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War Pensions (Gulf War)
Mr. Alfred Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 6 March, Official Report, column 719, what research his Department has evaluated to indicate that present medical evidence does not support a causal relation between increasing disablement and exposure to organophosphates. [20344]
Mr. Heald: My answer of 6 March, Official Report, column 719, referred to the pattern of claimed disablement seen to date in Gulf claimants. The immediate toxic effects arising from exposure to high-dose organophosphates are the subject of medical consensus. The longer-term disabling effects of high exposure are not established; nor are the effects of low-dose exposure known, either short-term or chronic.
These conclusions are based on evaluation of the medical and scientific literature and discussion with expert toxicologists in academic departments, at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
Child Benefits
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the combined value of child dependency addition and child benefit for the child of a widowed mother in (a) cash and (b) real terms as a percentage of average earnings, in November 1979 and at each subsequent uprating date; and what were the factors underlying each fall in value which occurred. [20650]
18 Mar 1997 : Column: 570
| Uprating date | Cash as a percentage of average earnings at each uprating date | Real terms as percentage of average earnings at April 1996 |
|---|---|---|
| November 1979 | 11.0 | 8.0 |
| November 1980 | 10.2 | 7.7 |
| November 1981 | 9.8 | 7.2 |
| November 1982 | 9.7 | 7.2 |
| November 1983 | 9.0 | 7.1 |
| November 1984 | 8.7 | 6.9 |
| November 1985 | 8.4 | 6.8 |
| July 1986 | 8.0 | 6.7 |
| April 1987 | 7.7 | 6.5 |
| April 1988 | 7.2 | 6.4 |
| April 1989 | 6.8 | 6.2 |
| April 1990 | 6.4 | 5.9 |
| April 1991 | 6.3 | 5.9 |
| October 1991 | 6.5 | 6.1 |
| April 1992 | 6.4 | 6.1 |
| April 1993 | 6.2 | 6.1 |
| April 1994 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
| April 1995 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| April 1996 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| Uprating date | Cash as a percentage of average earnings at each uprating date | Real terms as percentage of average earnings at April 1996 |
|---|---|---|
| April 1991 | 6.3 | 5.9 |
| October 1991 | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| April 1992 | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| April 1993 | 6.0 | 5.9 |
| April 1994 | 5.9 | 5.8 |
| April 1995 | 5.8 | 5.7 |
| April 1996 | 5.7 | 5.7 |
1. The average earnings of full time adult employees were calculated using the new earnings survey and average earnings Index, both produced by the Office of National Statistics.
2. The retail prices index (all items) was used to put child benefit and widowed mothers allowance child dependency addition into real terms as at April 1996. This was then compared with average earnings for April 1996 to give the percentage quoted.
3. The factors underlying the fall in value are:
(a) Since 1980, CDIs have been uprated on the basis that the uprated amount of the CDI is reduced by an amount equal to the cash increase in child benefit.
(b) The rate of child benefit was not increased in 1988, 1989 and 1990.
Appeal Tribunals
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 11 March, Official Report, column 199, how many and what proportion of medical examinations in connection with claims for disability living allowance or attendance allowance were carried out in February by doctors who were members of disability appeal tribunals. [20959]
Mr. Burt:
The information is not available in the format requested.
18 Mar 1997 : Column: 571
It is estimated that, out of a total of 24,401 medical examinations in connection with claims to disability living allowance and attendance allowance which were allocated to examining medical practitioners in February, approximately 5 per cent. were allocated to doctors who also sit as members of disability appeal tribunals.
Mr. Roger Evans:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 6 March, Official Report, column 718.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1995 to require tribunal members to inform appellants of any salary or fees they have received from his Department, other than for their work as tribunal members, in the preceding six months. [20962]
Mr. Evans:
No such amendment is considered necessary.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct the Benefits Agency medical services not to use doctors who are members of disability appeal tribunals for the purpose of examining claimants in connection with claims for disability living allowance or attendance allowance. [20960]
There is no reason why membership of a disability appeal tribunal should be incompatible with work for Benefits Agency medical services as long as appeals do not relate to cases specifically handled by the doctor. To limit BAMS to using, for the examination of claimants at the request of the adjudication officer, only those doctors who are not members of disability appeals tribunals would unnecessarily reduce the number of people who could be involved on this work.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1995 to require that the action taken by a tribunal clerk to supply tribunal members with copies of documents relating to an appeal should be the same, irrespective of whether the appeal is to be decided without an oral hearing. [20961]
Mr. Evans:
This is a procedural matter which is not appropriate for regulation.
Mr. Alfred Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the Minister of State, the right hon. Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish, with representatives of the Royal British Legion and of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People on 12 March to discuss noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss and war pensions. [20762]
18 Mar 1997 : Column: 572
Mr. Heald:
My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish explained that the change in the approach to noise-induced hearing loss in war pensions was made neither as a matter of policy nor of re-interpretation of the legislation, but because of the requirement to reflect current medical understanding. As a consequence, and as with all such changes, he was obliged under the existing legislation to introduce it as soon as it was identified. He also confirmed that no pensioner would have their pension reduced: all existing awards would be honoured using exceptional powers to maintain payment even where the award had no foundation. Those claiming for the first time, who were suffering from service-related NISHL assessed at 20 per cent. or above, would receive a pension.
The experts advising the Royal British Legion raised the issue of the relationship between hearing loss (impairment) and speech-hearing disability. It was agreed that the Department's medical advisors would meet the experts to discuss the possible relevance of this complicated area; officials have already written to Professor Lutman. We remain satisfied that we are applying current medical understanding in the way that the law on war pensions requires.
Mr. Ian Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he proposes to the national insurance contributions rules before the beginning of the next tax year. [21042]
Mr. Heald:
The Social Security (Contributions) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations were laid on Friday 14 March and will come into force by 6 April. These make three changes to national insurance contributions. First, they maintain the alignment of tax and NICs treatment of jobmatch work incentive allowances. Secondly, they change the date of payment of class 1A contributions for employers ceasing to trade or transferring business to another company. Thirdly, they exempt from NICs allowances paid to service personnel, other Crown servants and employees of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the British Council based overseas. A similar exemption has existed in tax legislation for some years. These regulations therefore bring the treatment of overseas allowances for crown servants under national insurance legislation into line with their tax treatment.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent amendments to the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations on the number of and hearings of appeals. [20963]
Note:
The total number of examinations allocated includes those which may have been subsequently aborted or have not yet been carried out.
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