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Disabled Students
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time students have been in receipt of (i) disability living allowance, (ii) severe disablement allowance, (iii) disabled student allowance and (iv) other disability-related benefits in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [61468]
Mr. Timms: The information on the number of part time or full time students in receipt of disability living allowance, severe disablement allowance or other disability related benefits is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Information on Disabled Student Allowance is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
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| Academic year | Number of awards |
|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 2,490 |
| 1993-94 | 4,050 |
| 1994-95 | 5,320 |
| 1995-96 | 6,550 |
| 1996-97 | 8,120 |
Notes:
1. The Disabled Students Allowance forms part of the mandatory award. There are three separate allowances--that for specialist equipment; for non-medical helpers; and the general Disabled Students Allowance. Mandatory awards are payable to personally eligible students attending full-time or sandwich courses leading to a first-degree or comparable qualification. DipHE or HND courses and postgraduate courses of initial teacher training.
2. The table shows the number of awards, not the number of students. Students can receive more than one type of disabled students allowance.
3. The table shows the number of awards made by local education authorities to students normally domiciled in their area (in England and Wales).
4. The number of awards is rounded to the nearest 10.
5. Information for 1996-97 is the latest available.
Back-to-work Bonus
Jackie Ballard: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants have (a) received and (b) been refused the back-to-work bonus. [61913]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.
| All claimants | |
|---|---|
| Claimants with an accrued bonus at the end of October 1998(2) | 150,000 |
| Number of bonus payments made from October 1996 to October 1998 | 81,000 |
| Total amount of bonus payments made from October 1996 to October 1998 | £20,574,000 |
| Number of cases where a claim for a Bonus payment was unsuccessful, up to October 1998(3) | 31,000 |
(2) Live claims on ISCS and JSAPS with a bonus accrual plus claims which have ended with a bonus accrual but no bonus payment has been made (claimants who return to benefit within 12 weeks and have not claimed a bonus retain the amount accrued during the previous claim).
(3) Reasons for unsuccessful claims include: No Back to Work Bonus amount had accrued; the claim for a Bonus payment was received outside the limit of 12 weeks for making a claim.
Note:
Data based on information held on the Income Support Computer System (ISCS) and the Jobseeker's Allowance Payment System (JSAPS). No clerically processed claims included. Excludes JSAPS activity for November 1996. Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand.
Source:
Back to Work Bonus management information statistics.
Welfare Reform
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the Government expect to publish their response to the submissions made on the Green Paper on Welfare Reform. [61797]
Mr. Denham:
The Green Paper on Welfare Reform set out a clear philosophy for the welfare state. "Work for those who can, security for those who cannot" is the
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foundation of our programme. It received overwhelming support. The public's response demonstrated first a widespread recognition of the need for welfare reform, and secondly, endorsement of our approach. We are now responding by putting those principles into practice.
On 28 October, we published three documents, "A new contract for welfare: Principles into Practice", which set out the significant progress that has already been made on welfare reform; "A new contract for welfare: Support for Disabled People", which set out detailed proposals to reform benefits for people with a long-term illness or disability; and "A new contract for welfare: The Gateway to Work", which set out plans for a single gateway to the welfare system.
We also published on 18 November "A new contract for welfare: Support in Bereavement" which set out proposals to reform bereavement benefits.
As announced in the Queen's Speech, we will introduce a Welfare Reform Bill in the current session. We will make further announcements in due course.
Mr. Whittingdale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the backlog of cases caused by the failure of the Contributions Agency computer to be cleared; and if he will make a statement. [61936]
Mr. Timms:
The NIRS2 computer system is a large and complex system and there have been some delays and problems in its introduction, which the House was made aware of on the 5 November.
Backlogs of work have built up in both the Contributions Agency and the Benefits Agency as a consequence of the delays and problems with NIRS2. Both Agencies however, invoked contingency arrangements wherever possible to reduce the effect on customers.
The Contributions Agency and the Benefits Agency are working together to develop plans to clear backlogs as the new systems facilities become available, staff are able to address the backlogs caused by the absence of those facilities. For example, the backlog of requests for data protection printouts has been eliminated since 18 November 1998. It is not yet possible, however, to predict with certainty the date when all the backlogs will be cleared.
Sir Teddy Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which Commonwealth nations have negotiated reciprocal arrangements to enable British pensioners living abroad to receive annual increases; and if he will make a statement on reciprocal arrangements with Kenya. [62035]
Mr. Denham:
Pensioners living in the following Commonwealth countries receive annual UK State Pension increases: The Bahamas, Barbados, Cyprus, Jamaica, Malta and Mauritius. There is no reciprocal Social Security agreement between the UK and Kenya.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the source for her estimate in
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her answer of 16 November 1998, Official Report, column 592, that in 50 per cent. of couples receiving family credit the main earner is female. [62246]
Angela Eagle:
The Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry for May 1998 shows that of the 767,000 families receiving Family Credit, 59 per cent. (452,000 families) have a female main earner.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his e-mail address. [62567]
Mr. Darling:
Ministers may be contacted at the following address: ministers@ade006.dss.gov.uk.
Mr. MacShane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the Chief Child Support Officer's Annual Report for 1997-98. [62587]
Angela Eagle:
The Annual Report of the Chief Child Support Officer (CCSO) for the year 1997-98 is published today. The Report highlights the damaging effect of the excessive complexity of the current maintenance formula.
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
Source:
Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry May 1998 (5 per cent. sample of awards).
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