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Quarantine
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 5 November, Official Report, column 488, on quarantine regulations, when he expects to make a decision on this matter. [4466]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 15 November 1996]: At this stage it is not possible to give a date.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of appeals against the disallowance of incapacity benefit for the last financial year were successful; and if he will make a statement. [734]
Mr. Burt: Between 1 June 1995 and 31 March 1996, 45 per cent. of appeals against disallowance of incapacity benefit were decided in favour of the appellant.
18 Nov 1996 : Column: 449
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Scotland are currently awaiting a hearing for an appeal against an all work test refusal (a) in total and (b) for each benefit office in Scotland; what percentage this represents of total tests at each office; what is the current average waiting time before each appeal is heard; and what action he is taking to expedite appeals. [1358]
Mr. Evans: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
There are 4,423 appeals against incapacity benefit all-work test decisions currently outstanding in Scotland. Individual totals for each office are shown in the table.
The current average waiting time before each appeal is heard in Scotland is 19.22 weeks.
| Benefits agency office | Outstanding appeals (held by the Independent Tribunal Service as at 5 November 1996) | All-work test decisions made during the quarter 1 April to 30 June 1996 |
|---|---|---|
| Greenock | 150 | 794 |
| Glasgow City | 44 | 309 |
| Glasgow Maryhill | 33 | 321 |
| Glasgow Shettleston | 300 | 632 |
| Glasgow Provan | 3 | 702 |
| Glasgow South West | 1,248 | |
| Glasgow Bridgeton | 491 | 293 |
| Glasgow Laurieston | 4 | 704 |
| East Kilbride | 301 | 529 |
| Glasgow Anniesland | 195 | 718 |
| Glasgow Partick | 1 | 475 |
| Irvine | 65 | 751 |
| Kilmarnock | 101 | 375 |
| Clydebank | 115 | 1,267 |
| Campbeltown | 12 | 102 |
| Oban | 9 | 48 |
| Renfrew | 101 | 1,301 |
| Ayr | 220 | 1,245 |
| Dumfries | 37 | 477 |
| Stranraer | 18 | 204 |
| Glasgow Springburn | 196 | 926 |
| Cumbernauld | 199 | 1,199 |
| Motherwell | 595 | 1,095 |
| Hamilton | 857 | |
| Coatbridge | 56 | 636 |
| Edinburgh South | 37 | 829 |
| Edinburgh East | 25 | 782 |
| Galashiels | 25 | 236 |
| Kirkcaldy | 2 | 332 |
| Cowdenbeath | 513 | |
| Dunfermline | 141 | 672 |
| Leven | 376 | |
| Stirling | 68 | 711 |
| Falkirk | 150 | 1,437 |
| Aberdeen | 2 | 869 |
| Lerwick | 4 | 39 |
| Peterhead | 55 | 560 |
| Inverness | 29 | 481 |
| Fort William | 1 | 113 |
| Kirkwall | 0 | 50 |
| Wick | 4 | 184 |
| Edinburgh City | 32 | 424 |
| Leith | 14 | 586 |
| Lothian West | 92 | 2,033 |
| Dundee | 1,602 | |
| Arbroath | 463 | 457 |
| Perth | 468 | |
| Elgin | 29 | 337 |
| Stornaway | 4 | 149 |
Source:
100 per cent. count of the incapacity benefit system excluding a small number of clerically processed cases. Some credits only cases which existed prior to April 1995 are not included either.
Notes:
1. The number of decisions made includes a small number of credits only cases disallowed as customers failed to return their questionnaire without good cause or failed to attend a medical examination.
2. Some severe disablement allowance cases which were allowed following reference to Benefits Agency Medical Services are included in the decisions.
3. The decision to withdraw benefit is made by the independent adjudication officer.
18 Nov 1996 : Column: 450
Bronchitis and Emphysema
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to introduce revised criteria in respect of the claims for disablement benefit in respect of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. [2041]
Mr. Roger Evans: A response to the industrial injuries advisory committee's report on chronic bronchitis and emphysema will be made shortly.
Private Pension Schemes
Ms Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the average percentage of total costs taken up on entering private pension schemes by (a) fees, charges and administration and (b) occupational and private pension rebates and subsidies (i) in the first year and (ii) at retirement age, for men and women now aged (1) 20, (2) 30, (3) 40 and (4) 50 years. [3047]
Mr. Heald: No such estimates have been undertaken. Given the variety and diversity of occupational and personal pension provision in the United Kingdom, establishing the average percentage of total charges is not possible.
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the percentage of total pension payments dependent on the performance of private pension funds (a) currently, (b) in 2010 and (c) in 2020. [3923]
Mr. Heald: It is estimated that in 1994, the latest year for which figures are available, approximately 40 per cent. of total pension payments, including the state retirement and earnings-related pensions, were from funded occupational and personal pension schemes.
Comparable projections for 2010 and 2020 are not available.
18 Nov 1996 : Column: 451
Mr. Pawsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current budget for old--age pensions in England and Wales; and what it was in (a) 1979 and (b) 1990 in equivalent terms. [3092]
Mr. Heald:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables.
| £ million (GB) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979-80 | 1990-91 | 1996-97 | |
| Cash price | |||
| Cash price contributory retirement pension | 8,816 | 22,699 | 31,951 |
| Non-contributory retirement pension | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| Total retirement pension | 8,852 | 22,735 | 31,987 |
| 1996-97 prices | |||
| Contributory retirement pension | 23,260 | 27,782 | 31,951 |
| Non-contributory retirement pension | 95 | 44 | 36 |
| Total retirement pension | 22,355 | 27,826 | 31,987 |
Source:
Social Security March 1996 departmental report and earlier equivalents.
Income Support
Ms. Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners receiving income support as an addition to their income would not be eligible for such support if the basic retirement pension had been increased annually in accordance with earnings since 1980; and what percentage of basic retirement pensioners received supplementary benefit income support in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1995. [3050]
Mr. Heald: It is estimated that some 830,000 benefit units would no longer be eligible for income support in addition to retirement pension if the retirement pension had been increased annually in accordance with earnings since 1980 1 . The estimate increases to 850,000 benefit units if RP had continued to be increased in accordance with the higher of earnings or prices since 1980.
It is estimated that around 22 per cent. of basic retirement pensioners were in benefit units in receipt of supplementary benefit in 1979. The equivalent figure in 1995 for income support is 15 per cent 2 .
18 Nov 1996 : Column: 452
Note:
Benefit units may be a single person or a couple, plus any dependent children. Either the claimant, their partner, or both claimant and partner may be in receipt of retirement pension.
Sources:
1. Income support simulation model based on the Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry May 1995 uprated to 1996-7 prices and caseloads. Estimate rounded to the nearest 10,000.
2. Data from the Supplementary Benefit Statistics Annual Enquiry 1979, Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry November 1995, retirement pension statistics November 1979 and September 1995. The estimate is rounded to nearest whole number.
National Insurance
Ms. Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on present national insurance contribution rates for employees and employers, what would be the excess of contribution income over benefits, applying the standard assumptions of the Government Actuary, in the years (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2020-21 and (iv) 2030-31; and what would be the excess in each case if the rate of unemployment was assumed to be (a) 3 per cent. and (b) 8 per cent. [3051]
Mr. Heald: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table. However, I refer the hon. Member to table 10 of HC 160 which reflects the Government Actuary's estimate of the effect on contribution rates of a 2 per cent. change in the unemployment assumption.
| 2000-01 | 2010-11 | 2020-21 | 2030-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excess of contribution income over benefit expenditure(11) | 1.94 | 2.90 | 5.54 | 3.97 |
Source:
Government Actuary's Department.
Notes:
(11) Net of costs of administration but excluding any Treasury grant and investment income.
1. The information in the table is based upon the future rate of unemployment--5 per cent.--assumed for the purposes of the Government Actuary's report on the third quinquennial review under section 137 of the Social Security Act 1975 (HC 160).
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