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Benefits Agency, Liverpool

Mr. Parry: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operations of the Benefits Agency in Liverpool. [20756]

Mr. Burt: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Bob Parry, dated 21 March 1997:

The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will make a statement on the operations of the Benefits Agency (BA) in Liverpool.

The North West Coast Area Directorate includes 2 BA Districts for Liverpool, Liverpool Mersey and Liverpool North Districts. BA operations in Liverpool are currently delivered from 7 BA sites and 12 Job Centres for Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). JSA is jointly delivered with the Employment Service. These Districts deliver the majority of Social Security benefits locally, for example Income Support, Social Fund, Incapacity Benefit and in addition provide information and advice on the full range of benefits administered by the Agency.

There are approximately 900 staff employed in the 2 Liverpool Districts. During the current year both Districts have achieved all Secretary of State targets for the delivery of benefits.

I hope you find this reply helpful.

Appeal Tribunals

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will require the independent tribunal service not to appoint as members of disability appeal tribunals doctors who are used by the Benefits Agency medical services to examine claimants in connection with claims to disability living allowance or attendance allowance. [20995]

Mr. Roger Evans: The appointment of members of disability appeal tribunals is the statutory responsibility of the President of the Independent Tribunal Service, His Honour Judge Bassingthwaighte.

Housing Benefit

Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for social Security what consultations his Departments held with the Department of the Environment over the effects of the proposed housing benefit regulations which restrict the single room rent to single people aged 25 to 59 years; what assessment he has made of these effects; and what plans he has to transfer funds to the Department of the Environment as a consequence. [21131]

Mr. Roger Evans: There was full consultation as normal between all Departments with an interest in this matter both prior to and after the proposal was announced. The current expenditure plans make no provision for a transfer to the Department of the Environment as a result.

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 1022

National Insurance

Mr. Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the level of the national insurance lower earnings limit and contribution ceiling expressed in (i) 1997 prices and (ii) as a percentage of average earnings in (a) 1997-98, (b) 2025 and (c) 2035. [21026]

Mr. Heald: The information is in the table.

		Expressed as a percentage of estimated average earnings
	1997-98 £	1997-98(47)	2025(48)	2035(48)
Lower earnings limit	62	16.7	9.6	7.9
Upper earnings limit	465	125.5	72.1	59.1

Notes:

(47) Estimated full-time adult average weekly earnings at the mid-point of 1997-98. The estimate is based upon the Office for National Statistics estimate--derived from New Earnings Survey data--of full-time adult average weekly earnings at April 1996 and the assumptions about the increase in average earnings from April 1996 to the mid-point of 1997-98 underlying the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1997-98".

(48) Based on constant 2 per cent. real earnings growth from 1997-98 onwards.

Source:

Government Actuary's Department.

Unclaimed Benefits

Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the annual amount of benefit currently forgone by eligible claimants who are entitled to social security benefits but who do not claim in the constituencies of Roxburgh and Berwickshire and of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale. [21536]

Mr. Burt: The information is not available. Latest national estimates of unclaimed income-related benefits are available from the publication "Income-Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 1994-95", copies of which are available in the Library.

Parent-plus Contracts

Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will announce the awards of parent-plus contracts for the private sector areas; and if he will make a statement. [21626]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: No final decision has been made on the award of contracts.

Public Bodies

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21699]

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 1023

Mr. Burt: The information is as follows:

(a) None.
(b) Under a Statutory Requirement;
The National Disability Council has a statutory duty to publish its proposals for a Code of Practice which may include consultation with the public.
Voluntarily;
The Social Security Advisory Committee.
The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.
The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board frequently consults with medical experts and outside organisations representing disabled people.
(c) Under a Statutory Requirement;
The National Disability Council has a statutory duty to publish its proposals for a Code of Practice which may include consultation with outside commercial interests.
Voluntarily;
The Social Security Advisory Committee.
(d) None.
(e) None.
(f) None.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21724]

Mr. Burt: The information is as follows:

(a) The advisory non-departmental bodies sponsored by this Department are listed in "Public Bodies 1996" and all have a statutory basis.

(b) Under a Statutory Requirement;
None.
Voluntarily;
The advice given to the Secretary of State by the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board is published in its annual report.
The National Disability Council.
(c) Under a Statutory Requirement
The National Disability Council.
Voluntarily
The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board.
(d) Under a Statutory Requirement
The National Disability Council.
Voluntarily
None.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21753]

Mr. Burt: Except in circumstances prescribed in section 173 of, and schedule 7 to, the Social Security Administration Act 1992, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is required to refer draft regulations to either the Social Security Advisory Committee or the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council for consideration and advice. If the committee reports on proposed regulations

21 Mar 1997 : Column: 1024

he is required to lay before Parliament its report with his responses to any recommendations when he lays the relevant statutory instrument.

Dr. Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21441]

Mr. Burt: All the Department's non-departmental public bodies have a statutory base. They are the Occupational Pensions Board, which will cease to exist from 6 April 1997; the Pensions Compensation Board, which was established in August 1996 and commences full operation on 6 April 1997; and the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, which was established in April 1996 and commences full operation on 6 April 1997.

None admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings, nor do they hold open meetings for the public--although they can do either if they wish.

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