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Tax Law Rewrite Steering Committee
Mr. Matthew Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made by the Tax Law Rewrite Steering Committee established last December. [18076]
Mr. Jack: The steering committee had its first meeting yesterday. Copies of the minutes of this and future meetings will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as they are available.
This bipartisan committee has a key role in the rewrite project which will deliver real benefits to all taxpayers.
SOCIAL SECURITY
National Insurance
Ms Corston:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the total amount paid in national insurance contributions, at 1995-96 prices, and as a percentage, by employees with (a) more than 200 per cent., (b) between 150 per cent. and 200 per
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cent., (c) between 100 per cent. and 150 per cent., (d) between 50 per cent. and 100 per cent. and (e) below 50 per cent. of the average earnings of men and women combined in (i) 1979-80, (ii) 1989-90, (iii) 1994-95 and (iv) 1995-96; and what was the distribution of total earnings in these years between these groups. [13879]
Mr. Heald:
The information is not available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is in the table.
| 1989-90 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1 employee contributions (£ billion)(10)(11) | 14.2 | 17.9 | 18.9 |
| Percentages in each band | |||
| (a) More than 200 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 11.3 | 12.5 | 12.8 |
| (b) Between 150 per cent. and 200 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 16.5 | 17.4 | 17.7 |
| (c) Between 100 per cent. and 150 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 34.8 | 34.1 | 34.2 |
| (d) Between 50 per cent. and 100 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 32.3 | 31.1 | 30.5 |
| (e) Below 50 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Distribution of earnings for each band(13) | |||
| (a) More than 200 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 18.6 | 19.6 | 20.3 |
| (b) Between 150 per cent. and 200 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 16.3 | 16.9 | 16.8 |
| (c) Between 100 per cent. and 150 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 30.6 | 29.6 | 28.9 |
| (d) Between 50 per cent. and 100 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 28.3 | 27.5 | 27.5 |
| (e) Below 50 per cent. of average earnings(12) | 6.2 | 6.4 | 6.5 |
Notes:
(10) Source: Government Actuary's Department.
(11) Excludes contributions paid by HM forces.
(12) Average earnings of both full-time and part-time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period is unaffected by absence: £224.92 for 1989-90, £283.49 for 1994-95 and £294.33 for 1995-96.
(13) Source: Office for National Statistics.
Mr. Richards: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the revenue consequences of abolishing the upper limit on employee national insurance contributions in Wales. [17870]
Mr. Heald: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.
If the limit were removed for Great Britain, it is estimated that the employees affected would pay an extra £3.3 billion 1 in contributions in a full year.
Note:
1 Assumes that the current 10 per cent. contributions rate would apply to earnings above the upper earnings limit.
Scottish Grand Committee
Mr. Donohue:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has beeen the cost to public funds of the attendance of (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department at meetings of the Scottish Grand Committee in Scotland since December 1994; and if he will list the
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meetings of the Committee which (a) and (b) have attended, indicating the cost of attendance and the names of those who attended. [16573]
Mr. Lilley:
Ministers attend Scottish Grand Committee meetings as part of their normal parliamentary duties and officials do so as part of their normal departmental duties. Expenditure falling to my Department has been limited to travelling costs. I attended the Scottish Grand Committee meeting on 20 May 1996 in Dunfermline and has officials in attendance as necessary.
Mr. Alan Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what process he plans to oversee the clinical standards of service provided by contractors providing medical services for the Benefits Agency.[17620]
Mr. Burt:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 19 February, Official Report, column 591.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which private sector companies took part in the Benefits Agency medical services partnering project; on what basis they were chosen; and if he will place a copy of their reports in the Library. [17618]
Mr. Burt:
The private sector companies which took part in the partnering project were BMI, Capita and Serco. Seventeen companies responded to an advertisement in the national press and were sent a questionnaire which was designed to identify specific strengths and formed the basis of a formal sift. Particular emphasis was placed upon practical experience, commitment to quality and customer service.
The companies reports are commercial in confidence and will not be placed in the Library. To do so would prejudice the effective conduct of commercial activities.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information has been (a) requested and (b) obtained by his Department from each of the private companies contracting to provide medical services to the Benefits Agency concerning (i) safeguarding the records of benefit claimants and (ii) the broad business objectives of the contractors. [17616]
Mr. Burt:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 25 February, Official Report, columns 203-4.
The broad business objectives of the successful contractor(s) in relation to the delivery of a medical service to the Department must conform to the objectives of the Benefits Agency. The shortlisted companies have provided copies of policy statements relating to specific areas of the business to be contracted out.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to start an evaluation of the performance of contractors providing medical services to the Benefits Agency; and by what methods this evaluation will be carried out. [17619]
Mr. Burt:
The formal contract management procedure to evaluate performance will be in place at the time of the handover of the business to the successful contractor(s). The procedure is currently in the process of development.
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Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what net savings he expects to accrue from the contractorisation of the Benefits Agency medical service.[17615]
Mr. Burt:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on 7 November 1996, Official Report, column 681.
Mr. Howarth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to begin the process of system audits and computer audits in each site used by contractors providing medical services to the Benefits Agency; and at what intervals he plans to repeat these audits. [17617]
Mr. Burt:
Audits of the IT systems will commence when the medical service is handed over to the successful contractor(s). The procedure is currently in the process of development.
Sir Andrew Bowden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of (a) pensioners and (b) pensioners aged over 80 years had access to a (i) freezer, (ii) fridge, (iii) telephone, (iv) car, (v) washing machine, (vi) television, (vii) video and (viii) central heating in (1) 1979 and (2) the latest year for which figures are available. [17483]
| All pensioners | Pensioners aged over 80 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of durable goods | 1979 | 1993-94 | 1979 | 1993-94 |
| Freezer or fridge freezer | 32 | 81 | 20 | 68 |
| Fridge or fridge freezer | 88 | 99 | 79 | 98 |
| Telephone | 57 | 94 | 50 | 92 |
| Car/Van | 34 | 53 | 18 | 31 |
| Washing machine | 64 | 83 | 46 | 66 |
| Video | n/a | 51 | n/a | 26 |
| Central heating | 46 | 81 | 43 | 76 |
| All pensioners | Pensioners aged over 80 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of durable goods | 1979 | 1991-92 | 1979 | 1991-92 |
| Television | 96 | 99 | 92 | 98 |
1. Information in the tables is derived from the households below average income datasets, which is based on information from the family expenditure survey. The latest available estimates, for 1993-94, are for two financial years data combined. Figures for 1991-92 are for two calendar years combined.
2. From 1993 onwards, information on access to televisions has not been collected in the family expenditure survey, as reported access to televisions had reached almost 100 per cent. The latest figures for access to televisions are therefore for 1991-92.
3. For HBAI analyses of the possession of consumer durables, it is assumed that members of the same household share common facilities. The percentages given in the reply represent the proportion of individuals in pensioner benefit units with access to each of the specified consumer durables within their household.
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