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Diabetic Pen Needles
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what factors are being considered in determining whether pen needles for insulin dependent diabetics should be available on prescription; [13240]
- (2) what representations he has received about pen needles for the use of insulin dependent diabetics; and if he will make a statement. [13242]
Mr. Milburn:
We have received representations from the British Diabetic Association and others which we are considering, taking all relevant factors into account.
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Benefits Agency
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are her plans for the out-of-hours payment service operated by the Benefits Agency. [14018]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The administration of benefits is a matter for Peter Mathison, The Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 3 November 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the plans for the out-of-hours payment service operated by the Benefits Agency.
In line with the Government's commitment to modernise the Social Security system a consultation exercise between officials from the Benefits Agency (BA) and other Departments on the future of the current Out of Hours Service has recently been undertaken.
As a result of those discussions there are no plans at present to change the way in which the current service is administered. BA offices will therefore continue to provide an Out of Hours Service.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Mortgage Interest Payments
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations she has received about the level of the mortgage interest rate paid to those on benefits; and if she will make a statement. [13243]
Mr. Keith Bradley: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Efford) on 30 October, Official Report, column 856.
We have received 562 representations from hon. Members, members of the public and national organisations.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the guidelines for the minimum levels of income which absent parents should expect to live on following calculations by the CSA. [13735]
Mr. Keith Bradley: For those in work, child support assessments made under the maintenance formula ensure that an absent parent is generally left with at least 70 per cent. of his net income and at least £30 a week more than he would have if claiming income support. Most absent parents are left with significantly higher amounts, though lower figures may apply where, for example, an interim maintenance assessment has been imposed in an effort to secure the absent parent's co-operation or the absent parent is in arrears with his payments.
Absent parents who receive income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance are generally required to pay a standard weekly amount, currently £5.00, unless for example they are sick or disabled or have a dependent child living with them. This payment recognises that absent parents are important to their children and should normally be expected to contribute to their maintenance.
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Mr. Sanders:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if travel to work costs are taken into consideration by the CSA in making assessments of payments by an absent parent; and if she will make a statement. [13734]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Travel to work costs are taken into consideration under the standard maintenance formula. Where the straight line distance of journeys from home to work exceeds 150 miles per week an allowance of 10 pence per mile is made for each excess mile.
Parents may apply for a departure from the standard assessment where they face high travel to work costs of more than £15.00 per week. This gives the flexibility to take account of individual circumstances in the minority of cases where the formula assessment does not give a fair result.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will publish the action plan, due by 1 October 1997, for resolving the computer millennium problem in her Department, its agencies and other public bodies for which she is responsible; if such was fully completed on time; and if she will make a statement. [13612]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The costed action plan produced by the Department of Social Security was submitted to Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) on 30 September 1997. This plan, together with the plans of other Government Departments, will be analysed by Central Information Technology Unit (CITU) and the CCTA and the conclusions reported to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who will then inform Parliament. The plans will be exempted from
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disclosure under the open government code of practice on access to Government information, which permits non-disclosure prior to an announcement. Once the announcement has been made the plans will be available.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when her Department, its agencies and other public bodies for which she is responsible completed the millennium computer compliance audits of systems; and if she will make a statement. [13615]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The year 2000 compliance audit of the Department's systems, comprising its agencies and other public bodies, was completed by 31 March 1997.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which (a) Minister and (b) civil servant has overall responsibility for ensuring millennium computer compliance in her Department and its associated public bodies. [13616]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
I have ministerial responsibility for the year 2000 compliance work and Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Information Technology Services Agency, is the civil servant accountable for this work on behalf of the Department of Social Security, reporting to the departmental board and the permanent secretary.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is her latest estimate of the total cost of resolving the computer millennium problem in (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies for which she is responsible; if she will state in each case (i) expenditure incurred to date, (ii) expenditure planned for 1997-98, (iii) expenditure planned for 1998-99 and (iv) expenditure planned for 1999-2000; and if she will make a statement. [13613]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The information is in the table.
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| £000 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total cost | Cost to date | 1997-98(31) | 1998-99 | 1999-00 | |
| Benefits Agency | 7,326 | 533 | 2,574 | 4,181 | 571 |
| Contributions Agency | 3,107 | 87 | 708 | 1,974 | 335 |
| Child Support Agency | 3,442 | 42 | 1,744 | 1,656 | 42 |
| Information Technology Services Agency | 26,861 | 40 | 6,801 | 10,562 | 9,498 |
| War Pensions Agency | 279 | 22 | 32 | 242 | 5 |
| Headquarters | 3,469 | 211 | 94 | 2,456 | 919 |
| ISBs/NDPB | 261 | 14 | 91 | 170 | -- |
| Central Project costs | 1,037 | 491 | 594 | 239 | 204 |
| Departmental Totals | 45,692 | 1,440 | 12,638 | 21,480 | 11,574 |
(31) Total expenditure for the year which includes seven months costs to date.
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Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on what funding provision has been made to accommodate the expenditure needed to resolve the computer millennium problem; and if she expects to have sufficient funding to pay for the work necessary to achieve complete millennium compliance by 1 January 2000. [13614]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
This work has been afforded the highest priority across the Department. Business Cases to secure the necessary funds from existing PES provision have been produced and a Corporate Business Case seeking approval to spend will be submitted to HM Treasury in November 1997.
4 Nov 1997 : Column: 190
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations her Department has received on benefit payments to asylum seekers. [13992]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. George) on 27 October, Official Report, columns 728-29.
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to extend reciprocal pension agreements to other countries; and when she expects such arrangements to be made. [13946]
4 Nov 1997 : Column: 191
Mr. Denham:
The Government has no plans to extend reciprocal pension agreements to other countries.
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