Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security |
*1 |
Maria Eagle (Liverpool, Garston): What representations he has received on the Green Paper on reforms to the Child Support Agency. |
| (53466) |
*2 |
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby): If he will make it his policy to uprate the state pension in line with the higher rate of earnings or the RPI. |
| (53467) |
*3 |
Mr Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West): What further steps he is taking to reduce pensioner poverty. |
| (53468) |
*4 |
Mr Adrian Sanders (Torbay): If he will make a statement on the results of the pensioners benefit take-up pilot in Torbay. |
| (53469) |
*5 |
Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): If he will make a statement about winter fuel payments for the coming winter. |
| (53471) |
*6 |
Paul Flynn (Newport West): What new proposals he has to ensure that all pensioners share fairly in the increasing prosperity of the nation. |
| (53472) |
*7 |
Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham): What steps he will take to ensure that medical tests for disability living allowance are objective and professionally conducted. |
| (53477) |
*8 |
Mr John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood): If he will make a statement on his Department's progress towards the introduction of stakeholder pensions. |
| (53478) |
*9 |
Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): If he will estimate the number of self-employed people who do not have any pension provision arrangements. |
| (53479) |
*10 |
Mr Simon Hughes (North Southwark and Bermondsey): What plans he has for guaranteeing a minimum payment of (a) benefits generally and (b) housing benefit to claimants within 24 hours of the claim. |
| (53480) |
*11 |
Steve Webb (Northavon): When he plans to publish the results of his pensions review. |
| (53482) |
*12 |
Mr Peter L. Pike (Burnley): What changes he proposes in the habitual residence test. |
| (53483) |
*13 |
Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South): What steps he has taken to improve the operation of the CSA. |
| (53486) |
*14 |
Mr Andrew Lansley (South Cambridgeshire): When he expects to publish his proposals for stakeholder pensions. |
| (53487) |
*15 |
Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): What estimates his Department has made of the increase in social security spending for each percentage point which the September RPI exceeds the target set by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. |
| (53488) |
*16 |
Mr John Healey (Wentworth): What plans he has under the proposals for reform of the Child Support Agency to ensure that maintenance payments from absent parents who are self-employed are enforced. |
| (53489) |
*17 |
Mr Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North): What is his assessment of the cost of re-linking the annual calculations of the state pension based on (a) a 1980 and (b) a 1998 base line. |
| (53490) |
*18 |
Mr Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington): When he expects to publish the Green Paper on a long-term framework for pensions. |
| (53491) |
*19 |
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale West): When the Green Paper on pensions will be published. |
| (53492) |
*20 |
Bob Russell (Colchester): How many cases were raised by honourable Members with the Child Support Agency (a) in the 12 months from 1st May 1997 and (b) in each of the four previous 12 month periods. |
| (53493) |
*21 |
Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): If he will make a statement on the extension of the New Deal to people with disabilities. |
| (53494) |
*22 |
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): What targets for cost-effectiveness for the New Deal for Lone Parents have been set with regard to the cost per job of the scheme. |
| (53495) |
*23 |
Mr Andrew Robathan (Blaby): How much his Department spent on income support in the last three months; and what is the projected figure for 1999-2000. |
| (53496) |
*24 |
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry): What has been the annual real terms rate of increase in social security spending since April 1998. |
| (53498) |
*25 |
Mr Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst): If he will make a statement on the publication of the Green Paper on Pensions. |
| (53499) |
*26 |
Mr David Rendel (Newbury): How many representations he has received from (a) organisations, (b) individual men and (c) individual women on the proposals in the CSA Green Paper. |
| (53501) |
*27 |
Mr Mike Gapes (Ilford South): If he will make a statement on his Department's assistance for pensioners. |
| (53502) |
*28 |
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): What plans the Government has to reduce the number of families dependent upon welfare. |
| (53503) |
*29 |
Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend East): What progress has been made in the review of disablement benefits. |
| (53504) |
*30 |
Mr Rhodri Morgan (Cardiff West): What arrangements he proposes to improve communication between his Department and local authorities in relation to the payment of (a) income support, (b) council tax benefit and (c) housing benefit when claimants move between welfare and work. |
| (53505) |
|
Main Business |
+ 1 |
GOVERNMENT'S STRATEGIC DEFENCE REVIEW [Until 10.00 p.m.] |
| The Prime Minister
Mr Secretary Prescott
Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer
Mr Secretary Cook
Mr Secretary Straw
Mr Secretary Robertson |
| That this House approves the conclusions of the Government's Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999). |
| As an Amendment to the Prime Minister's proposed Motion (Government's Strategic Defence Review): |
| Mr William Hague
Mr Peter Lilley
Mr John Maples
Mr Robert Key
Mr Keith Simpson
Mr James Arbuthnot |
| Line 1 , leave out from `House' to end and add `welcomes those aspects of the Strategic Defence Review which build on Conservative policy and which take forward jointery and rapid reaction capability; but deplores the proposed cuts in money, men, ships and planes; notes that, far from being foreign policy led, there are no clear foreign policy objectives, that defence spending between 1996-97 and 2001-2 will fall by £2,166 million in real terms with inevitable consequences for capability, that the Territorial Army is to be cut by almost one third, that the RAF is to have fewer planes and the Royal Navy fewer submarines and surface ships; seriously doubts that the planned replacements for aircraft carriers will ever be built by a Labour Government; believes that the problems of over-stretch and morale have not been adequately addressed; and deplores the fact that the armed forces will be asked to do more in a dangerous world with fewer men and less equipment.'.
The following Reports from the Defence Committee of Session 1997-98 are relevant:
Fifth Report, on the Reserves Call-Out Order 1998, Etc. (HC 868);
Sixth Report, on the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (HC 621);
Seventh Report (also the Eighth Report from the Trade and Industry Committee), on Aspects of Defence Procurement and Industrial Policy (HC 675); and
Eighth Report, on the Strategic Defence Review (HC 138-I).
|
Debate may continue until 10.00 p.m. |
Written Questions tabled on Friday 16th October for answer today++ |
1 | Bridget Prentice (Lewisham East): To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, when he expects the latest figures on households below average incomes to be published; and if he will make a statement. |
| (55664) |
2 | Mr Ivor Caplin (Hove): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he has authorised the Pool Reinsurance Company Limited to change the terrorism reinsurance premiums in 1999; and if he will make a statement. |
| (55670) |
3 | Mr Derek Twigg (Halton): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make a statement on the Council meeting of the Economic and Finance Ministers of the European Union held on 12th October. |
| (55671) |
4 | Mr Martin Linton (Battersea): To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what has been the outcome of the inquiry into the leak of the Strategic Defence Review White Paper. |
| (55672) |
5 | Mr Clive Soley (Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if the Legal Aid Board has responded to the Lord Chancellor's request for advice on how best to achieve exclusive contracting of civil advice and assistance; and if he will make a statement. |
| (55673) |
6 | Jean Corston (Bristol East): To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if, during recent meetings with the Indonesian President, he has been able to raise the Balibo incident of October 1975; and if he will make a statement. |
| (55674) |
7 | Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 30th July, Official Report, columns 621 to 630, if he will make a further statement about progress on genetically modified crops. |
| (55675) |
8 | Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what progress has been made at the British Cattle Movement Service since the launch of the computerised Cattle Tracing System for Great Britain on 28th September. |
| (55676) |