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Invalid Care Allowance
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate in each case of (a) numbers gaining and (b) the cost of introducing a taper of (i) 50 per cent. and (ii) 70 per cent. above the earnings limit to people in receipt of invalid care allowance. [39182]
Mr. Burt: The information is set out in the table:
| 1996-97 | 50 per cent. taper | 70 per cent. taper |
|---|---|---|
| Net expenditure | £15 million | £15 million |
| Average gainers in year | 25,000 | 20,000 |
1. Estimates are based on data from a small sample and should be treated with caution.
2. The calculations are based on deducting either 50p or 70p (depending on whether it is the 50 per cent. or 70 per cent. taper) from the average rate of Invalid Care Allowance for each pound earned about the earnings limit of £50.00.
3. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 5,000 (caseload) and £5 million (expenditure).
Mr. Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of (a) the numbers gaining from and (b) the cost of raising the earnings limit for invalid care allowance to (i) £55.10 and (ii) £61. [39183]
Mr. Burt: The information is set out in the table:
| 1996-97 | Raising limit to £55.10 | Raising limit to £61.00 |
|---|---|---|
| Net expenditure | £5 million | £10 million |
| Average gainers in year | 5,000 | 5,000 |
1. Estimates are based on data from a small sample and should be treated with caution.
2. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 5,000 (caseload) and £5 million (expenditure).
24 Jul 1996 : Column: 591
Adult Dependency Claims
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what proportion of claims for adult dependency increases made during 1995-96 of claims for adult dependency increases made during 1995-96 by claimants of (a) unemployment benefit, (b) incapacity benefit, (c) severe disablement allowance and (d) invalid care allowance were disallowed because an overlapping benefit was payable. [39004]
Mr. Roger Evans: Benefits which are subject to the overlapping benefit rules are reduced rather than disallowed. In cases where the benefit is reduced to nil, entitlement remains. This allows payment to commence, without the need for a further claim, should payment of the overlapping benefit cease for any reason. However, information on the number of adult dependency increases of unemployment benefit, incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and invalid care allowance that are reduced or extinguished under the overlapping benefit rules is not available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.
EU Expenditure
Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is social security expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product and per capita in each European Union country in the current financial year. [39050]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available in the format requested. The latest available data are for 1993 and are restricted to member states at that time. This information conforms to the Eurostat definition of social protection which includes more than the usual UK definition of social security--for example, spending on health and local authority social services are included.
| Country | Per cent. |
|---|---|
| Belgium | 27.6 |
| Denmark | 33.2 |
| Germany | 31.0 |
| Greece | 16.3 |
| Spain | 24.0 |
| France | 30.9 |
| Ireland | 21.4 |
| Italy | 25.8 |
| Luxembourg | 24.9 |
| Netherlands | 33.6 |
| Portugal | 18.3 |
| United Kingdom | 27.8 |
| Country | £ |
|---|---|
| Belgium | 4,903.7 |
| Denmark | 5,598.4 |
| Germany | 5,365.7 |
| Greece | 1,598.5 |
| Spain | 2,935.7 |
| France | 5,317.6 |
| Ireland | 2,680.9 |
| Italy | 4,291.4 |
| Luxembourg | 6,630.1 |
| Netherlands | 5,576.3 |
| Portugal | 1,948.3 |
| United Kingdom | 4,323.4 |
(61) The purchasing power standard specific to private consumption is used to equivalise the per capita expenditure between the EU countries in terms of national price levels.
1. The information is reproduced from the Eurostat publication "Social protection expenditure and receipts 1980-1993".
2. The data are provisional for all countries except Denmark.
3. UK data are for the British financial year, all other data are for the calendar year.
24 Jul 1996 : Column: 592
Supported Housing Costs
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the terms of reference of his interdepartmental review of funding of supported housing costs; when he intends this review to be concluded; and if the review will involve consultations with other Departments. [38154]
Mr. Roger Evans: The timing and exact terms of the review, which will involve consultation with all interested Government Departments, will be completed shortly.
I shall write to the hon. Member when they are agreed.
Departmental Vehicles (Traffic Violations)
Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of traffic violations involving departmental vehicles, the nature of the violations, and the total amount of fines arising from those violations, in each year since 1986. [39301]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available. Fines and other penalties are the responsibility of each driver.
Parliamentary Questions (Meetings)
Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions ministerial conference and meeting rooms in the parliamentary estate have been booked in his name, or that of other Ministers in his Department, for meetings with Conservative Members immediately preceding questions to his Department in the current parliamentary Session. [39521]
Public Record Office Files
Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons the file with the classmark PIN 59/19 recorded at the Public Record Office is currently closed for 75 years by his Department; and if he will consider opening (a) all or (b) part of it. [37611]
Mr. Heald [holding answer 16 July 1996]: Under the Public Records Act, all records are required to be closed for the minimum period consistent with protection of the sensitive information identified in them. The normal closure period is 30 years, but the Lord Chancellor may prescribe an extension to this where any of a number of criteria are satisfied, including, for example, where it is necessary to protect an individual from disclosure of sensitive information during his or her lifetime.
24 Jul 1996 : Column: 593
The fact that a record has been closed for a stated period does not, however, preclude its release before that period has elapsed, if its sensitivity has passed, an application may be made for a reduction of the stated period.
We are already actively reviewing classes of information held in the Public Record Office with a view to accelerated opening, and will examine the file to which the question refers at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Bayley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been paid out (i) in unemployment benefit and (ii) on other benefits to unemployed people in (a) York and (b) North Yorkshire in each year since 1979-80. [38934]
Mr. Roger Evans
[holding answer 23 July 1996]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
| Year | Unemployment benefit | Income support |
|---|---|---|
| 1983-84 | 134.4 | -- |
| 1984-85 | -- | -- |
| 1985-86 | 156.8 | -- |
| 1986-87 | 169.7 | -- |
| 1987-88 | 137.5 | -- |
| 1988-89 | 113.9 | -- |
| 1989-90 | 70.8 | -- |
| 1990-91 | 71.8 | -- |
| 1991-92 | 139.4 | 700.9 |
| 1992-93 | 141.1 | 850.0 |
| 1993-94 | 142.9 | 987.6 |
| 1994-95 | 124.5 | 1,045.6 |
| 1995-96 | 104.8 | 1,058.3 |
Source:
Income Support Statistics Annual and Quarterly Enquiries 5 per cent. sample of unemployed claimants.
Notes:
1. Estimated expenditure is based on weekly caseload and average benefit payment.
2. For unemployment benefit, this is based on sample taken on the second Thursday of May and November for years prior to 1993-94. Thereafter it is based on samples taken on the second Thursday in February, May, August and November. For income support the sample was taken in May each year.
3. Data for 1984-85 for unemployment benefit are not available at this level and for Income Support prior to 1991.
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