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State Pensions
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table indicating for each of the last 17 years (a) the level of the basic state pension, (b) average weekly earnings and (c) the percentage of average weekly earnings as represented by the basic state pension. [26816]
Mr. Heald: The available information is in the table. The information for April 1996 earnings is not yet available.
| Date of uprating | Rate of basic retirement pension (£pw) | Average earnings(10) (£pw) | Rate as a percentage of average earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1979 | 23.30 | 100.62 | 23.2 |
| November 1980 | 27.15 | 120.24 | 22.6 |
| November 1981 | 29.60 | 132.41 | 22.4 |
| November 1982 | 32.85 | 142.42 | 23.1 |
| November 1983 | 34.05 | 156.73 | 21.7 |
| November 1984 | 35.80 | 166.98 | 21.4 |
| November 1985 | 38.30 | 178.71 | 21.4 |
| July 1986 | 38.70 | 189.12 | 20.5 |
| April 1987 | 39.50 | 198.90 | 19.9 |
| April 1988 | 41.15 | 218.40 | 18.8 |
| April 1989 | 43.60 | 239.70 | 18.2 |
| April 1990 | 46.90 | 263.10 | 17.8 |
| April 1991 | 52.00 | 284.70 | 18.3 |
| April 1992 | 54.15 | 304.60 | 17.8 |
| April 1993 | 56.10 | 316.90 | 17.7 |
| April 1994 | 57.60 | 325.70 | 17.7 |
| April 1994 | 58.85 | 336.30 | 17.5 |
Note:
(10) Average earnings are for all full-time adult employees.
Source:
The Abstract of Statistics for Social Security and Contributions and Indices of Prices and Earnings, 1995 Edition, and the Employment Gazette.
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 477
Disability Working Allowance
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 14 March, Official Report, column 760, what assumptions underlay the answer to the hon. Member for Exeter (Sir J. Hannam) of 5 March 1991, Official Report, columns, 693-94, concerning the impact of using the functional test for disability working allowance for initial claims where no qualifying benefit is in payment. [26365]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The written answer to which the hon. Member refers was given before the introduction of disability working allowance and, as stated, the estimates were tentative.
The estimates were based on data from the 1985 Office of Population Censuses and Suveys disability survey, which contains detailed information about individuals' disability and other characteristics. Using these data, it is possible to construct a scale of the severity of individuals' disability. The estimates assume that, in order to qualify for DWA, disabled people had to be above a certain threshold on this disability scale.
The estimates took account of two groups of potential DWA recipients: those currently in work who score above the threshold on the OPCS scale and are not in receipt of a qualifying benefit; and disabled people not currently in work or in receipt of a qualifying benefit who might be
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 478
induced to go back to work. The estimates provided in 1991 also assumed, as did other estimates at the time, that the number induced to go back to work would be substantial in relation to those already in work.
It is not possible to produce revised estimates. The 1985 OPCS disability survey is still the most recent comprehensive survey of disabled peoples' characteristics, but the information about individuals' employment situation, earnings and benefit receipt is out of date and cannot now be used to produce reliable estimates of people who might qualify through a functional test but are not currently in receipt of a qualifying benefit. Any estimate of the size of a behavioural effect is speculative, and depends heavily on the state of the labour market and individuals' personal and other circumstances.
Mr. Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who (a) were previously claiming invalidity benefit, (b) have claimed incapacity benefit since April 1995, (c) receive severe disablement allowance, (d) receive the income support disability premium on incapacity grounds and (e) receive incapacity credits only, have been treated as incapable of work since April 1995 by virtue of (i) receipt of the highest rate of the disability living allowance care component, (ii) being aged over 58 years on 13 April 1995 and received an incapacity benefit between 1 December 1993 and 12 April 1995, (iii) suffering from a progressive disease, (iv) being registered blind, (v) tetraplegia, (vi) persistent vegetative state, (vii) dementia, (viii) paraplegia (ix) a severe learning disability, (x) a severe and progressive muscle-wasting disease, (xi) an active and progressive form of inflammatory polyarthritis, (xii) a progressive impairment of cardio-respiratory function, (xiii) dense paralysis of upper limb, trunk and lower limb on one side of the body, (xiv) multiple effects of impairment of function of brain or nervous system, (xv) a severe and progressive immune deficiency state and (xvi) a severe mental illness. [26726]
Mr. Burt:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Exempt category | In receipt of incapacity benefit and previously in receipt of invalidity benefit prior to 13 April 1995 | New incapacity benefit claimants since 13 April 1995 | In receipt of severe disablement allowance | In receipt of incapacity benefit with income support(11) | In receipt of severe disablement allowance and income support | Credit only(12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipt of higher rate care component of disability living allowance | 14,380 | 1,580 | 1,140 | 4,880 | 600 | Nil |
| Severe condition(13) | 71,040 | 15,640 | 8,920 | 19,300 | 5,320 | Nil |
| Terminally ill | 20 | 100 | Nil | 80 | Nil | 140 |
| Terminally ill and in receipt of disability living allowance higher rate care component or severe condition | 420 | 420 | Nil | 200 | Nil | Nil |
| In receipt of severe disablement allowance prior to 13 April 1995 | n/a | n/a | 314,560 | n/a | 217,340 | n/a |
| Total | 85,860 | 17,740 | 324,620 | 24,460 | 223,260 | 140 |
Notes:
(11) No data are held on the number of exempt claimants who are in receipt of the disability premium in income support.
(12) Credits-only cases are not in receipt of either incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance but may be in receipt of other benefits.
(13) No data are available on the nature of the severe condition.
n/a = not applicable.
Source:
5 per cent. scan of the incapacity benefit computer system; all data up to 30 November 1995. Excludes a small number of cases not on the system.
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 479
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 479
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been found incapable of work since April 1995 who (a) had previously claimed incapacity benefit since April 1995, (b) were receiving incapacity benefit and previously received invalidity benefit before April 1995; (c) previously claimed income support with a disability premium, (d) previously claimed severe disablement allowance and (e) received incapacity national insurance credits only. [26728]
Mr. Burt: The available information is in the table.
| Numbers found incapable of work | |
|---|---|
| New incapacity benefit claimants since 13 April 1995 | 24,340 |
| In receipt of incapacity benefit and previously in receipt of invalidity benefit prior to 13 April 1995 | 113,500 |
| In receipt of incapacity benefit with income support(14) | 37,940 |
| In receipt of severe disablement allowance | 7,480 |
| Credits only(15) | 44,380 |
Notes:
(14) No information is available on the number found incapable of work who were in receipt of the disability premium in income support.
(15) Credits only cases are not in receipt of incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance but may be receiving other benefits.
Source:
5 per cent. scan of the incapacity benefit computer system; all data are up to 30 November 1995. Excludes a small number of cases not on the system.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been (a) found incapable of work since April 1995 and (b) disallowed benefit for failure to return the questionnaire or attend a medical examination; and how many people in both categories
30 Apr 1996 : Column: 480
have (i) signed on as unemployed, (ii) received unemployment benefit, (iii) received income support and (iv) received both. [26727]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Found capable of work following failure to return the questionnaire | 7,710 |
| Found capable of work following failure to attend a medical examination | 2,416 |
| Found incapable of work | 561,502 |
Source:
100 per cent. count of cases on the incapacity benefit computer system. Excludes cases where claim related to national insurance credits only and a small number of cases not on the system. Data as at 31 March 1996.
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