. These costs are negotiated annually and are fixed costs regardless of actual weather conditions.
As a breakdown of the total budget for the scheme, including administration, is unavailable, it is not possible to say what proportion of the total the charge for forecasting represents.
Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the percentage by which the state retirement pension and income support were uprated in April 1995 and will be uprated in April 1996; and if he will provide figures on (a) the amount and (b) the percentage that the applicable amount for income support for a single pensioner aged under 75 years has changed relative to the level of the state retirement pension. [18337]
Mr. Heald:
The information is in the table.
6 Mar 1996 : Column: 281
Note:
1. This figure will not sum as a multiple of the 1994-95 £7 cold weather payment figure, due to clerical awards made at amounts other than £7.
| Percentage by which retirement pension uprated | Percentage by which income support uprated | Amount by which retirement pension increased | Amount by which income support increased | Column D as a percentage of column C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Column A) | (Column B) | (Column C) | (Column D) | (Column E) | |
| 1995 | 2.2 | 1.8 | £1.25 | £1.15 | 92 per cent. |
| 1996 | 3.9 | 3.0 | £2.30 | £1.95 | 85 per cent. |
1. Amounts are for a single pensioner aged under 75 who is not disabled.
2. Figures in column E are to the nearest whole number.
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Hearing Loss
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will meet representatives of the Royal British Legion to discuss the effects on the ex-service community of the abolition of lump sum payments for attributable hearing loss below 20 per cent.; [18952]
- (2) if he will meet representatives of the Royal British Legion to discuss the effects for the ex-service community of the abolition of lump sum payments for attributable hearing loss below 20 per cent. [18954]
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Mr. Heald: The removal of payment of gratuities for service-attributable noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss of less than 20 per cent. was part of a package of measures which included an increase from April 1993 of up to £5 a week above the rate of inflation for all war disablement pensioners. The most severely disabled gained most. Almost 265,000 war pensioners are now gaining from this increase at an estimated annual cost of over £26 million. The package was therefore of considerable benefit to the disabled ex-service community.
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This matter has been discussed on several occasions at meetings between Ministers and representatives of ex-service organisations, including the Royal British Legion. I see no point in a further meeting at this time.
Social Fund (Southampton)
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of (a) social fund grants and (b) social fund loans which were (i) claimed and (ii) granted in each year since 1989 in the area covered by Benefits Agency offices serving Southampton; and what was the expenditure in each year on each benefit. [18844]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of the social fund is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
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