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Private Landed Estates
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) pursuant to his answer of 4 July, Official Report, column 512, on financial assistance to private estates, if he will list the criteria upon which monitoring conditions imposed on applicants for financial assistance are based; and if he will make a statement; [36771]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 4 July, Official Report, column 511, what options are under discussion for making more transparent the objectives of schemes involving public funds paid to private estates; and if he will undertake a study of the possibility of publishing assessments of whether all conditions attached to such schemes are fulfilled. [36770]
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson [holding answer 11 July 1996]: In accordance with paragraph 3(ii) of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information", we are progressively making available for public scrutiny internal guidelines about the Scottish Office's dealing with the public. This task will take some time to complete, since each document must be scrutinised to ensure that it is comprehensive and does not include any matter which should properly be kept confidential under part II of the code.
The objectives for agriculture schemes apply equally to all applicants whatever their land tenure status, and are set out in the various explanatory leaflets, application and claim forms. Each scheme has its own criteria for monitoring.
Where, as a result of monitoring by departmental officials, it is found that scheme requirements are not being met, steps are taken to withhold assistance or to recover any financial assistance paid, in whole or in part, in accordance with undertakings given. However, I have no plans to publish assessments of the fulfilment of scheme conditions.
15 Jul 1996 : Column: 408
Mr. Watson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial support he currently provides to the Epilepsy Association of Scotland. [36857]
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
[holding answer 12 July 1996]: In the current financial year, the Epilepsy Association of Scotland has received funding of £13,500 from the Scottish Office Department of Health, £3,500 as a core grant towards its administration costs under section 16B of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 and £10,000 towards the cost of publishing the association's information pack on epilepsy and women.
Ms Gordon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for (a) family credit, (b) attendance allowance, (c) disability working and living allowance, (d) severe disability allowance and (e) invalidity care allowance have been processed since 4 February; how many people have (i) passed and (ii) failed the residence test in (a) to (e); and how many awards previously made or granted in (a) to (e) have been withdrawn. [36040]
Mr. Roger Evans:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table:
| Benefit | Claims processed | Residence and presence test | Period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passed | Failed | |||
| Family credit | 668,227 | n/a | 360 | February 1996 to June 1996 |
| Attendance allowance | 163,575 | n/a | 181 | February 1996 to June 1996 |
| Disability living allowance | 216,039 | n/a | 651 | February 1996 to June 1996 |
| Disability working allowance | 9,758 | n/a | 5 | February 1996 to June 1996 |
| Severe disablement allowance | 32,000 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Invalid care allowance | 56,882 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
1. The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
2. Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the Coventry local authority area in each of the last 12 months were in receipt of (a) unemployment benefits only, (b) income support only, (c) unemployment benefits and income support and (d) national insurance credits only. [35940]
Mr. Evans [holding answer Monday 8 July 1996]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
| Total unemployed claimants | Unemployment Benefit (UB) only in payment | UB and Income Support (IS) in payment | IS only in payment | Neither UB nor IS in payment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1995 | 14.1 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 11.0 | 1.3 |
| August 1995 | 15.1 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 11.0 | 1.9 |
| November 1995 | 13.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 9.9 | 1.3 |
| February 1996 | 14.5 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 10.1 | 2.2 |
Notes:
1. Figures are based on a sample of one in 20 claimants.
2. Figures relate to unemployed claimants who sign on at an employment service jobcentre--ESJ--in the Coventry local authority area. The ESJs included are Coventry Bankfield, Coventry Cheylesmore, Coventry Park Court and Coventry Tile Hill.
3. Figures are subject to sampling variability.
4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
Source:
Quarterly 5 per cent. sample of unemployed claimants taken on the second Thursday of the months shown.
15 Jul 1996 : Column: 409
15 Jul 1996 : Column: 409
Council Tax and Housing Benefits
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the number of claimants for council tax benefit in (a) Crewe and Nantwich and (b) Cheshire for each of the last five years; [36336]
- (2) if he will list the number of claimants for housing benefit in (a) Crewe and Nantwich and (b) Cheshire for each of the last five years. [36338]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is set out in the tables.
| 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crewe and Nantwich | 9,100 | 9,100 | 8,800 |
| Cheshire | 80,000 | 80,800 | 82,000 |
| 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crewe and Nantwich | 5,400 | 5,700 | 6,200 | 6,300 | 6,300 |
| Cheshire | 49,700 | 54,300 | 57,300 | 58,700 | 60,600 |
Notes:
1. Council tax benefit figures for 1993 are averages of the three quarters ie. May, August and November, due to council tax benefit being introduced from 1 April 1993. All other figures are averages of the four quarters.
2. A proportion of housing benefit recipients may have also been in receipt of council tax benefit.
3. Figures refer to benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.
4. The local authorities within Cheshire are as follows: Chester, Congleton, Crewe and Nantwich, Ellesmere Port, Halton, Macclesfield, Vale Royal and Warrington.
Source:
Housing Benefit Management Information System, quarterly 100 per cent. stock count inquiries taken at the end of February, May, August, and November for each year shown.
15 Jul 1996 : Column: 410
Reduced Earnings Allowance
Mr. Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of annual savings resulting from changes to the reduced earnings allowance scheme. [36225]
Mr. Roger Evans: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) on 18 June, Official Report, column 420.
Local Offices (Closures)
Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the offices within his Department that have been closed in (a) Crewe and Nantwich and (b) Cheshire for each of the last five years. [36344]
Mr. Burt: The information is set out in the table.
During the last five years, no DSS offices have been closed in Crewe and Nantwich.
| Year | Agency/Business unit | Offices closed in Cheshire |
|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 | All | None |
| 1992-93 | Benefits Agency All other DSS units | Royal Avenue, Widnes(16) None |
| 1993-94 | All | None |
| 1994-95 | All | None |
| 1995-96 | Child Support Agency | Wimslow(17) |
(16) The public caller facility was moved to the existing Caldwell road site in Widnes, which was deemed better suited in terms of location and accessibility by public transport. The telephone and correspondence work was transferred to Warrington.
(17) The work and staff from this site were transferred to Macclesfield.
Appeals Tribunals
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social security appeals tribunal hearings at (a) Doncaster and (b) Mexborough have been heard in each of the last five years. [36289]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
15 Jul 1996 : Column: 411
| 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actual number of appeals heard | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 777 |
| Approximate number of appeals heard | 750 | 800 | 850 | 900 | -- |
The Independent Tribunal Service does not keep detailed records for periods before the previous financial year.
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what consultations have taken place on the operation of social security appeals tribunals in Doncaster and Mexborough; [36287]
- (2) what proposals he has to improve the operation of social security appeals in Doncaster and Mexborough.[38288]
Mr. Evans: The administrative arrangements for social security appeals tribunals are the responsibility of the independent tribunal service, which has been asked to write to the hon. Member.
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