| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Quota Hopping
Mr. Baldry: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards quota hopping. [71]
Mr. Morley:
Tackling the quota hopping issue is a top priority for the Government and we shall be looking to make real progress at Amsterdam.
21 May 1997 : Column: 103
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the estimates of the time when the beef ban is likely to be lifted that have been provided to his department by (a) representatives of the farming industry and (b) others. [38]
Mr. Rooker:
I refer my hon. Friend to the statement given by the right hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Major) on 24 June 1996 (Official Report, columns 21-24) and his belief that the conditions necessary for a decision to lift the ban on the fourth stage--meat from animals under 30 months--would be met by November.
I am not aware of any other estimates received by my Department.
Funeral Payments
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will initiate an inquiry into alternatives to social fund funeral payments to take account of the recommendations made by the Social Security Advisory Committee in its report of 13 February 1997 (Cm 3585). [114]
Mr. Keith Bradley: We have no plans at present to look into alternatives to the social fund funeral payments scheme.
We will, however, keep the current scheme under close review.
Pensions
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much higher the basic pension for a person now aged 85 years would be if it had been increased in line with average earnings. [116]
Mr. Denham: If the Basic State Pension had been increased in line with the higher of earnings or prices since 1980, the standard rate, which would apply to all those over State Pension age, would now be £86.00 a week, £23.55 higher than the current standard rate. Those aged over 80 would also receive the 25p per week age addition. Notes: 1. All calculations are rounded to the nearest 5p at each uprating date.
2. The alternative uprating has been calculated using either the Average Earnings Index (Whole economy unadjusted) as published by the Office for National Statistics of the Retail Prices Index (all items), whichever was the higher.
Mr. Denham: We propose to announce details of the review shortly.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the present value of the basic retirement pension as a percentage of average earnings; and what it will be in (i) 2000, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2030 and (v) 2040 if it is increased only in line with prices. [115]
21 May 1997 : Column: 104
| Year | Standard rate basic retirement pension as a percentage of average earnings |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 17.4 |
| 2000 | 16.4 |
| 2010 | 14.1 |
| 2020 | 12.2 |
| 2030 | 10.5 |
| 2040 | 9.0 |
1. Percentages are rounded to the nearest 0.1 per cent.
2. 1996 figure is calculated compared with the average earnings of all full time employees taken from the New Earnings Survey.
3. Forecast figures are based on the assumption that the real value of the standard rate of basic retirement pension remains unchanged while average earnings increase by 1.5 per cent. more per year than the Retail Prices Index.
Appeal Tribunals
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what reports he has received from (a) the Independent Tribunal Service and (b) other sources regarding the effect of the Social Security (Adjudication) and Child Support Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1996 on the number of oral hearings held by social security appeal tribunals, disability appeal tribunals and child support appeal tribunals. [108]
Mr. Keith Bradley: Data on the number of oral hearings since the regulation changes came into effect are not yet available. Initial information from the Independent Tribunal Service suggests that currently paper hearings are being arranged in around 5 per cent. of cases.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will discuss with the president of the Independent Tribunal Service measures to ensure that doctors who are members of disability appeal tribunals are seen to be independent of her Department. [109]
Mr. Bradley: Appointments of members of Disability Appeal Tribunals are a matter for the President of the Independent Tribunal Service, His Honour Judge Bassingthwaighte, who has informed me that measures are in place to prevent any conflict of interest arising.
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will place in the Library a copy of Dr. Roy Sainsbury's analysis of the responses to the consultation document on decision-making and appeals. [110]
Mr. Bradley:
We expect to receive Dr. Sainsbury's analysis of responses to the consultation document shortly. A copy will be placed in the Library.
21 May 1997 : Column: 105
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement about the Government's policy regarding the contractorisation of the Benefits Agency Medical Services. [111]
Mr. Field:
We are reviewing this and other initiatives designed to test the value for money of involving external contractors against: our objectives for modernising the delivery of the welfare system; our approach to partnership with the private sector where there is scope to apply its expertise, discipline and economies of scale in procuring public services and investment; the implications for customer service, staff and the taxpayer; and our commitment to work within announced spending totals for the first two years of the Government. We will make announcements in due course.
21 May 1997 : Column: 106
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will review the conceptual basis and practical operation of the all work test to take account of the evidence submitted to the Social Security Committee's inquiry into incapacity benefit (HC 80, Session 1996-97); and if she will report on the progress already made in evaluating the all work test. [112]
Mr. Denham:
The evidence provided to the Social Security Select Committee and the findings of the survey of people who have left Incapacity Benefit, currently under way, will enable us to consider whether changes are necessary to ensure that the test provides a fair assessment of a person's incapacity for work for benefit purposes.