| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Family Credit
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what percentage of those lone parents who were in receipt of family credit in (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1993-94 received family credit for (i) 26 weeks only, (ii) 52 weeks only and (iii) more than 52 weeks; [22187]
- (2) how many lone parents claimed family credit in (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1993-94; [22189]
(3) how many couples claimed family credit in (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1993-94; [22190]
(4) what was the total number of family credit claimants in (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1993-94; [22191]
(5) of those couples in receipt of family credit in (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1993-94 what percentage received family credit for (i) 26 weeks only, (ii) 52 weeks only and (iii) more than 52 weeks. [22192]
Mr. Roger Evans [pursuant to his answer, 1 April 1996, c. 76]: The information that I gave regarding family credit claimants contained a typographical error. The correct information is as follows.
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 388
| Caseload (thousands) | Percentage of caseload with Family Credit in payment for 26 weeks | Percentage of caseload with Family Credit in payment for 52 weeks | Percentage of caseload with Family Credit in payment for more than 52 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | ||||
| All families | 485 | 42.1 | 23.2 | 34.6 |
| All couples | 280 | 48.0 | 21.2 | 30.8 |
| All lone parents | 204 | 34.1 | 25.9 | 40.0 |
| 1993-94 | ||||
| All families | 536 | 38.9 | 21.1 | 39.9 |
| All couples | 303 | 45.2 | 21.0 | 33.8 |
| All lone parents | 233 | 30.7 | 21.3 | 48.0 |
Notes:
1. Figures refer to awards in payment at the end of the financial year; and may exclude those who have ceased to claim during the year.
2. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
3. Percentages have been expressed to one decimal place, and therefore may not tally.
Source:
Family credit computer system: 5 per cent. sample of all awards.
WALES
Devolved Powers
15. Mr. Robert G. Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measure he has taken to devolve powers and responsibilities from central to local government. [25646]
Mr. Hague: I announced during the Welsh Affairs debate on 29 February, Official Report, columns 1024-40, my intention to issue a consultation paper on devolving certain responsibilities from my Department to local government. That paper, "The Welsh Office and Local Government: Redefining the Relationship", was issued on 20 March.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
16. Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the impact of the BSE problem on the Welsh food strategy. [25647]
Mr. Hague: The food strategy is concerned not only with beef but with developing the whole of the Welsh food industry, from producers to retailers. The problems faced by the beef industry will be considered during the consultation. I expect the strategy that emerges to make proposals for restoring consumer confidence in Welsh beef within the context of a general marketing strategy for all goods from Wales.
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 389
Jobs (Pembrokeshire)
16. Mr. Jacques Arnold: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action Government Departments have recently taken to increase the number of jobs in Pembrokeshire. [25648]
Mr. Hague: The Ministry of Defence recently decided to relocate its moorings and buoys work to Pembroke Dock. This will bring 135 jobs to the area. The Welsh Office continues to provide support to companies in the area through regional selective assistance and to infrastructure projects through the strategic development scheme. Since January 1994, 18 offers of RSA have been accepted promising the creation of over 300 new jobs and safeguarding a further 226. The Welsh Office and Government agencies also continue to support the work of the west Wales task force.
Hospice and Palliative Care
18. Mr. Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last consulted charitable organisations which provide hospice and palliative care services in the Gwent area. [25649]
Mr. Richards: Organisations that provide hospice and palliative care services were consulted in August 1994 about NHS responsibilities for meeting continuing health care needs, which include palliative health care services
The provision of palliative health care services in Gwent is the responsibility of Gwent health authority. Guidance outlining health authority responsibilities was issued in February 1995.
Environment
19. Dr. Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is currently taking to improve care for the environment in Wales. [25650]
Mr. Hague: Details of the wide range of actions being taken are given in "The Environment in Wales: Fourth Report", the Welsh commitment tables in "This Common Inheritance UK Annual Report 1996" and the speech I gave at the Welsh launch of the Environment Agency on 27 March, copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Slag Heaps
20. Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many former slag heaps have been reclaimed; to what uses they have been put; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [25651]
Mr. Richards: This is an operational matter for the Welsh Development Agency. I will arrange for the chief executive of the agency to write to my hon. Friend and for a copy of his letter to be placed in the Library of the House.
Beef Industry
21. Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will next meet farmers' leaders to discuss the beef industry in Wales. [25653]
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 390
Mr. Hague: The Under-Secretary of State, my. hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones), and I have met farmers' leaders to discuss this subject on a number of occasions recently and will continue to do so as necessary.
European Central Bank
22. Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the implications for Wales of a European central bank. [25654]
Non-urgent Operations
23. Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what resources were made available for non-urgent operations at the three treatment centres in south Wales in 1995-96. [25655]
Mr. Richards: In 1995-96, funding for non-urgent operations at the three south Wales treatment centres totalled 2.536 million, made up of:
Ophthalmic centre, Bridgend general hospital: £0.956 million
Surgical centre, Bridgend general hospital: £0.516 million
Orthopaedic centre, Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar: £1.064 million
Education Statistics
24. Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage of young people aged 18 to 21 years in full-time education in (a) Carmarthenshire, (b) Dyfed, (c) Wales and (d) Britain.[25656]
Mr. Richards: The available information is for 1994-95 and relates to the new unitary authority area of Carmarthenshire and the previous local education authority area of Dyfed. The following table sets out the information on this basis.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| Carmarthenshire | 27 |
| Dyfed | 33 |
| Wales | 33 |
| United Kingdom | 29 |
(13) Ages as at 31 August 1994.
Inward Investment
25. Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking, in conjunction with the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales, to ensure that inward investment industrial projects are encouraged to locate in the western counties of Wales; and if he will make a statement. [25657]
Mr. Hague: I have given the agency and the board specific targets: the agency is required to encourage 20 per cent. of inward investment cases to go beyond the eastern M4 and A55 corridors and the board is required to deploy 50 per cent. of its programme expenditure in the western parts of its area and to attract at least 30 per cent. of new jobs from new inward investment projects to those parts of its area not in
29 Apr 1996 : Column: 391
Powys. These provide a focus. Other measures include the significant infrastructural improvements that are on-going and the assisted areas upgrading that took place in 1993.
26. Mr. David Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent major inward investments have come to Wales; and if he will make a statement. [25658]
Mr. Hague: Recent announcements show that Wales continues to be a leading region for inward investment and my recent visit to the United States confirmed my belief that more will come. Over the past few months, significant projects have been announced by Ford,; Newport Wafer-Fab,; Halla,; Sumitomo,; and Cable OnLine. There has been significant success in the financial services sector too, including Legal and General.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |