---

War Pensions

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many United Kingdom civilians employed in war-related work have received war pensions for asbestosis since 1967; and what factors led to their award. [16714]

Mr. Denham: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

It is unlikely that any award of War Pension in respect of asbestosis has been made to any civilian. However, a civilian may be entitled to a war pension if he was disabled as a result of his work as a member of a civil defence organisation or under the other provisions of the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme.

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 202

Broadly, under those other provisions, an award of war pension may be made where disablement is caused either by enemy action or by action taken to combat or repel an imagined attack by the enemy during World War Two.

Compensation might be available under the industrial injuries scheme, via an employer's liability insurance or, for an ex-civilian employee of the Ministry of Defence, from that Department.

Benefit Reviews

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the conclusions of the Department's benefit by benefit review will be taken into account in (a) the Department's study of public expenditure and (b) the Treasury's review of tax and benefits. [17037]

Mr. Field: The Government are committed to a far-reaching overhaul of the Social Security system that will modernise the welfare state and prepare it to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced the Comprehensive Spending Review being co-ordinated across Government on 11 June 1997, Official Report, column 1143-57. The Department of Social Security's review will be based on our clear objectives of promoting work incentives, reducing poverty and welfare dependency and strengthening community and family life. It will also consider how best the system can be reformed to contribute to the achievement of Government objectives including the need for restraint in public expenditure. The Review is expected to take about a year to complete.

The review of tax and benefits, headed by Martin Taylor, Chief Executive of Barclays Bank, involves officials from the Treasury, the Department for Education and Employment, the Inland Revenue and the DSS. There has been close liaison between the tax benefit review and the DSS Comprehensive Spending Review.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which Minister is responsible for co-ordinating her Department's benefit by benefit review; and when, and by what means, she expects its conclusions to be reported to the House. [18810]

Mr. Field: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to him on 20 November 1997, Official Report, columns 406-07.

Income Support

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the extra money for pensioners on income support will be distributed. [18738]

Mr. Denham: Precise operational arrangements will depend on the Regulations currently being drafted. Regulations will be laid as soon as possible.

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 203

"The Law Relating to Social Security"

Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when "The Law Relating to Social Security" was withdrawn from circulation; and what are her plans for replacing it. [18833]

Mr. Field: "The Law Relating to Social Security", or "Blue Books", is still available from the Stationery Office and bookshops. Three amendments have been issued this year.

Ex-servicemen (Hearing Review)

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations she has received on her review of the Government's decision on the aging effect of bilateral sensori-neural hearing in respect of former members of the armed forces. [18839]

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 204

Mr. Denham: We have received 36 representations from hon. Members and 46 from national organisations and members of the public.

Low Pay

Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list, by regions defined by the boundaries of the regional government offices, the lowest hourly rate paid by her Department to (a) full-time employees, (b) part-time employees, (c) persons employed under personal contract and (d) persons employed by firms undertaking contracted-out services for central government offices, defining the job title in each case. [18111]

Mr. Field: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows:

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 203

Economic planning region(29)	Full-time employees(30)		Part-time employees(29)		Employees employed under personal contract(30)
	Lowest hourly rate £	Grade	Lowest hourly rate	Grade	Lowest hourly rate £	Grade
Scotland	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.43	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
Northern	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.39	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
Yorkshire and Humberside	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
North West	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
East Midlands	3.35	Administrative assistant	3.43	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
West Midlands	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.28	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
Wales	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.36	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
East Anglia	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.95	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
South East	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
South West	3.28	Administrative assistant	3.28	Administrative assistant	3.26	Administrative assistant
North Ireland	4.93	Administrative assistant	4.45	Support Grade Band 2	--	None
Overseas	3.72	Administrative assistant	4.14	Support Grade Band 2	3.42	Administrative assistant

(29) Hourly rates include allowances and includes staff on payroll as at 30 September 1997 in their current substantive grade.

(30) Except for staff in the Senior Civil Service the department does not employ staff on a personnel contractual basis. Staff shown in column four are casual staff and those on fixed term appointments.

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 203

New Deal

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the allocations in each of the next four years for programmes under the New Deal for Disabled People. [18809]

Mr. Denham: No decisions have been taken on the allocation, in each of the next four years, of the £195 million set aside for the New Deal for Sick and Disabled People.

Wisconsin Project

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her answer of 25 November 1997, Official Report, column 538, (1) if she will make a statement on her discussions with an official from Wisconsin on matters relating to (a) welfare and (b) compulsion for lone parents seeking work; [18673]

(2) if she will publish the agenda and minutes to her meeting with an official from Wisconsin about welfare policy. [18674]

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the meetings with officials from Wisconsin that she had during the summer. [15755]

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 204

Mr. Keith Bradley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had one meeting with an official from Wisconsin who was in this country for a Conference at which both were due to speak. There was no formal agenda. The official concerned described the various changes made to the welfare system in Wisconsin over the past several years, gave an informal assessment of their effect and described what she saw as the main lessons to be drawn about the process of implementing major change in this area.

Child Support Agency

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will ensure the Child Support Agency does not reply to an hon. Member's inquiry relating to a constituent's case with a copy of its response to the constituent. [18225]

Mr. Keith Bradley: We are determined to ensure that the Child Support Agency provides an efficient and effective service to all its customers, including their representatives.

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to my hon. Friend.

2 Dec 1997 : Column: 205

Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 1 December 1997:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about replies from the Child Support Agency to inquiries from Members of Parliament.


The Agency's policy in dealing with an inquiry from an MP is to provide a full, up-to-date and accurate reply to the issues raised. Each case is treated individually and the Agency aims to answer correspondence in line with the Departmental target of responding within 20 days.

In the course of dealing with children's maintenance, correspondence between the Agency and customers is to be expected, and indeed necessary. Where this coincides with an inquiry from the customer's MP on their behalf, in order to be as helpful as possible and to ensure that the full facts are available, the Agency may copy relevant letters to the MP particularly where an identical issue has been raised by the constituent both directly with the Agency and through their MP. This has proved to be a useful, cost-effective and efficient mechanism, which helps avoid any misunderstanding and ensures that the MP is fully aware of what has been said to their constituent.

I am very conscious that there are still far too many justified complaints about the standards of basic customer contact and the service we provide. Over the next few years, I am committed to bringing high quality levels of performance to every part of our operation as a matter of routine, thereby reducing the number of complaints received and enhancing the public perception of the Agency.

I hope this is helpful.

---