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Vaccine Damage Compensation Scheme
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on her Department's review of the operation of the vaccine damage compensation scheme, with specific reference to (a) the 80 per cent. disability rule and (b) the six-year rule; and what groups and individuals her Department intends to consult in connection with the review. [8830]
Mr. Denham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Dawson) on 17 July, Official Report, column 242.
Welfare to Work
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the number of single parents in Warrington, North who will benefit from the Government's welfare-to-work policy. [9212]
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 479
Mr. Keith Bradley:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State today launched the historic new deal for lone parents, fulfilling the Government's manifesto commitment to help lone parents get off benefit and into work. In the first phase, up to 40,000 lone parents will be contacted over eight areas throughout the UK and offered help in finding work. Up to 4,300 lone parents will be contacted in north Cheshire, which includes Warrington, North. The programme will be rolled out nationally from October 1998.
The new deal for lone parents marks a radical new approach to welfare and is central to our plans for long-term reform of the welfare state. A unique feature of the scheme is the use of new technology to help co-ordinate benefit, employment and career services. This will start in Cambridge and later roll out across the other areas. From today, lone parents will be given a helping hand up into work, not just a hand out of benefit. Lone parents on income support with school age children will get their own personal adviser who will help them develop
21 Jul 1997 : Column: 480
their own individual plan of action on job search, training and child care. The personal adviser will explain how the lone parent can be better off in work than on benefit and help them with family credit.
Mr. William Ross:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to re-examine the entitlement of persons receiving disability living allowance. [7148]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 7 July 1997]: Our aim is to restore confidence in the social security system by having systems which promote honesty and integrity and ensure that people are receiving their correct entitlement.