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SOCIAL SECURITY
State Retirement Pension
Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the annual cost to public funds, net of savings in other social security expenditure, of increasing the basic state retirement pension by £5 per week for a single person, and by £8 for a married couple. [3531]
Mr. Denham: Security in retirement will be one of our key priorities. We will retain the Basic State Pension as the foundation of pension provision, increasing it at least in line with prices. The estimated net cost of increasing the standard rate of Basic State Pension by £5 for a single person and £8 for a married couple in 1997-98 is £2.1 billion.
Source:
Gross costs provided by Government Actuary's Department based on April 1997 estimates. Net costs have been calculated by the Department of Social Security Analytical Services Division.
Notes:
1. Figure is rounded to the nearest £100 million.
2. Calculation assumes that increases apply to Retirement Pension and all linked benefits (i.e.: Widows Benefits, Incapacity Benefit, Non-Contributory Retirement Pension and Industrial Injuries Death Benefits and Adult Dependency Increases paid with these benefits).
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Disabled People (Computer Equipment)
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what grants and allowances for computer equipment are available to meet the specific needs of disabled people. [4378]
Mr. Field: The Government's overall objective in providing equipment to disabled people is to help them live as fully and independently as possible.
The Department for Education and Employment has the main responsibility for making grants and allowances to disabled people in order to remove barriers to employment. The largest area of support is through the Employment Service's Access to Work programme. Last year the programme helped around 10,000 disabled people with specialist support and equipment, tailored to their individual needs. No details are held on grants given specifically for the purchase of Information Technology.
In addition computers are supplied in some cases by the National Health Service, mainly as communication aids to people with communication difficulties. The National Health Service also supplies electronic environmental controls to help severely physically disabled people operate home appliances, which provide access to computers where necessary.
Grants and allowances for computer equipment are not generally available through the Social Security system.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cold weather payments were made; and how much was spent on cold weather payments in the winter of 1996-97. [4724]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
During the winter of 1996-97, almost five million cold weather payments worth over £42 million were issued.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are claiming housing benefit in Portsmouth; and what were the figures for (a) 1974, (b) 1979, (c) 1988 and (d) 1996. [4742]
Mr Keith Bradley:
The existing Housing Benefit scheme was introduced only in 1988. In November 1996, the latest date for which figures are available, Portsmouth City Council paid housing benefit to 21,190 recipients.
Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what use she plans to make of the Internet to make Government more open. [5100]
Mr. Field:
The Government is looking at ways to be responsive and accessible through electronic communication. The Department already has a presence on the Internet World Wide Web with information about
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Social Security and the work of the Department and its Executive Agencies. We see the Internet as an important tool in our plans to modernise the Social Security system, and in helping us to provide more and better quality information to the public. In developing its use we will have regard to the needs of all our customers (many of whom may not have ready access) and to data protection and other issues.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in respect of how many cases (a) her Department and (b) a Child Support Officer has sought leave to appeal against Child Support Commissioner decisions to the Court of Appeal. [5305]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The Chief Child Support Officer has sought leave to appeal the decisions of Child Support Commissioners in five cases. In one case leave to appeal was ruled out of time by the Commissioner. Leave to appeal on three cases was refused initially by Commissioners, but subsequently granted by the Court of Appeal. All four of these cases involved joint applications by the Chief Child Support Officer and the Secretary of State. In the remaining case the Chief Child Support Officer alone applied for leave to appeal, but this was not determined by the Commissioner who invited a late application for the decision in question to be set aside (the application to set aside was made, accepted and the decision duly set aside).
The Secretary of State has made no applications for leave to appeal a Commissioner's decision in addition to those made jointly with the Chief Child Support Officer.
Mr. Kirkwood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to introduce the penalty for late payments of child support maintenance provided for under section 41A of the Child Support Act 1991; and what form this penalty will take. [5249]
Mr. Bradley:
The Government believes that all children are entitled to the support of both parents, irrespective of where they live. We will be looking carefully at the steps that can be taken to encourage absent parents to pay the maintenance they owe and we will consider whether a financial penalty under section 41A of the Act might have a part to play in achieving that aim. In the meantime, administrative arrangements are in place under which persistent non-payers can be required to pay up to 40 per cent. of their net income in current maintenance and arrears, rather than the usual maximum of 33 per cent.
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will review the notional income levels from capital for benefit entitlements. [5057]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
We want to develop a Social Security system that supports work, savings and honesty. Our first steps are to focus on helping people off welfare and into work and to review the central areas of insecurity for older people. As time and resources permit, we will be examining other aspects of current benefit rules.
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The notional (tariff) income from capital attempts to strike a balance between encouraging people to save and an expectation that people with more substantial savings can make some contribution towards their living expenses from those savings. The tariff is currently applied if a person has over £3,000 in capital, unless they are in a residential care or nursing home, or in certain types of residential accommodation, in which case it is applied only on savings over £10,000.
Mr. Wallace:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the average waiting time between the submission of an appeal and the tribunal hearing in respect of (a) social security appeal tribunals, (b) child support appeal tribunals, (c) disability appeal tribunals and (d) medical appeal tribunals, in (i) Scotland, (ii) Orkney and (iii) Shetland in (1) 1995 and (2) 1996; [6041]
(3) how many applicants who have submitted an appeal to the Disability Appeal Tribunal since 1 January 1995 in (a) Scotland, (b) Orkney and (c) Shetland have had to wait more than (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) one year and (iv) 18 months for a tribunal hearing to take place; [6045]
(4) how many applicants who have submitted an appeal to the Medical Appeal Tribunal since 1 January 1995 in (a) Scotland, (b) Orkney and (c) Shetland have had to wait more than (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) one year and (iv) 18 months for a tribunal hearing to take place; [6042]
(5) how many applicants who have submitted an appeal to the Child Support Appeal Tribunal since 1 January 1995 in (a) Scotland, (b) Orkney and (c) Shetland have had to wait more than (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) one year and (iv) 18 months or more for a tribunal hearing to take place. [6044]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
We intend to bring forward legislation to speed up appeals arrangements for all Social Security matters. Further details will be announced shortly.
Source:
Housing Benefit Management Information System (HBMIS) quarterly caseload count.
Notes:
1. Recipients may be a single person or a couple. 2. The local authority advises that 3,900 of the recipients were tenants of Portsmouth council properties in Havant.
(2) how many applicants who have submitted an appeal to the Social Security Appeal Tribunal since 1 January 1995 in (a) Scotland, (b) Orkney and (c) Shetland have had to wait more than (i) three months, (ii) six months, (iii) one year and (iv) 18 months or more for a tribunal hearing to take place; [6043]
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