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SOCIAL SECURITY
State Retirement Pensions
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in the United Kingdom currently (a) draw their state retirement pension at a post office and (b) have it paid into a bank or building society.[29724]
Mr. Heald: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 21 May 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many pensioners in the United Kingdom currently (a) draw their state Retirement Pension at a post office and (b) have it paid into a bank or building society.
Mr. Tom Clarke:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to clear the report of the National Audit Office into Motability and related matters. [30051]
Mr. Burt:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 30 January, Official Report, column 735.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he received in the first three months of 1996, regarding the working of the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement. [29726]
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Mr. Andrew Mitchell:
Ministers received 640 letters and representations from hon. Members on child support issues during the first three months of 1996. This compares with 969 received in the first three months of 1995 and reflects the improvements we have made to the scheme since then.
Mr. Redmond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, for each of her Department's agencies, the market testing which has been carried out into the services and what were the results. [30133]
Mr. Burt:
The information for the period up to March 1995 has been placed in the Library.
"Competing for Quality" results for the period between April 1995 and March 1996 are being compiled for the Department's efficiency plan. It is anticipated that this information will be published in the 1996 next steps review.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what circumstances loans, other than student loans, are counted as income when applying for social security benefits. [26851]
Mr. Roger Evans
[holding answer 29 April 1996]: Money from a loan may be treated as income if it is a sum received regularly--weekly, monthly or even annually--and will be taken into account at an equivalent weekly rate.
Lump sums received as one-off loans will generally be treated as capital and will not affect benefit if a claimant's overall capital remains below the lower capital limit--£3,000 for most claimants or £10,000 for people in residential care or nursing homes.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will exempt persons who successfully
22 May 1996 : Column: 279
claim compensation as a result of disability arising from asbestosis and other similar conditions from the compensation recovery scheme; [30388]
(3) if he will ensure that the costs of any community care or aids and adaptations required, arising out of an injury or illness, where such medical conditions result in successful claims for compensation, are taken into account in any compensation recovery undertaken by the compensation recovery unit; and if he will make a statement. [30255]
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Mr. Roger Evans:
Extensive consultation has taken place on the implications of changes to the compensation recovery scheme. That consultation is now complete. The Government are now considering whether any reform of the present scheme is appropriate and will announce their decision in due course.
Mr. McAvoy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the total cash value of all benefits paid out were means tested, for each year between 1979 and 1991. [29854]
Mr. Burt:
The information is in the table:
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As of 31 March 1996, the latest date for which figures are available, 6,105,653 pensioners collect their Retirement Pension at the post office and 3,126,053 pensioners are paid direct into a bank or building society account. A further 279,995 pensioners receive payment by payable order which subsequently will be paid into a bank or building society account. These figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
(2) if he will raise the small payments limit for the compensation recovery scheme; and if he will make a statement; [30389]
| 1978-79 | 1979-80 | 1980-81 | 1981-82 | 1982-83 | 1983-84 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security benefit expenditure (a) | 15,873 | 18,777 | 22,658 | 27,698 | 31,628 | 35,332 |
| Means-tested benefits (b) | 2,692 | 2,940 | 3,830 | 5,587 | 7,917 | 9,449 |
| (b) Expressed as a percentage of (a) | 17.0 per cent. | 15.7 per cent. | 16.9 per cent. | 21.1 per cent. | 25.0 per cent. | 26.7 per cent. |
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| £ million | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1984-85 | 1985-86 | 1986-87 | 1987-88 | 1988-89 | 1989-90 | 1990-91 | 1991-92 |
| Social Security benefit expenditure (a) | 38,225 | 41,699 | 44,913 | 46,697 | 47,333 | 50,174 | 56,509 | 66,382 |
| Means-tested benefits (b) | 10,755 | 12,163 | 13,171 | 13,398 | 13,265 | 14,050 | 16,804 | 20,328 |
| (b) Expressed as a percentage of (a) | 28.1 per cent. | 29.2 per cent | 29.3 per cent. | 28.7 per cent. | 28.0 per cent | 28.0 per cent. | 29.7 per cent. | 30.6 per cent. |
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Attendance Allowance
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Scotland over the age of 65 years were in receipt of attendance allowance in (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1995-96. [29247]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 21 May 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people in Scotland, over the age of 65 years were in receipt of Attendance Allowance in (a) 1992-93 and (b) 1995-96.
The information requested is as follows:
At 31.3.93: 73,800
At 29.2.96: 109,600
(latest data available)
Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Disability Living Allowance
Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the number of people in Scotland aged (a) five to 15 years, (b) 16 to 29 years, (c) 30 to 64 years and (d) over 65 years (i) in receipt of and (ii) refused disability living allowance mobility component at the higher and lower levels in (1) 1992-93 and (2) 1995-96; [29214]
- (2) if he will list the number of people in Scotland aged (a) five to 15 years, (b) 16 to 22 years, (c) 30 to 64 years and (d) over 65 years (i) in receipt of and (ii) refused
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- disability living allowance care component at the higher, middle and lower levels in (1) 1992-93 and (2) 1995-96;[29209]
(3) if he will list the number of people in Scotland aged (a) five to 15 years (b) 16 to 29 years, (c) 30 to 64 years and (d) over 65 years in receipt of the mobility and care components of disability living allowance in (i) 1992-93 and (ii) 1995-96. [29210]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
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