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Access Committee for England

Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to make a statement on his review of the role and funding of the Access Committee for England. [20360]

Mr. Burt: I am considering, with colleagues, the detailed issues involved and we hope to announce our decision in the near future.

Outstanding Payments

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what values of payments were outstanding within his Department on 5 March, which were beyond the date on the invoice and, where no date was specified, older than 28 days. [20485]

Mr. Burt: The information is not available in the format requested. The Department of Social Security, in accordance with Treasury guidelines, pays its invoices within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice. A recent sample showed a 96 per cent. level of compliance with this guideline.

To provide the information requested would involve further investigation and could be retrieved only at disproportionate cost.

Earnings Top-up Pilot Scheme

Mr. Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to commission independent research into the earnings top-up pilot scheme. [20608]

Mr. Burt: I have today awarded contracts to three research organisations--the Policy Studies Institute, the Institute for Employment Research and the Centre for Research in Social Policy. Over the next three years, these institutes will undertake a detailed programme of research to evaluate the effectiveness of the earnings top-up pilot.

Earnings top-up is a new step in the Government's programme to strengthen incentives to work. The challenge is to discover whether topping up wages for

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workers without dependent children helps them to get jobs and stay in work. Family credit tackles this issue already for families with children, helping over 600,000 families.

The research programme lasts three years. It starts this year--before earnings top-up is introduced--to set a baseline against which progress can be measured. It then continues the investigation in succeeding years to assess the impact of earnings top-up, comparing the pilot areas to the four control areas.

The Policy Studies Institute will survey over 30,000 employers, workers and unemployed people, to look at the changing circumstances of people including movement into or out of work, and the wages they receive.

The Institute of Employment Research will look at how earnings top-up affects local labour markets, that is, at changes in the rates of employment, unemployment, and any effect on local wage levels.

The Centre for Research in Social Policy will carry out more in-depth interviews with people receiving earnings top-up, those in low-paid work not receiving it, and employers. This will build up a detailed picture of reactions and attitudes to the pilot benefit.

This £3 million research project is the largest the Department of Social Security has ever undertaken but it represents excellent value for money. To extend earnings top-up immediately to all low-paid people without dependent children would be a large investment, of the order of £500 million. We are taking the prudent course of testing its effectiveness first on a smaller scale.

At the end of the three years, we expect to have the information we need to decide whether earnings top-up is of value in helping people to move into work and to avoid unemployment.

I shall, in due course, be placing further details of the research programme in the Library.

Pensioner Incomes

Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide an updated analysis for each quintile of pensioner incomes for single pensioners, pensioner couples and all pensioner units on the same basis as that given on 7 February 1995, Official Report, columns 196-200, table 1. [18220]

Mr. Heald: The information is in the tables.

When comparing this reply to the information given on 7 February 1995 it should be noted that the "single" and "couple" table headings for the numbers of pensioner units in each quintile were transposed in the previous reply.

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Table 1: The Average Incomes of Pensioners 1979-1993 (by quintile-quintile 1=lowest)--(£ per week July 1993 prices)
(a) Single pensioners

Income sourceQuintile 1 Quintile 2 Quintile 3 Quintile 4 Quintile 5 Total
197919931979199319791993197919931979199319791993
Earnings(32)0.400.000.100.100.400.303.802.1025.4024.506.005.40
Benefit income51.7060.8060.1073.1063.0084.7062.5083.2056.7084.8058.8077.30
Investment2.104.102.205.102.404.907.0013.3033.4069.109.4019.30
Occupational0.602.401.906.903.409.408.0023.7037.6087.4010.3026.00
Other(32)0.500.300.200.500.300.201.000.701.000.400.600.40
Gross income55.3067.6064.4085.7069.4099.6082.40123.10154.10266.1085.00128.40
Deductions5.707.104.706.904.407.307.4011.5029.9050.1010.4016.60
Net income BHC (mean)49.6060.5059.7078.8065.0092.2075.00111.60124.10216.0074.60111.80
Net income AHC (mean)39.2044.9048.7059.9052.8068.6061.3095.30110.10202.9062.4094.30
Net income BHC (median)51.2063.1061.0080.7067.7093.1075.40110.00107.60172.6067.7093.10
Net income AHC (median)41.3049.8048.7059.7053.6067.4061.7094.5095.40160.9053.6067.40

(32) Indicates that sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates. Figures are shown only to demonstrate how totals are arrived at. All figures before housing costs (BHC) unless otherwise stated. After housing costs = AHC.

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

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

3. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age (SPA) and couples in which the husband, or head, is over SPA.

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

5. 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.

6. Estimates are based on the Family Expenditure Surveys.


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(b) Pensioner couples

Income sourceQuintile 1 Quintile 2 Quintile 3 Quintile 4 Quintile 5 Total
197919931979199319791993197919931979199319791993
Earnings(33)0.301.501.300.906.007.5028.4016.5096.8055.4026.5016.30
Benefit income86.6097.1094.40116.5094.20119.0089.30118.8079.80110.2088.90112.30
Investment2.805.803.707.905.9020.2010.8030.1065.60139.9017.7040.70
Occupational2.708.407.4020.7019.4036.8038.9083.4097.60197.7033.1069.30
Other(33)0.300.200.400.301.700.700.901.201.101.200.900.70
Gross income92.60112.90107.30146.20127.20184.30168.20250.00341.00504.50167.00239.40
Deduction 6.2010.305.7011.108.5014.6018.6025.4081.9088.5024.1029.90
Net income BHC (mean)86.40102.60101.50135.20118.70169.60149.60224.60259.10416.00142.90209.40
Net income AHC (mean)72.6084.4085.50116.60102.90154.90132.60214.30235.10401.50125.60194.20
Net income BHC (median)86.60105.60100.60134.40116.70169.90147.50220.20224.10366.80116.70169.00
Net income AHC (median)72.9092.1084.60115.80100.60155.50131.60209.60203.50349.90100.60155.50

(33) Indicates that sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates. Figures are shown only to demonstrate how totals are arrived at. All figures before housing costs (BHC) unless otherwise stated. After housing costs = AHC.

Notes:

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

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

3. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age (SPA) and couples in which the husband, or head, is over SPA.

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

5. 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.

6. Estimates are based on the Family Expenditure Surveys.


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(c) All pensioner units

Income sourceQuintile 1Quintile 2Quintile 3Quintile 4Quintile 5Total
197919931979199319791993197919931979199319791993
Earnings(34)0.300.300.500.700.902.4010.706.2052.9038.0013.109.50
Benefit income63.6073.4072.3088.5070.4093.8071.20100.0068.4096.9069.2090.50
Investment2.304.502.805.903.108.108.6020.9044.7097.4012.3027.40
Occupational1.304.503.9011.306.5015.7017.5046.0061.70133.9018.2042.30
Other(34)0.400.300.200.400.500.301.400.900.900.800.700.50
Gross income67.9083.0079.80106.7081.30120.40109.40173.90228.50367.00113.40170.20
Deductions5.908.205.108.405.308.8010.3016.9049.2065.8015.1021.60
Net income BHC (mean)62.0074.8074.7098.4076.10111.6099.10157.00179.30301.2098.20148.50
Net income AHC (mean)54.2060.2059.5071.0063.7098.7085.40144.10158.30285.9084.20131.90
Net income BHC (median)54.4067.3063.4086.1069.4098.5086.30142.40165.30262.4069.4098.50
Net income AHC (median)44.6054.0049.3061.7054.5081.6069.30126.00145.20250.4054.5081.60

(34) Indicates that sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates. Figures are shown only to demonstrate how totals are arrived at. All figures before housing costs (BHC) unless otherwise stated. After housing costs = AHC.

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

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

3. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age (SPA) and couples in which the husband, or head, is over SPA.

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

5. 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.

6. Estimates are based on the Family Expenditure Surveys.


12 Mar 1996 : Column: 599

Average income change (per cent.)--Single Pensioners (S), Pensioner Couples (C) and Pensioner Units (U)
(b) Growth in Pensioner Income 1979-1993

Quintile 1Quintile 2Quintile 3
SCUSCUSCU
Earnings(35)-100425-12-25-3222-2326178
Benefit Income181215222322352633
Investment Income98109100135111111102243162
Occupational Pension27021524526418019018090142
Other(35)-43-30-36203-3756-21-59-32
Gross Income222222333634434548
Deductions246639479363657268
Net Income BHC (median)232224323436384542
Net Income AHC (median)212621223725265450

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

Quintile 4Quintile 5Total
SCUSCUSCU
Earnings(35)-44-42-42-4-43-28-10-38-27
Benefit income333340503842322631
Investment income90177144106113118105130123
Occupational pension195115163133103117152109133
Other(35)-3338-39-628-11-30-18-24
Gross income494959734861514350
Deductions56376467834592443
Net income BHC (median)46496560645950 (mean)47 (mean)51 (mean)
Net income AHC (median)53598269727251 (mean)55 (mean)57 (mean)

(35) Indicates that sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates. Figures are shown only to demonstrate how totals are arrived at. All figures before housing costs (BHC) unless otherwise stated. After housing costs=AHC.

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

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

3. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age (SPA) and couples in which the husband, or head, is over SPA.

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

5. 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.

6. Estimates are based on the Family Expenditure Surveys.


Table 2: The numbers of pensioner units in each quintile of the net equivalised income distribution for pensioners.

Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5
(a) Pensioner couples
Under 75300,000(36)350,000350,000400,000400,000
75 and over(36)250,000(36)200,000(36)150,000(36)100,0001(36)100,000
Total550,000550,000550,000550,000550,000
(b) Single pensioners
Under 75400,000500,000400,000450,000500,000
75 and over500,000400,000450,000400,000400,000
Total900,000900,000900,000900,000900,000
(c) All pensioner units
Under 75700,000800,000750,000900,000950,000
75 and over750,000600,000650,000550,000450,000
Total1,400,0001,400,0001,400,0001,400,0001,400,000

(36) These estimates are based on unreliably small sample sizes, and therefore should be treated with caution.

1. Estimates have been rounded to the nearest 50,000. Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding.

2. These estimates are taken from the Family Expenditure Survey and are for private households in the UK.