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Family Expenditure Survey

Ms Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 21 June, Official Report, column 635, if he will list the distribution of income by decile group in each year from 1979 to 1992-93, including the self-employed, as in table A1 in the households below average income report for 1995 (a) unadjusted and (b) adjusted in accordance with the statistical practice of correcting for variations in FES response which he reports to his Department has applied to this series of low income surveys. [40204]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The information is as follows:

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Changes in real income by decile group 1979 to 1992-93 including the self-employed(a) Unadjusted Before housing costs

Decile group medians						Total population (mean)
	Decile 1 bottom 10 per cent.	Decile 2 10-20 per cent.	Decile 3 20-30 per cent.	Decile 4 30-40 per cent.	Decile 5 40-50 per cent.
1979	89	112	130	149	167	193
1992-93	90	120	146	172	203	261
Percentage change	(1)	(7)	12	16	22	35

After housing costs

	Decile group medians					Total population (mean)
	Decile 1 bottom 10 per cent.	Decile 2 10-20 per cent.	Decile 3 20-30 per cent.	Decile 4 30-40 per cent.	Decile 5 40-50 per cent.
1978	75	96	111	128	144	167
1992-93	61	95	117	145	176	227
Percentage change	(-19)	(0)	(5)	13	23	36

1. Incomes are £ per week equivalised at March 1995 prices.

2. Estimates in brackets ( ) are particularly uncertain.

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(b) Adjusted Before housing costs

	Decile group medians					Total population (mean)
	Decile 1 bottom 10 per cent.	Decile 2 10-20 per cent.	Decile 3 20-30 per cent.	Decile 4 30-40 per cent.	Decile 5 40-50 per cent.
1979	90	113	131	150	168	198
1992-93	90	122	147	174	206	269
Percentage change	(0)	(8)	12	16	23	36

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After housing costs

	Decile group medians					Total population (mean)
	Decile 1 bottom 10 per cent.	Decile 2 10-20 per cent.	Decile 3 20-30 per cent.	Decile 4 30-40 per cent.	Decile 5 40-50 per cent.
1979	75	96	112	129	146	171
1992-93	62	96	119	148	180	235
Percentage change	(-18)	(0)	(6)	15	23	37

1. Incomes are £ per week equivalised at March 1995 prices.

2. Estimates in brackets ( ) are particularly uncertain.

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Ms Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the factors taken into account in postponing publication from July to November of the households below average income report. [40152]

Mr. Mitchell: The later publication this year of households below average income--HBAI--is due to several factors. The first is that the family expenditure survey has moved from a calender year to a financial year basis. As a natural consequence, the FES data was available to the Department of Social Security nearly three months later than in the previous year. Last year's HBAI reported on the period ending December 1993; this year's will report on the period ending March 1995. In the current round of HBAI preparation, DSS analysts have undertaken additional tasks: principally, a review of methodology and the preparation of data from the family resources survey on which future editions of HBAI will be based. The processing of the FRS data, which became available in the spring, for HBAI analysis has been a substantial piece of work which is still in progress. The HBAI will be published as soon as the analysis is complete, which we expect to be in mid-November.

Statutory Sick Pay

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that statutory sick pay is paid to individuals who are made redundant within three days of falling ill; [40200]

(2) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that statutory sick pay is paid to people who fall sick in the period immediately following their employers' liquidation. [40206]

Mr. Heald: Individuals who are made redundant would not normally be eligible for statutory sick pay. Where it can be shown that the employer has brought an individual's contract of service to an end solely or mainly to avoid liability for SSP, the employer will continue to be liable to make a payment in the normal way. For employees whose employer has gone into liquidation but whose contracts have not been terminated, any SSP due in that employment from the date of insolvency becomes the liability of the Secretary of State.

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These rules are highlighted in the Contributions Agency's statutory sick pay manual for employers, which is issued to all employers.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department last reviewed the guidelines for payment of statutory sick pay to individuals whose firms have been liquidated. [40208]

Mr. Heald: The practical operation of these rules, as with all rules of the statutory sick pay scheme, is continuously monitored by the Contributions Agency. They were last changed in 1987 in order to make it easier for employees of insolvent employers to receive the SSP due to them.

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations his Department has received regarding the payment of statutory sick pay for people made redundant due to liquidation of their employer.[40207]

Mr. Heald: None.

Decision Making and Appeals

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will publish an analysis of the responses to his consultation paper on improving decision making and appeals in social security, Cm 3328, in a similar format to the analysis of responses to the consultation on Government measures to tackle discrimination against disabled people published in January 1995; [40224]

(2) if he will publish the comments on his consultation paper on improving decision making and appeals in social security, Cm 3328, from (a) the Social Security Advisory Committee, (b) the Council on Tribunals, (c) the Social Fund Commission, (d) the Chief Adjudication Officer and (e) the President of the Independent Tribunal Service; [40225]

(3) if he will place in the Library a list of those who have responded to his consultation papers on improving decision making and appeals in social security, Cm 3328,

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and if he will place in the Library copies of their responses except where the respondents have requested that their replies be treated in confidence. [40223]

Mr. Roger Evans: We plan to publish a summary analysis of the responses to the consultation on the Government's proposals for improving decision making and appeals in a format broadly similar to that adopted last year for the responses to the consultation document "Government measures to tackle discrimination against disabled people". This included details of respondents but not copies of individual replies.

Housing Benefit (Ashe Hall)

Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many residents of Ashe hall, Derbyshire, are currently in receipt of housing benefit. [40333]

Mr. Roger Evans: The Department of Social Security does not collect or keep information about housing benefit recipients at particular addresses. South Derbyshire district council is responsible for administering housing benefit in the area covering Ashe hall in Etwall, Derbyshire. It advises that housing benefit is currently in payment to 16 residents there.

Consultation Papers

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the consultation papers issued in the form of command papers by his Department since July 1988, with the date of publication and the date by which responses were invited in each case; and if he will give similar information so far as it is available in respect of other consultation papers issued by his Department. [40222]

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Mr. Burt: The information is in the tables. Table 1 lists all the consultation papers that have been issued in the form of Command Papers since July 1988. Available information about other consultation papers that have been issued by the Department is in table 2.

Table 1: Command papers

Cm Number	Title	Publication date	Response date	Notes
1264	Children Come First--the Government's proposals on the maintenance of children	29.10.90	14.12.90	White Paper consultation on how proposals should be put into effect
1723	Options for Equality in State Pension Age	18.12.91	30.6.92	Green paper
2594	Security, Equality, Choice: The Future for Pensions	23.6.94	5.8.94	White Paper consultation on draft compliance cost assessment (Appendix 5)
2997	Compensation Recovery	2.10.95	13.11.95	Reply to Select Committee consultation paper included as annex
3328	Improving Decision Making and Appeals in Social Security	23.7.96	18.10.96	Green Paper
3345	The Treatment of Pension Rights on Divorce	29.7.96	29.11.96	Green Paper

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Table 2: Other consultation papers

Title	Publication date	Response date
Disability Allowance: Assessment and Adjudication	01.08.90	12.10.90
Disability Handbook	11.07.91	20.08.91
Review of Treatment of Earnings for Income Tax and National Insurance Purposes	29.07.91	September 1991
The Proposed Contents of the Child Support Regulations to be made under the Child support Act 1991	November 1991	16.12.91
One Stop-- Benefits Agency Service Delivery	July 1992	06.11.92
Changes in Maternity Pay--Proposal for Implementing the EC Pregnant Workers Directive	10.08.93	12.10.93
A Consultation on the Medical Assessment for Incapacity Benefit	01.12.93	11.02.94
Occupational Pensions--Discussing the Issues: set of 7 consultation papers
papers 1-5	02.12.93	14.01.94
papers 6 and 7	17.12.93	21.01.94
Age Related Rebates--a Consultation Paper	December 1993	15.01.94
The Future for Pensions--the Selection and Appointment of Member-Nominated Trustees	June 1994	05.08.94
Family Credit and Self--Employment	24.06.94	31.08.94
The Future for Pensions--a Requisite Benefits Test	15.07.94	09.09.94
A Consultation on Government Measures to Tackle Discrimination Against Disabled People	15.07.94	07.10.94
Non State Pension Reform--the Structure of the Levies	19.07.94	07.10.94
Statutory Sick Pay--an Alternative to the Small Employers' Relief Scheme	31.08.94	21.10.94
Consulting on--Statutory Sick Pay--Cutting Red Tape	28.03.95	30.06.95
	The Pensions Bill: Secondary Legislation--Contracting Out--Series of 15 Consultation Papers
papers 1-5	26.05.95	30.06.95
papers 6 and 7	01.06.95	30.06.95
papers 8-10	29.06.95	28.07.95
papers 11 and 12	28.06.95	28.07.95
paper 13	23.08.95	29.09.95
paper 14	25.10.95	22.11.95
paper 15	05.12.95	08.01.96
Piloting Change in Social Security-Helping People Into Work	05.07.95	08.10.95
Pensions Bill--Specifications for Regulations on the Minimum Funding Requirement	06.07.95	25.08.95
The Pensions Bill: Consultation on Secondary Legislation--Internal Dispute Resolution Procedures	07.07.95	20.08.95
Pensions Act 1995--Consultation Paper: Indexation Regulations	21.07.95	11.08.95
Specification for Regulations on Surplus and Excess Assets on Winding Up	24.07.95	04.09.95
The Pensions Act 1995: Secondary Legislation Transfer Values--six papers	26.07.95	25.08.95
The Pensions Act 1995: Secondary Legislation--Uniform Accrual	26.07.95	25.08.95
Specifications for Regulations Arising from Sections 16 to 21 of the Pensions Act 1995--the Provisions for Member-Nominated Trustees and Directors	27.07.95	08.09.95
Pensions Act 1995--Specifications for Regulations--Provision of Information to Scheme Members	02.08.95	15.09.95
Pensions Act 1995--Specification for Regulations on Power to Defer Winding Up and Priorities and Discharge of Liabilities on Winding Up	09.08.95	08.09.95
Pensions Act 1995--Specification for Regulations on Employer-Related Investment and Fund Management	15.08.95	18.09.95
Pensions Act 1995--Specifications for Regulations on Scheme Administration--three papers
paper 1	18.08.95	06.10.95
paper 2	25.08.95	16.10.95
paper 3	25.09.95	15.11.95
Specification for Pensions Ombudsman Regulations	22.08.95	29.09.95
The Pensions Act 1995: Secondary Legislation--giving effect to protected rights--two papers
paper 1	30.08.95	21.09.95
paper 2	18.09.95	13.10.95
The Pensions Act 1995: Consultation on Secondary Legislation--the Compensation Arrangements for Occupational Pension Schemes	20.09.95	25.10.95
The Pension Schemes Act 1993: consultation on secondary legislation relating to the jurisdiction of the Pensions ombudsman	26.09.95	27.10.95
Pensions Act 1995--consultation paper--unapproved schemes	25.10.95	22.11.95
Pensions Act 1995--specification for regulations--consultation paper --deficiencies in pension scheme assets	30.10.95	01.12.95
Proposed changes for directors' national insurance contributions	31.01.96	29.03.96
Compliance Cost Assessment, compensation recovery scheme	14.02.96	29.04.96
A consultation by the Government on regulations relating to the initial rights of access to goods, facilities and services and on the timetable for implementing the remaining rights	06.03.96	02.05.96
Pensions Act 1995--Pension schemes levies frozen and paid-up schemes--proposals for levy waiver	22.03.96	03.05.96
Pension Schemes Act 1993: consultation on amending secondary legislation relating to the operation of the Pension Schemes Registry	03.04.96	10.05.96

Table 2 omits:

(a) consultation papers issued only to the Social Security Advisory Committee, other advisory bodies of Local Authority Associations;

(b) consultation papers issued by the advisory bodies themselves rather than the Department (the SSAC usually allows four to six weeks for comments);

(c) consultation on draft regulations under the Pensions Act 1995 (details of consultation papers issued prior to the regulations are in the table);

(d) most consultation exercises on operational matters (including consultation on claim forms, customer surveys, local initiatives);

(e) any consultation papers concerning which records are not readily available.

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