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Telephones
Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentage of social security claimants do not have a telephone in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Wales and (c) north Wales. [5263]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The available information is in the table.
| In receipt of benefits | Not in receipt of benefits | All individuals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of benefit units with no telephone (millions) | |||
| Great Britain | 2.2 | 0.5 | 2.7 |
| Wales | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Percentages | |||
| Great Britain | 11 per cent. | 5 per cent. | 9 per cent. |
| Wales | 15 per cent. | 6 per cent. | 12 per cent. |
Source:
Information for Great Britain and Wales is available from the family resources survey; the sample size is insufficient to provide figures for north Wales.
Notes:
1. Numbers rounded to nearest hundred thousand.
2. Estimates are subject to sampling error.
Asylum Seekers
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 14 November, Official Report, column 329, for what reasons the temporary nature of asylum seekers' immigration status is relevant to the rate of income support payable to them; and what would be the cost of making them entitled to the full rate of income support. [5264]
Mr. Roger Evans: Asylum seekers are not entitled to income support under the normal rules, but those who claim asylum when they first arrive in the United Kingdom may claim income support under the urgent cases rules. Payments under these rules continue until the Home Office decide on the asylum application. If the asylum seeker is successful and granted refugee status benefit can be paid at the same rate as is paid to United Kingdom nationals. The Government believe that it is right to make a distinction between those whose status is settled and whose right to stay in the United Kingdom is established and those where it is not yet clear that the asylum claim is well founded. Only 4 per cent. of asylum applications are successful.
The cost of making asylum seekers entitled to the full rate of income support and jobseeker's allowance would be approximately £10 million a year.
Industrial Injuries
Mrs. Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has received the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's report on asbestos-related diseases; and what is his response. [5828]
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Sir Jim Lester: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his response to the recommendations in the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's report on chronic bronchitis and emphysema. [5829]
Mr. Lilley: We have considered very carefully the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's report on the qualifying conditions for the award of disablement benefit for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, Cm 3240, and will implement the extension they have recommended in full. This will make it easier for coal miners who are disabled by these diseases to qualify for benefit, and simpler to administer the scheme.
We have also received and considered very carefully the report of the council's review of asbestos-related diseases, which is being laid before Parliament and published today, Cm 3467. The council recommends a number of welcome improvements to the rules for those suffering from these diseases. These will help claimants and their advisers to identify more easily whether they might qualify. In particular, they aim to get benefit to mesothelioma sufferers more quickly. We will also implement these recommendations in full.
I am grateful to the council for the expert and detailed scrutiny it has given to these important issues, and for the practical way in which its recommended improvements are presented. Taken together, around 8,000 industrially disabled people are expected to gain from these changes.
I will be consulting the council on draft regulations to give effect to all these changes. The regulations will be laid to come into force from April 1997. We expect that a large number of people who have previously failed to qualify for benefit will wish to claim again from this date under the changed criteria. Considerable preparation is required to ensure their cases are speedily and effectively considered, without disrupting the Benefits Agency's service to its other customers. Details of the new arrangements will be well publicised before implementation.
Mr. Tim Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department is making with the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting; and in respect of which financial year he expects to publish the first set of resource accounts. [4985]
Mr. Soames:
In keeping with the time scales set out in Cm 2929, my Department has launched Project Capital to integrate commercial-style accounting, output costing and management planning into a single financial regime.
In May of this year an accounting systems integration contract was awarded, following competition, to develop and build a core solution to meet all primary accounting, financial and planning requirements of MOD organisations; to implement new systems throughout the Department; and to provide new skills training to finance and planning staff.
The accounting systems integrator has completed a series of surveys to plan the roll-out of new systems. Early design work and setting detailed accounting policies are
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being conducted in parallel, and studies into information technology infrastructure and procedures for stock valuation are under way. Work on the registration and valuation of fixed assets, supported by commercial valuers, is proceeding.
Some 800 staff have so far attended awareness training courses and the in-house facility for training candidates for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants qualification has been expanded substantially.
The first year for which resource accounts are expected to be published and laid before Parliament is 1999-2000.
Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on leakage from containers of pesticide during the Gulf war; [5187]
Mr. Soames:
These are matters that form part of the comprehensive investigation into the use of organophoshate pesticides during the Gulf war which I announced last month, Official Report 15 October, columns 678. I will report further when this work is complete.
Mr. Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been undertaken by his Department into the dangers of pesticides to veterans in the Gulf war. [5261]
Mr. Soames:
No formal research has been undertaken by my Department into the possible effects of exposure to pesticides on the health of Gulf war veterans. We have, however, urgently examined the medical records of those who have attended the Gulf veterans' medical assessment programme and are inviting those who display certain symptoms to return for further assessment. We shall shortly announce details of the further research we will be commissioning into the health problems of Gulf war veterans.
Mr. Meacher:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will present an annual report to Parliament on the environmental status of the Defence estate in the United Kingdom and overseas territories. [5071]
Mr. Soames:
The annual statement on the defence estimates includes within the section on the management of defence a report on the defence estate and environmental issues.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the decision was taken by his Department to transfer air traffic control responsibilities from West Drayton to Swanwick. [5105]
Mr. Soames:
The decision to move the military en route task from West Drayton to Swanwick to continue the integrated nature of en route air traffic control services was taken in 1991. When it became apparent that extra space would be available at Swanwick, the option of also
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moving the military area air navigation task to Swanwick was explored and a decision in principle was taken in October 1994. This decision was, and remains, subject to final confirmation of the costs.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the capacity of the West Drayton air traffic control centre to deal with increased military air traffic. [5107]
Mr. Soames:
Based on the current prediction that military air traffic movements will remain broadly constant, the facilities currently available at West Drayton would be capable of supporting military area air navigation services without significant equipment replacement up to 2005.
Mrs. Dunwoody:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans he has made, in the event of his Department deciding not to relocate the air traffic control system from West Drayton to Swanwick. [5109]
Mr. Soames:
My Department continues to support the proposals to transfer both the military en route and the military area air navigation task from West Drayton to Swanwick. Were this to be judged impracticable or uneconomic, other options would be considered, but at this stage we remain optimistic that the proposals can be enacted.
(2) what level of protective clothing was issued to staff applying insecticides in the Gulf war; and in what languages written instructions relating to pesticides appeared. [5188]
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