---

State Retirement Pensions

Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the basic state retirement pension for (a) single pensioner and (b) pensioner couples for each year between November 1979 and April 1996; and what it would have been if it had been uprated in line with whichever was the higher of average earnings or prices. [36382]

Mr. Heald: The information is in the table:

	Basic Rates of retirement pension (RP)		Rate of RP if uprated by higher of average earnings or prices since November 1979
	Single	Couple	Single	Couple
November 1979	23.30	37.30	23.30	37.30
November 1980	27.15	43.45	27.60	44.20
November 1981	29.60	47.35	30.90	49.50
November 1982	32.85	52.55	33.50	53.65
November 1983	34.05	54.50	36.40	58.30
November 1984	35.80	57.30	38.25	61.25
November 1985	38.30	61.30	41.60	66.60
July 1986	38.70	61.95	43.45	69.55
April 1987	39.50	63.25	45,90	73.45
April 1988	41.15	65.90	49.50	79.20
April 1989	43.60	69.80	53.90	86.25
April 1990	46.90	75.10	59.15	94.65
April 1991	52.00	83.25	65.60	104.95
April 1992	54.15	86.70	70.80	113.25
April 1993	56.10	89.80	74.25	118.80
April 1994	57.60	92.10	76.40	122.25
April 1995	58.85	94.10	79.45	127.15
April 1996	61.15	97.75	82.55	132.10

Note:

The values of Retirement Pension uprated by the higher of the Retail Prices Index or earnings have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence.

Source:

The Retail Prices Index (all items) and the Average Earnings Index (Whole economy unadjusted) as published by the Office for National Statistics, have been used in this table.

Pensioners

Sir Andrew Bowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioner households are dependent on state benefits for at least (a) 50 per cent.,

11 Jul 1996 : Column: 299

(b) 75 per cent. and (c) 100 per cent. of their income in the latest year for which figures are available. [36256]

Mr. Heald: The information is in the table.

State benefits as a percentage of income	Proportion of pensioner units (per cent.)
At least 50 per cent.	72
At least 75 per cent.	51
100 per cent.	15

Notes

1. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age and couples in which the husband is over state pension age.

2. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percentage point.

3. The proportion of state benefits is shown as a percentage of weekly gross income, before housing costs.

Source

Estimates derived from the 1993 Family Expenditure Survey, the latest date for which the information is available.

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of those in receipt of a state pension are (a) women aged 60 to 64, (b) men and women aged 65 to 69, (c) men and women aged 70 to 74, (d) men and women aged 75 to 79 and (e) men and women aged 80 years and over. [36359]

Mr. Heald: The information is set out in the table:

Age	Men	Women	Both
60-64	--	1,060,320	1,060,320
65-69	968,400	1,314,620	2,283,020
70-74	1,041,620	1,315,140	2,356,760
75-79	681,480	1,019,060	1,700,540
80 and over	695,900	1,602,980	2,298,880
Total	3,387,400	6,312,120	9,699,520

Notes:

1. Figures are for Great Britain only.

2. The figures include those in receipt of the state earnings-related pension scheme (SERPS) additional pension only and graduated retirement benefit only.

Source:

Biannual inquiry using a 5 per cent. sample at September 1995.

Social Fund

Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to make changes to the discretionary social fund in the light of the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement. [37247]

Mr. Roger Evans: We are introducing amendments to the Secretary of State's directions and guidance on the help available form the discretionary social fund to take effect from 7 October 1996. These changes include amendments in consequence of the introduction of jobseeker's allowance and a range of other minor improvements the need for which we have identified in the course of our routine monitoring of the social fund.

Details of these changes have been placed in the Library.

11 Jul 1996 : Column: 300

TREASURY

Retail Banks

Mr. French: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will require all retail banks to display the word bank on the fascia of their premises. [36464]

Mrs. Angela Knight: No.

Wealth and Poverty

Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to reduce the discrepancy between the wealth of the richest and the poorest groups. [36267]

Mr. Jack: The Government believe that the prosperity of all groups depends on a healthy and growing economy. Our economic policies are delivering sustainable growth and low inflation.

Unemployment Benefit Claims (York)

Mr. Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new claims for unemployment benefit have been made by people living in the York parliamentary constituency since April 1992; and how many people living in the York parliamentary constituency have made one or more new claims for unemployment benefit in the same period. [36554]

Mrs. Angela Knight: Figures for those living in the York parliamentary constituency are not available. However, since April 1992 there have been approximately 58,000 claims for unemployment-related benefits from claimants signing-on at York Clifford street Employment Service jobcentre and York Stonebow Employment Service jobcentre. The number of claimants at these jobcentres who experienced at least one spell of unemployment in the same period was approximately 33,000.

Private Sector Borrowing

Mr. Spearing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provisions of treaties or draft proposals of the European Union limit the percentage of private sector borrowing as a proportion of gross product or similar figures. [36822]

Mr. Waldegrave: There are no treaty provisions or European Union proposals to limit private sector borrowing.

Landfill Tax

Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he has made to his estimate of annual revenue from the landfill tax since his Budget statement. [35345]

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: In the 1995 Budget the net revenue from the landfill tax was estimated to be £110 million in 1996-97 and £450 million in a full year. In the "Summer Economic Forecast", published on 9 July, the estimates are unchanged.

11 Jul 1996 : Column: 301

Taxation Policies

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the report of the EU monetary committee on United Kingdom policies in relation to the qualification of economic and monetary union membership. [36633]

Mr. Kenneth Clarke: The EU monetary committee has participated in discussions on excessive deficits as required by article 104c of the treaty establishing the European Community. It has produced no reports on UK taxation policies which are entirely the responsibility of the British Government and do not fall within Community competence. The ECOFIN Council of 8 July agreed recommendations for member states with excessive deficits, including on the United Kingdom. These recommendations are not binding on the Government and are merely advisory. Once they are adopted, the recommendation on the UK will be made available to Parliament as usual through the normal scrutiny channels.

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the extent to which the United Kingdom is obliged to (a) consider and (b) respond to the recommendations of the EU monetary committee on United Kingdom tax policy. [36635]

Mr. Clarke: The EU monetary committee has produced no reports and made no recommendations on UK taxation policies.

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the origin, responsibilities and role of the EU monetary committee. [36632]

Mr. Clarke: Article 109c(1) of the EC treaty provides for the establishment of a monetary committee with advisory status in order to promote co-ordination of the policies of member states to the full extent needed for the functioning of the internal market. It states that the committee's tasks include: to keep under review the monetary and financial situation of the member states and of the Community and the general payments system of the member states and to report regularly to the Council and the Commission, to deliver opinions at the request of the Council or of the Commission or on its own initiative and to contribute to the preparation of the work of the Council in areas such as economic and financial policy.

Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy in respect of each recommendation contained in the report of the EU monetary committee on tax policy. [36634]

Mr. Clarke: The Government agree with the committee's recommendation that the United Kingdom adhere to its existing policy of continued fiscal consolidation and that tight control of expenditure will continue to be necessary.

---