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Milk Quotas
Mr. John Smith: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review his Department's policy in respect of allowing dairy farmers to (a) lease and (b) sell their milk quotas. [17045]
Mr. Rooker: The Government have no plans at present to review their policy on the lease and sale of milk quotas by dairy farmers. The rules on transfers of milk quotas will, however, need to be reviewed in the light of the outcome of the reform of the dairy regime.
Crop Spraying
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's policy on the spraying of crops with sulphuric acid; and how such spraying is monitored. [16866]
Mr. Rooker: All pesticides are subject to strict regulatory control and must be approved by Ministers before they may be marketed or used in the United Kingdom. Approval is given only after rigorous evaluation of detailed scientific data. Sulphuric acid is approved for certain uses and, providing it is used in accordance with its statutory conditions of approval, this use poses no unacceptable risk.
The statutory "Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Pesticides on Farms and Holdings", sets out precautions that farmers are required to take when spraying. These include measures to protect neighbours and workers and reduce risks to wildlife.
The Pesticides Usage Survey, the Wildlife Incidents Investigation Scheme and the Working Party on Pesticides Residues monitor the quantity of pesticides used, possible incidents involving wildlife and residues in food respectively. The Health and Safety Executive inspectors are responsible for enforcement of the rules on spraying.
Mr. Pickthall:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many complaints have been received by his Department about spraying with sulphuric acid in the past year. [16867]
Mr. Rooker:
Complaints over alleged ill effects resulting from pesticide use should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive's Pesticides Incident Appraisal Panel. The Panel investigated seven complaints related to the spraying of sulphuric acid between April 1996 and March 1997.
In the past 12 months the Department has received 17 inquiries concerning the use of sulphuric acid as an agricultural pesticide.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy in respect of the faxing of press releases on the day of release to Opposition party spokesmen; what changes have been introduced since 1 May; and if he will make a statement. [16295]
25 Nov 1997 : Column: 526
Mr. Morley:
The Department will provide news releases to Opposition party spokesmen by fax on the day of release if requested to do so. The Department also issues news releases via the Internet at address http://www.maff.gov.uk/maffhome.htm. Hard copies are sent by messenger to Opposition spokesmen each day. There have been no changes since 1 May.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the number of individuals, including dependent children, who are in households receiving at least one means-tested benefit, broken down to show the combinations of benefits received. [12816]
| Number of beneficiaries | |
|---|---|
| One or more means-tested benefit | 15,110,000 |
| Combinations of benefits including in the above: | |
| Income support only | 2,370,000 |
| Family credit only | 1,560,000 |
| Disability working allowance only | 8,000 |
| Housing benefit and/or council tax benefit only | 3,090,000 |
| Housing benefit and/or council tax benefit with family credit | 850,000 |
| Housing benefit and/or council tax benefit with income support | 7,220,000 |
| Housing benefit and/or council tax benefit with disability working allowance | 9,000 |
Notes
1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest ten thousand, except combined benefit figures showing disbility working allowance claimants which are rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Numbers are based on benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.
3. Beneficiaries are defined as claimants, their partners and any dependants.
4. There will be a significant overlap between recipients of individual benefits.
5. The income support figures include a small number of cases whose entitlement to family credit or disability working allowance has not yet been lapsed. In reality these cases are dependant on income support.
6. Housing benefit/council tax benefit information excludes second adult rebate cases.
7. Data include estimates due to the date collection procedure.
Sources
1. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1996 (5 per cent. sample).
2. Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of all awards.
3. Disability Working Allowance 100 per cent. count of claims.
4. Housing Benefit Mangement Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries, with and without income support, taken at the end of May 1996.
Lone Parents (Employment)
Mr. Viggers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of lone parents who were previously unemployed have found work in each of the last 10 years. [13104]
25 Nov 1997 : Column: 527
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table, which shows numbers of new lone parent claims to Family Credit where the claimant was on income support immediately beforehand.
| Family Credit award starting: | Thousands |
|---|---|
| September 1992 to August 1993 | 53 |
| September 1993 to August 1994 | 65 |
| September 1994 to August 1995 | 73 |
| August 1995 to September 1996 | 82 |
Notes:
1. The data used do not identify those lone parents who moved from income support to a job where they did not claim Family Credit, thus under-estimating the employment rate;
2. As estimates are based on a matched sample of 5 per cent. of Family Credit awards with a 5 per cent. sample of the quarterly stock of income support claimants, the methodology will miss claimants who had a short spell on income support before moving to Family Credit.
Sources:
1. Income support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, August 1992 to May 1996.
2. Family Credit 5 per cent. sample, September 1992 to August 1996.
Habitual Residence Test
Dr. Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many British citizens have been refused income support and related benefits due to failure of the habitual resident test (a) in the last year and (b) in each of the previous five years. [14008]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
| April 1994 to March 1995 | April 1995 to March 1996 | April 1996 to March 1997 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income support | 3,795 | 6,103 | 6,440 |
| Jobseeker's allowance (income based) | 2,608 |
Source:
Benefits Agency Management Information Statistics.
Notes:
1. The habitual residence test was introduced in income support on 1 August 1994. The test was carried forward to jobseeker's allowance (income based) on 7 October 1996.
2. Information regarding the numbers of UK Nationals failing the habitual residence test in respect of housing benefit and council tax benefit is not available.
Delegated Legislation
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list all (a) secondary, (b) other delegated legislation and (c) all deregulation orders her Department made during the summer adjournment. [14375]
Mr. Denham:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 5 November 1997, Official Report, column 216.
25 Nov 1997 : Column: 528
Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what ways the issue of domestic violence victims is included in the training programmes of (a) Benefits Agency and (b) Child Support Agency staff. [14393]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
On 6 October 1997 it was announced that, from April 1998, BA staff will be undertaking some CSA activity (the issue and completion of Maintenance Application Forms (MAF)) on their home visits to lone parents.
Child Support legislation has provisions, known as "good cause", which allow Parents with Care (PWCs) not to co-operate if the CSA finds that they have good cause not to co-operate. This may be because they believe there is a risk of harm or undue distress to the PWC or any children living with them which may arise from the CSA contacting the absent parent. It is therefore important that staff receive training to deal sensitively with such issues when they arise and are aware of when such problems may be an issue.
CSA staff receive awareness training on the "requirement to co-operate" provisions of child support legislation which includes the "good cause" provisions. All CSA staff who are required to interview PWCs about an absent parent receive further training on how to manage sensitive issues, such as domestic violence, and how to deal with such cases for child support purposes.
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