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Disability Payments
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of raising the level of invalid care allowance to the level of (a) the jobseeker's allowance and (b) long-term incapacity benefit for each of the years 1997-98 and 1998-99. [17095]
Mr. Burt:
The information is in the table.
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| £ Million | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1997-98 | 1998-99 | |
| Jobseeker's allowance (25 and over rate) | £130 | £140 |
| Long-term incapacity benefit | £270 | £300 |
Notes:
1. Estimates are in cash prices rounded to the nearest £10 million.
2. Estimates take account of offsetting savings in income-related benefits.
3. The estimates compare invalid care allowance with the 25 and over rate of jobseeker's allowance.
Mr. Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) lone parents, (b) couples with children and (c) single people who receive (i) family credit and (ii) disability working allowance and are employed are (1) earning below the lower earnings limit, (2) earning below the tax threshold and (3) paying income tax. [17097]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is in tables:
| Level of earnings | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Family type | Below lower earnings limit | Below tax threshold | Paying income tax |
| Lone parents | 78,000 | 149,000 | 164,000 |
| Couples | 80,000 | 135,000 | 258,000 |
1. Couples and single people without children are not eligible to receive Family Credit.
2. Sample size is 5 per cent.
3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000.
| Family type | Level of earnings | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Below lower earnings limit | Below tax threshold | Paying income tax | |
| Lone parents | 413 | 692 | 604 |
| Couples with children | 1,042 | 1,512 | 1,400 |
| Single people without children | 1,646 | 2,394 | 2,823 |
| Couples without children | 504 | 674 | 461 |
1. Sample size is 100 per cent.
2. Figures are not rounded.
Parliamentary Questions
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what internal guidelines are used by his Department on the manner of responding to parliamentary questions. [17159]
Mr. Burt: A copy of the internal guidance used by officials preparing replies to parliamentary questions has been placed in the Library. Departmental officials also use the guidance recently published in annexe C to the Public Service Committee's first special report, Session 1996-97, HC67.
State Earnings-related Pensions Scheme
Mr. Olner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimates he has made of (a) the impact on the revenue of the national insurance fund and (b) the savings in the current financial year from reduced expenditure on national insurance rebates and incentives
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paid on contributions made to APPs if (i) all and (ii) half of those have opted out of the state earnings-related pension scheme into appropriate personal pensions and earn under £10,000 per annum were to rejoin SERPS. [15593]
Mr. Heald
[holding answer 14 February 1997]: The net present value of the additional expenditure on SERPS in future years would be approximately £120 million at current prices if all those with earnings less than £10,000 were to rejoin SERPS for 1996-97 and £60 million if half of those with earnings less than £10,000 rejoined.
The savings on national insurance rebates and incentives for 1996-97 is estimated to be around £240 million if all those with earnings less than £10,000 were to rejoin SERPS and £120 million if half of those with earnings less than £10,000 rejoined.
Mr. Winnick:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what responsibility the director of the disability benefit unit has for replying to letters from hon Members; for what reasons the hon. Member for Walsall, North was told in a letter of 31 January (ref. J9627090C) that the official correspondence section would be replying to him; and if he will make a statement about the internal organisation of the disability benefit unit. [16977]
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Mr. Andrew Mitchell:
The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Notes
1. A discount rate of 3.75 per cent. has been used to calculate the net present value of future expenditure. This discount rate is consistent with the Government Actuary's review of contracting out.