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Ministerial Announcements
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many ministerial announcements have not been made in the first instance to the House; and of those how many were (a) speeches to outside bodies, (b) press releases, (c) press briefings and (d) made by other means, since 1 May; and if he will make a statement about his Department's policy in respect of making public ministerial announcements. [18896]
Mr. Ron Davies: The information requested is not readily available, and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
It is my policy that major announcements should be made to the House whenever possible and this is usually the case. However there are cases, particularly when Parliament is not sitting, when this is not possible.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was spent on housing benefit for residents for (a) houses in multiple occupation, (b) the
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rest of the private rented sector, (c) council housing and (d) other social housing; and what was the average cost per person in each case. [16511]
| Estimated expenditure 1996-97 £ million | Average weekly amounts 1996-97 £.p | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent rebates for council tenants | 280 | 34.20 |
| Rent allowances for private rented sector tenants, (excluding housing associations) | 163 | 46.40 |
| Rent allowances for housing association tenants | 78 | 41.80 |
Sources:
Departmental Report and Housing Benefit Management Information System.
Note:
There is no information available specific to tenants of houses in multiple occupation.
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SOCIAL SECURITY
Disability Benefits
Mr. Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many benefit claimants have been required to complete form IB50 in relation to the all work test during the last 12 months; how many of these have then been required to attend for a medical examination; and how many claimants have been required to complete form IB50 and/or attend a medical examination on more than one occasion. [17030]
Mr. Denham: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
| October 1996 to September 1997 | |
|---|---|
| Number of questionnaires (IB50s) issued | (22)1,465,120 |
| Number of examinations performed | (23)675,424 |
(22) 100 per cent. scan of the Incapacity Benefit Computer. Excludes a small number of clerically processed cases.
(23) The figures quoted for the number of examinations will include cases where the questionnaire was issued prior to October 1996. Information provided by Benefits Agency Medical Service central data unit. Includes all work test and own occupation test examinations.
Income Support
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support who are also claiming support for mortgage interest payments there are currently in each government office region. [16637]
Mr. Keith Bradley: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
| GSS region | Income support | Jobseeker's allowance (IB) |
|---|---|---|
| London and South East | 99,000 | 39,000 |
| North | 16,000 | 5,000 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 27,000 | 8,000 |
| East Midlands | 20,000 | 6,000 |
| East Anglia | 9,000 | 3,000 |
| South West | 26,000 | 8,000 |
| West Midlands | 31,000 | 9,000 |
| North West | 46,000 | 10,000 |
| Wales | 23,000 | 4,000 |
| Scotland | 17,000 | 5,000 |
| Great Britain | 313,000 | 98,000 |
Note:
The information in the table shows income support/income based jobseeker's allowance claimants with mortgage interest by Government Standard Statistical Region in November 1996.
Source:
Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries--November 1996.
National Insurance (Actors)
Mr. Pendry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to alter the treatment of actors in respect of class 1 national insurance contributions. [16906]
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Mr. Denham:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 20 November 1997, Official Report, column 294.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the administrative cost is of the disbursement of the extra money for pensioners announced by the Chancellor in his Green Budget, as a proportion of its value. [18975]
Mr. Denham:
The information is not yet available. Precise operational arrangements will depend on the Regulations currently being drafted.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of lone parents on income support receive child maintenance; and what is the average amount of child maintenance received (a) by all such parents and (b) by those with non-zero receipt. [18885]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
At February 1997, there were 1,020,000 1 lone parents receiving Income Support. Of these, 67,000 1 had maintenance taken into account in their Income Support assessment. In addition, there were 300,000 2 lone parents on Income Support with a full maintenance assessment using the Child Support Agency's collection service, of whom 160,000 had an assessment of more than nil.
Information on the proportion of absent parents actually paying maintenance is not separately available for these cases. But, where payments were made they were retained by the Secretary of State to offset Income Support.
Where maintenance was taken into account in the Income Support assessment, the average weekly payment was £27.76 1 . for those lone parents on Income Support using the Agency's collection service, average child support assessments were £16.60 2 . The average assessment excluding those where the assessment was nil was £32.30 2 .
The receipt of regular maintenance is a key part of the Government's strategy for helping lone mothers move off income support into work. We are determined to ensure that the Child Support Agency provides an effective and efficient service in assessing and collecting the amounts of maintenance which are due.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many ministerial announcements have not been made in the first instance to the House; and of those how many were (a) speeches to outside bodies, (b) press releases, (c) press briefings and (d) made by other means, since 1 May; and if she will make a statement about her Department's policy in respect of making public ministerial announcements. [18900]
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Ms Harman:
The Department of Social Security has made 21 minor ministerial announcements by press notice since 1 May, which were not made in the first instance to Parliament; two of these were contained in speeches to outside bodies; three involved press briefings.
No other announcements have been made by the Department by other means.
When Parliament is in session, all significant announcements are made in the first instance to Parliament.
Mr. Ruffley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contracts for services the Cabinet Office (a) has entered into since 2 May and (b) is proposing to enter into with (i) the Digital Equipment Company and (ii) Microsoft Corporation, or any of their subsidiaries. [18982]
Dr. David Clark:
Since 2 May, the Cabinet Office (including the Prime Minister's Office and the Office of Public Service) and its agencies have entered into the following contracts:
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The services of the Digital Equipment Company are being used to design a replacement CAB-E-NET system under the terms of a contract with the Cabinet Office awarded in 1996 after a full and open competition complying with EC and GATT rules, for which Digital are working with Microsoft. This work does not involve a new contract.
No new contracts with either organisation are presently foreseen.
Mr. Ruffley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what contracts for installing or supplying a replacement to the CAB-E-NET information technology system have been put out to open tender. [18980]
Dr. David Clark:
The services of the Digital Equipment Company are being used to design a replacement CAB-E-NET system under the terms of a contract with the Cabinet Office awarded in 1996 after a full and open competition complying with EC and GATT rules.
Mr. Ruffley:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions Ministers have had with representatives of (a) the Digital Equipment Company or Microsoft Corporation or any of their subsidiaries, regarding the replacement of the CAB-E-NET information technology system. [18981]
Dr. David Clark:
Ministers in my Department have had no discussions with representatives of (a) the Digital Equipment Company and (b) Microsoft, or any of their subsidiaries, regarding the replacement of the CAB-E-NET information technology system. Discussions about the design of such a replacement have taken place at official level under a pre-existing contract with Digital.
Sources:
1 Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry--February 1997.
2 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics--February 1997.
(i) With the Digital Equipment Company, the Prime Minister's Office has engaged some 4.5 days technical support to re-configure existing Digital equipment.
(ii) With Microsoft, an existing contract for the provision of telephone support services for the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate has been renewed. The Prime Minister's Office has entered into a contract for telephone support of Microsoft products used in No. 10.
In addition, the Central Office of Information, for which I also have responsibility, took out a Microsoft Annual Incident Contract and Technet Licence for support of Microsoft products.