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Lone Parents
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the change in the number of single parents dependent on state benefits since 1979. [1243]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The information is in the table.
| Benefit(23) | 1979 | 1995 |
|---|---|---|
| Supplementary benefit--income support(24) | 306,000 | 1,061,000 |
| Family income supplement--family credit(25) | 42,000 | 290,000 |
| Rent allowance--housing benefit(26) | n/a(27) | 894,000 |
| Rate rebate--council tax benefit(26) | n/a(27) | 959,000 |
Notes
(22) All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
(23) There may be a small overlap between income support and family credit, but this would not be significant. There are considerable overlaps between housing benefit and council tax benefit and between these benefits and both income support and family credit.
(24) Supplementary benefit was replaced by income support in April 1988.
(25) Family income supplement was replaced by family credit in April 1988.
(26) For the purposes of income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit, lone parents have been identified as those awarded the lone parent premium in the assessment of benefit.
(27) Housing benefit and council tax benefit were not in payment in 1979. There is no information on the number receiving help through income-related rent allowances and rates rebates.
It should be noted that the figures for each year cannot be totalled because more than one benefit may be in payment at the same time.
Sources
1. Supplementary benefit annual statistical inquiry--November 1979.
2. Income support quarterly statistical inquiry--November 1995.
3. Social security statistics 1980.
4. Family credit 5 per cent. sample of all awards.
5. Housing benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries, with and without income support, taken at the end of May 1995.
5 Nov 1996 : Column: 458
The growth in the number of lone parents dependent on state benefits largely reflects the increase in the lone parent population. The Government's strategy has been to improve systematically work incentives, and the success of this strategy has been confirmed by independent research. The growth in the number of lone parents on income support has slowed since 1992, while the number in work and on family credit continues to grow steadily. Latest figures show that there are now around three lone parents working and receiving family credit for every 10 on income support, compared with just over one for every 10 in 1979. This is despite continuing growth in the number with young children.
We have also recently announced that a major new scheme-parent plus-will be piloted from April 1997. This scheme will offer advice and help to up to 100,000 lone parents on income support who wish to get back into work. Different approaches will be tested to establish which is most cost effective.
5 Nov 1996 : Column: 459
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the principal cause of the pollution of aquifers in the United Kingdom; and how many have been sterilised since 1990. [900]
Mr. Clappison:
A recent Environment Agency study suggested that landfills are the most numerous point sources of pollutants affecting aquifers and that chlorinated solvents from a variety of sources may cause the most serious contamination. No aquifers have been wholly taken out of service or sterilised since 1990. Remedial action has been taken in some cases.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to increase the penalties for fly-tipping following the introduction of the landfill tax. [1147]
Mr. Clappison:
We have already taken steps to ensure that the penalties for fly-tipping are severe. The maximum penalties for waste-related offences are set out in the table:
| Offence | Magistrates' court | Crown court |
|---|---|---|
| Sections 33(1)(a), (b) or (c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Unlawful deposit, recovery or disposal of non-special waste | Imprisonment for six months and/or a fine of £20,000 | Imprisonment for two years and/or an unlimited fine |
| Sections 33(1)(a), (b) or (c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Unlawful deposit, recovery or disposal of special waste | Imprisonment for six months and/or a fine of £20,000 | Imprisonment for five years and/or an unlimited fine |
| Special Waste Regulations 1996 Regulation 18 Unlawful movement of handling of special waste | A fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale | Imprisonment for two years and/or an unlimited fine |
| Section 34(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Breach of the duty of care or Regulations on retention etc. of documents | A fine of £5,000 | An unlimited fine |
| Section 1(1) Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 Unlawful transportation of waste | A fine of £5,000 | n/a |
| Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994: Regulation 20(5) Failure to register as a waste broker | A fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale | n/a |
5 Nov 1996 : Column: 460
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what extra help he is proposing to make available to local authorities to counter the problem of fly-tipping following the introduction of the landfill tax. [1148]
Mr. Clappison: The main security against fly-tipping is an adequate regulatory framework. Regulations implemented on 1 May 1994 introduced a new waste management licensing system. These controls, along with section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the associated duty of care for waste which came into force on 1 April 1992, provide a strong regulatory framework to support the tax.
The Environment Agency is the competent authority for the purposes of waste management licensing. The agency has both resources and expertise to advise on the legal and sound management of waste, to investigate offences and to carry out enforcement action. The Government's guidance to the agency on its objectives and contribution to sustainable development clarifies its role in this area. Ministers expect the agency to review procedures for preventing and handling cases of fly-tipping and to use its enforcement powers.
The duty of care, which is a self-regulating system, is an important weapon in the fight against fly-tipping since it requires that waste is passed only to a person authorised to accept it. This helps to identify the person who commits an offence, as consignments of waste can be tracked through the system of transfer notes completed by all parties involved in any waste transfer. Powers to enforce the duty are not specific to the Environment Agency, and it is open to any organisation or individual to bring a prosecution where they consider that the duty has been breached. The penalties which can be imposed for offences relating to waste are severe.
To help minimise the impact of fly-tipping, section 59 of the 1990 Act provides local authorities with the means to effect the removal of illegally deposited waste and to eliminate or reduce the consequences of the deposit. Section 59(6) and (8) provides for the reimbursement in part or in full of the costs incurred.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include basking sharks in the next tranche of species for the biodiversity action plans. [1156]
Mr. Clappison:
No. Basking sharks were not among the 286 species which the UK biodiversity steering group recommended should be included in the second tranche of species action plans to be produced within the next three years. The Government endorsed the steering group's recommendations in the response published in May 1996.
5 Nov 1996 : Column: 461
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will submit a proposal for an appendix 11 listing under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species for the protection of basking sharks, in time for the next CITES conference in June 1997; and if he will make a statement. [1157]
Mr. Clappison:
We have no plans to include such a proposal among the United Kingdom's initiatives for the next CITES conference.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how he plans to consult the public about the third tranche of candidate special areas of conservation in accordance with the EC habitats and species directive; [1195]
Mr. Clappison:
A third tranche of candidate special areas of conservation was forwarded to the European Commission on 14 October 1996. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on Wednesday 16 October 1996, Official Report, columns 1073-74. A second public consultation on possible special areas of conservation is planned to commence shortly--this will include possible sites for the great crested newt. The House will be informed and details will be placed in the Library in due course.
(2) if the third tranche of sites will include candidate special areas of conservation for the great crested newt, triturus cristatus. [1196]
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