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Hairdressers (Training)
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many hairdressers have been trained to NVQ standard in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years; [30576]
- (2) how many hairdressers are at present being trained to NVQ standard in the United Kingdom. [30578]
Dr. Howells:
The Awarding Bodies have not recorded information in this form over the full 10 year period. A total of 213,287 people have registered for S/NVQs in hairdressing since 1989-90, of whom 98,499 have been awarded qualifications. The remainder are either still working towards qualifications or have ceased their
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training. The most up to date figures available on the number of hairdressers registered for S/NVQs in hairdressing each year between 1989-90 and 1996-97 are listed in the following table:
| Year | Number |
|---|---|
| 1989-90 | 22,650 |
| 1990-91 | 15,746 |
| 1991-92 | 16,786 |
| 1992-93 | 23,548 |
| 1993-94 | 29,960 |
| 1994-95 | 28,657 |
| 1995-96 | 28,401 |
| 1996-97 | 33,310 |
| 1997-98 (first quarter only) | 14,229 |
| Total | 213,287 |
SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensions
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the state pension as the sole source of income. [31062]
Mr. Denham: The key objective of our review of pensions is to ensure that pensioners should have an adequate income in retirement; that they should share fairly in rising national prosperity; and that public finances should be both sustainable and affordable.
For most people, security in retirement will come from a combination of the basic State Pension and a second pension. However, for people receiving only the basic pension it is likely that they would be entitled to Income Support on top of their basic pension.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make it her Department's policy to provide advice for those planning their pensions. [31065]
Mr. Denham:
Our aim is to provide people with the clear and concise information they need to help them make informed decisions about pensions and to raise awareness of the importance of pensions planning throughout their working lives.
The Department has reviewed the information and publicity material that it produces for consumers with the objective of making sure that it sets out clearly how pensions work, and what questions they should ask before deciding what is the best option for them. We will be issuing new publicity material in the Spring.
Developing greater financial literacy and economic awareness is crucial to give everybody, men and women, young and old, the confidence to make informed choices and take control of their financial future. The pensions review is addressing this challenge through our Pensions Education Working Group.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will take steps to remove disadvantages in the pensions structure for women changing jobs. [31063]
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Mr. Denham:
One of the major challenges facing the Government's Pensions Review is to narrow the pensions gap between women and men to give women more security in retirement. Many pensions are simply not flexible enough to cope with women's working patterns and the fact that they are more likely to have caring responsibilities. We are therefore considering many of the obstacles that currently prevent women from developing good pension rights.
We are committed to introducing pension sharing for divorcing couples from April 2000, and our proposals for Stakeholder Pensions and a Citizenship Pension will be of particular benefit to women. Stakeholder Pension schemes are a central part of our plans to modernise the pensions system and the Government recognise that there is a need to develop new, value-for-money second pension schemes that do not penalise those who change jobs frequently, or who take breaks from work, particularly women.
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will make it her policy to reform current bankruptcy law to allow the self-employed and employees who are not members of an occupational pension scheme to receive the same exemption upon becoming insolvent as is presently enjoyed by persons who, as employees, were members of an occupational pension scheme; and if she will make a statement; [31025]
Mr. Denham:
The issue of pensions and bankruptcy is currently being considered as part of our wide ranging Pensions Review.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals she has to make allowance for the consequence of divorce in pension provision. [31064]
Mr. Denham:
Courts are required to take into account pensions in reaching a divorce settlement. Provision exists to allow a woman who divorces before State pension age to substitute her former husband's National Insurance contributions record for her own record for specified periods, and to receive a Basic Retirement Pension on this basis when she reaches State pension age. The earmarking provisions introduced by the Pensions Act 1995 enable courts to require a private pension scheme to make payments (once the pension is in payment) directly to a former spouse on behalf of the scheme member.
Our Manifesto committed us to introducing pension sharing for divorcing couples and we aim to do so from April 2000. We are working through the detailed issues and implementation arrangements with representatives of the pensions industry, family lawyers and others, and plan to publish draft legislation for consultation during this Parliamentary session. Pension sharing will allow fairer settlements on assets on divorce and is an important step towards meeting the Government's objective of closing the pensions gap between women and men in retirement.
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Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if it is her Department's policy always to answer either by way of an acknowledgement or a substantive reply every letter received from the public; and on how many occasions during the last six months her Department has replied to members of the public that it has been unable to trace original letters about which follow up inquiries are being made. [31286]
Mr. Denham:
We aim to send a reply to every letter received from a member of the public. No records are kept of how many replies follow up previous correspondence.
Mr. Swinney:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her answer of 17 February 1998, Official Report, columns 619-20, on television advertising of benefits, if she will list the percentage of (a) planned advertisements for the winter payment scheme which had been shown and (b) the number of payments under the scheme which had been made by (i) 31 December, (ii) 31 January and (iii) 18 February. [31016]
Mr. Denham:
It is important that pensioners need to know as soon as possible how much they will receive, as well as how and when it will be paid. The simplest and most cost-effective way is to let them know that a payment will be made is through publicity. The publicity will enable them to plan with confidence and turn up their heating if there is a spell of cold weather.
The percentage of planned advertisements for the winter payment scheme which had been shown by:
The number of payments made under the scheme which had been made by:
The remaining payments will be made from the week commencing 2 March 1998.
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many vaccine damaged children are excluded from the vaccine damage scheme (a) due to the 80 per cent. disablement threshold and (b) because their application was made over six years after the vaccination date. [29266]
Mr. Denham:
The administration of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme is the responsibility of Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will reply to the right hon. Member.
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(2) if she will make a statement on the implications of the decision in the Landau case for the differing treatment upon insolvency of (a) the self-employed, (b) employees who are not members of an occupational pension fund and (c) employees with occupational pensions, in the event of their becoming insolvent. [31026]
(i) 31 December 1997: Nil
(ii) 31 January 1998: 44 per cent.
(iii) 18 February 1998: 96 per cent.
(i) 31 December 1997: Nil (legislation came into force on 16 January 1998)
(ii) 31 January 1998: 1,441,614
(iii) 18 February 1998: 1,441,614.
| 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall disablement is at least 80% but the vaccine damage is assessed at less than 80% | nil | 1 | 1 | 1 | nil |
| Overall disablement is substantially less than 80% and the cause has not therefore been fully considered | 2 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 12 |
| Application made more than six years after vaccination | 18 | 22 | 17 | 19 | 22 |
I hope you find this information helpful.
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