| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Peat Extraction (Flanders Moss)
Mr. Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the agreement between Scottish Natural Heritage and others to secure the non-extraction of peat from Flanders Moss, including the sums involved; [25561]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the factors which underlay the decision that no compensation was payable to the owner of part of Flanders Moss and adjacent farmland, following the decision to designate the area as a site of special scientific interest and prohibit the extraction of peat in 1989. [25562]
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 382
Mr. Kynoch [holding answer 26 April 1996]: These are matters for Scottish Natural Heritage. I have asked the chairman of SNH to write to the hon. Member.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Departmental Expenditure
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was his Department's expenditure on (a) computer hardware, (b) related buildings, (c) related equipment, (d) computer systems, (e) computer services and (f) computer applications (i) directly or (ii) indirectly sourced for (1) the Benefits Agency, (2) the Contributions Agency and (3) the Information Technology Services Agency in each year since 1990 separately identifying planned and outturn expenditure. [24194]
Mr. Burt: The details of the Department's total computer related expenditure are in the table. Information on the expenditure of individual DSS agencies is available only at disproportionate cost.
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 381
| 1990-91 | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Capital | |||||
| Computer hardware and other capital | 118.0 | 64.1 | 120.8 | 146.1 | 75.6 |
| Land Buildings | 12.6 | 12.5 | 26.1 | 31.6 | 14.4 |
| 2. Running costs | |||||
| Computer systems, services and applications | 249.0 | 422.4 | 445.2 | 450.3 | 432.8 |
| 3. Out-turn and plan | |||||
| Total provision | 369.4 | 432.5 | 441.6 | 564.5 | 466.7 |
| Total Out-turn | 379.6 | 413.7 | 435.9 | 561.8 | 460.2 |
| Reduced/(Increased) expenditure | (10.2) | 18.8 | 5.7 | 2.7 | 6.5 |
| Reduced/(Increased) expenditure Running Cost | (2.5) | 5.5 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 5.1 |
| Capital | (7.7) | 13.3 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
1. All figures are taken from that year's ITSA annual report and accounts. For 1990-91 they are vote based and include VAT.
2. For all subsequent years items 1 and 2 are accrual based and item 3 is vote based.
3. ITSA, an executive agency of the Department of Social Security, has supplied IT services to the DSS, its agencies and to other Government Departments and agencies, including the Employment Service, the Northern Ireland Social Security Agency, the National Health Service Pensions Agency and the Department of Health. These costs are included in the figures.
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 381
Resettlement Agency
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what funding has been earmarked within the Department for the carrying out of duties hitherto undertaken by the Resettlement Agency; what account will be taken of the needs of single homeless people in determining the level and type of programme to be administered under the new arrangements; if the funding available for resettlement units will be ring-fenced; and if he will make a statement. [24836]
Mr. Roger Evans: In excess of £21,000,000 will be made available by DSS headquarters in 1996-97 through revenue and capital support, these grants having previously been administered by the Resettlement Agency.
Following the repeal of schedule 5 to the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976, as amended, section 30 of the Jobseekers Act 1995 enables the Secretary of State to continue to support provision for single, unsettled, homeless persons in accommodation owned and operated by local authority and voluntary organisations.
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 382
In February 1985, the Government announced their intention to work towards the closure of DSS re-establishment centres and resettlement units. It was decided that all funds used to run the RECs and RUs would be directed towards the establishment of new resettlement provision. The fundamental principle of this replacement programme was that new provision had to be established without any increase in the DSS's resettlement budget, apart from annual inflation increases approved by the Treasury. This principle remains in force.
Mr. Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been found exempt from the all-work test of capacity by virtue of (a) receipt of the highest rate of disability living allowance care component, (b) a serious medical condition and (c) a receipt of invalidity benefit and being aged 58 years or over on 13 April 1995 for (i) February and (ii) March. [26366]
Mr. Burt:
We estimate that 738,000 people are not subject to the all-work test because they were aged 58 or over on 13 April 1995 and have been continuously in
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 383
receipt of invalidity benefit since 1 December 1993. The requested information on the numbers exempt from the all-work test in February and March 1996 for the other reasons given, is in the table.
| February 1996 | March 1996 | |
|---|---|---|
| In receipt of Disability Living Allowance High Rate Care Component | 2,261 | 2,197 |
| Severe medical condition | 18,930 | 18,533 |
Source:
100 per cent. count of cases on the incapacity benefit computer system.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons and what proportion of persons whose claims to incapacity benefit have been disallowed because of a failure to return form IB50 have subsequently been awarded the benefit. [25804]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many IB50 all-work test questionnaires were issued by his Department in (a) February and (b) March; and how many claims were disallowed for failure to return the questionnaire. [26340]
Mr. Burt: Such information as is available is in the table.
| February | March | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of IB50 all-work test questionnaires issued(11) | 137,778 | 113,804 |
| Number of claims disallowed for failure to return IB50 questionnaire(11)(12) | 827 | 974 |
(11) Figures exclude clerically processed cases.
(12) Figures exclude:
--Severe disablement allowance cases
--cases where the claim related to national insurance credits only
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what proportion of persons who have passed the all-work test have been awarded points under the heading of mental health descriptors. [25806]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
State Pensions
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) men and (b) women aged 100 years or over and living in the United Kingdom were in receipt of state retirement pensions on 30 March. [26302]
Mr. Heald: At 30 September 1995, the latest date for which information is available, it is estimated that 1,240 men and 7,520 women aged 100 or over and living in Great Britain were in receipt of state retirement pension. Notes:
1. "State retirement pension" comprises contributory retirement pension, non-contributory retirement pension and graduated retirement benefit.
2. The figures are subject to a degree of uncertainty as they are based on a 5 per cent. sample of retirement pension awards.
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 384
Private Finance Initiative
Ms Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the revenue spending estimated by his Department in connection with the private finance initiative for (a) 1995-96, (b) 1996-97 and (c) 1997-98. [26629]
Mr. Burt: To date, the Department has awarded one PFI contract. This is for the replacement of the national insurance recording system--NIRS2--and was awarded in April 1995. Revenue costs from public funds will not arise under this contract until the replacement system is developed and successfully delivered to the Department in 1997. These revenue costs are subject to continuing negotiation and are currently commercial in confidence.
Mental Health
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who have failed to attend a medical examination since April 1995 have a recognised mental health problem. [26820]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |