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Lowered Standard of Occupation Allowance
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of persons in receipt of the allowance for lowered standard of occupation in each year for the past 10 years. [24050]
Mr. Heald: The information is in the table:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1986 | 10,886 |
| 1987 | 10,827 |
| 1988 | 10,670 |
| 1989 | 10,523 |
| 1990 | 10,395 |
| 1991 | 10,487 |
| 1992 | 10,866 |
| 1993 | 11,876 |
| 1994 | 13,437 |
| 1995 | 14,200 |
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the annual cost of the allowance for lowered standard of occupation for the past 10 years and the estimated cost for the coming financial year. [24052]
Mr. Heald: The information is not available in the format requested.
The estimated cost for 1996-97, rounded to the nearest £5 million, will be around £25 million at cash prices.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision exists for an appeal against the withdrawal of the allowance for lowered standard of occupation. [24054]
Mr. Heald:
There is no right of appeal against a decision on behalf of the Secretary of State on a war pension supplementary allowance. Such decisions may be formally challenged only by judicial review.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons in receipt of allowances for lowered standard of occupation have been offered re-engagement in the regular or reserve forces. [24049]
Mr. Heald:
The information is not available.
Mr. McNamara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many persons have had their allowance for lowered standard of occupation cancelled on the grounds that their pensioned disablement does not prevent them from carrying out their service occupation; [24051]
Mr. Heald:
A total of 1,301 pensioners are to have their allowance cancelled on the ground that the war pensioned disablement does not prevent them following their regular service occupation. In order to determine their entitlement to a war disablement pension or gratuity under the war pensions scheme, a medical or audiometric
3 Apr 1996 : Column: 359
examination is normally necessary. Records of these examinations were available when eligibility for the allowance for lowered standard of occupation was reviewed.
Ms Ruddock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress in establishing an office waste minimisation strategy for his Department, indicating the targets set. [24514]
Mr. Roger Evans:
At their meeting on 29 January 1996, green ministers agreed that the Department of the Environment would complete its waste measurement pilot scheme and by 31 March 1996 set realistic targets for future waste minimisation. Departments would use this information and the Department of the Environment's waste minimisation target figures to establish their own waste minimisation targets by the end of 1996.
Within the Department of Social Security, a pilot scheme is currently operating in selected Benefits Agency offices to examine a number of key environmental issues including waste minimisation. Findings will be reported later this year, when areas for improvement and targets for waste minimisation will be considered.
3 Apr 1996 : Column: 360
Mr. Amess:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his written answer to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms Quin) on 6 February, Official Report, column 178, if the European Commission has provided a justification for expenditure without legal authority following the Government's inquiry about the legal basis of their funding for projects seeking to combat social exclusion. [25182]
Mr. Lilley:
The European Commission has not provided a legal justification for these particular expenditure plans, made without the approval of the Council of Ministers. The Government have therefore this week made an application to the European Court of Justice challenging the legal basis of this expenditure. We believe that other member states share our concern. Commission proposals for a further Community spending programme on social exclusion projects were previously blocked in the Council of Ministers by Germany and the UK.
(2) how many persons were given a medical examination prior to the decision being taken in deciding to revoke the allowance for lowered standard of occupation. [24053]