| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Earnings Limits
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to alter the limit set in 1988 on earnings allowed before such earnings are taken into account in calculations of benefits. [7239]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The Government believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. Our welfare to work objectives are to provide work incentives, to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to strike a new balance between rights and responsibilities.
Over the next few months we shall be looking closely at all the features of the benefit system which might have an impact on work incentives. A key priority will be to consider carefully support which enables people to make the transition from benefit into employment. We need to encourage those who wish to do some part-time work without creating a disincentive to take up full--time work. This is exactly the sort of issue we will be looking at as part of our welfare-to-work measures.
Local Councillors
Mrs. Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to review the treatment of local councillors' attendance allowances for the purposes of (a) income support and (b) other benefit entitlement. [7445]
Mr. Keith Bradley: Councillors already receive more favourable treatment in income support and jobseeker's allowance compared with most other claimants, including an exemption from the remunerative work rules. However, we shall be looking at all features of the benefit system as part of our review of social security.
Pensioner Incomes Review
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the review of pensioners' incomes will operate; and how much it will cost. [7560]
Mr. Denham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollock (Mr. Davidson) on 17 July, Official Report, columns 239-41.
In keeping with our commitment to manage within current cash targets, the cost of the pensions review will be absorbed within the Department's existing running costs limit.
29 Jul 1997 : Column: 245
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to abolish the jobseeker's allowance. [7564]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The Government believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age, and our welfare-to-work objectives are to provide work incentives, to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to strike a new balance between rights and responsibilities. An extensive programme of monitoring and evaluation is under way to enable us to ensure that jobseeker's allowance is achieving these objectives.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she plans to let unemployed people begin borrowing against future earnings; and what estimate she has made of the cost of the scheme in each of the next three years. [7562]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The Government believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. Our welfare-to-work objectives are to provide work incentives, to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to strike a new balance between rights and responsibilities.
Over the next few months we shall be looking closely at all the features of the benefit system which might have an impact on work incentives. A key priority will be to consider carefully support which enables people to make the transition from benefit into employment.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to increase the take-up of family credit; and how much she estimates this will cost.[7557]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
We are committed to streamlining and modernising the tax and benefit systems to fulfil the objectives of promoting work incentives, reducing poverty and welfare dependency and strengthening community and family life.
We launched the first phase of the new deal for lone parents on 21 July in eight areas across England, Scotland and Wales.
This will offer lone parents whose youngest child is at school an interview with a personal adviser which will include personalised advice on in-work benefits and in particular family credit.
We also recently announced that Martin Taylor, chief executive of Barclays plc, will lead a Whitehall task force to review this area.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much she estimates that her changes to housing benefit regulations will cost. [7561]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
My. right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 18 June her intention to revoke the extension of the single room rent allowance to
29 Jul 1997 : Column: 246
single people between the ages of 25 and 59. This measure was inherited from the previous Administration and they estimated that the savings were £6 million 1997-98, £47 million in 1998-99 and £69 million in 1999-00. The revocation of the measure will therefore cost these sums.
Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) which rates of non-dependant charges will be increased to fund the withdrawal of the single room rent allowance for single people aged 25 to 59 years living in the private rented sector; and what the increase for each non-dependant rate will be; [10932]
Mr. Bradley:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced, as part of our commitment to keep spending within the planned ceiling for social security expenditure, our decision to adjust the levels of non-dependant deductions from April 1998, and our intention to protect those in greatest need. A final decision on the levels of deductions will not be taken until our annual review of benefit rates is completed later in the year. We will announce the outcome of the review on non-dependant deductions at that time.
Dr. Iddon:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the withdrawal of the single room rent allowance for single people aged 25 to 59 years living in the private rented sector is to be funded solely by increasing non-dependant charges. [10934]
Mr. Bradley:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Elmet (Mr. Burgon) on 2 July 1997, Official Report, columns 207-09.
The measures announced will ensure that we meet our commitment to keep spending within the planned ceiling for social security expenditure.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the cost of introducing a pensions entitlement. [7563]
Mr. Denham:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollock (Mr. Davidson) on17 July, Official Report, columns 239-41.
Mr. Pond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on Government revenues in a full year of (a) a £10 and (b) a £100 increase in the real level of the national insurance contribution ceiling. [8199]
29 Jul 1997 : Column: 247
Mr. Denham:
The estimated effects on national insurance contribution revenue for 1998-99 are +£190 million and +£1,505 million respectively.
Mr. Pond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will estimate the effect on Government revenues in a full year of (a) a freeze and (b) a £10 reduction in the level of the 5 per cent., 7 per cent. and 10 per cent. thresholds for employers' national insurance contributions. [8201]
Mr. Denham:
The estimated effects on national insurance contribution revenue for 1998-99 are +£125 million and +£355 million respectively.
(2) when non-dependant charges will be increased to fund the withdrawal of the single room rent allowance for single people aged 25 to 59 years living in the private rented sector; and what the transitional protection arrangements will be. [10933]
Notes:
1. The figures assume that the weekly upper earnings limit on employees' class 1 contributions would be increased by an additional £10 and £100 from April 1998, and that corresponding increases would be made to the upper profits limit on class 4 contributions paid by self-employed people.
2. The figures also assume that the additional increases would not be applied to the upper earnings limit used for the calculation of employee and employer contracted-out rebates, that the current 10 per cent. class 1 contribution rate would apply to earnings above the present upper earnings limit and that the current 6 per cent. class 4 contribution rate would apply to profits above the present upper profits limit.
Source:
Government Actuary's Department.
Source:
Mr. Pond:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the main taxable benefits in kind which are not subject to national insurance contributions.[8202]
Government Actuary's Department.
| Type of taxable benefit | Net amount chargeable to tax (1995-96) |
|---|---|
| Private medical insurance | £650 million |
| Ownership of cars and property transferred to employee | £200 million |
| Beneficial loans | £200 million |
| Living accommodation | £170 million |
Notes:
1. This figure is likely to include some payments by employers made to third parties on behalf of employees which are subject to class 1 NICs.
2. Regulations exclude payments in kind, services, facilities and accommodation from class 1 NICs. These are not identical with taxable benefits declared on the P11D but the two are broadly similar and therefore the figures on the right hand side give a good indication of the amounts of taxable benefits not subject to NICs.
Source:
Inland Revenue--taxable benefits specifically reported on form P11D.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |