| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Minimum Income Guarantee
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the additional costs which would be incurred by including in his package of measures to tackle pensioner poverty the annual uprating of the Minimum Income Guarantee in line with average earnings in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02. [71481]
Mr. Timms
[holding answer 15 February 1999]: The additional costs of uprating the Minimum Income
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 672
Guarantee in line with average earnings is estimated to be £260 million in 2000-01 and £560 million in 2001-02.
Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10 million.
2. The figures are based on forecasts of pensioners in receipt of Income Support consistent with estimates provided for the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement.
Minimum Wage
Mr. Kemp:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings he estimates will be achieved in
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 673
the social security budget for 1999-2000 as a result of the introduction of the national minimum wage within (a) the northern region and (b) the city of Sunderland. [70369]
Mr. Darling:
The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Benefit | Savings |
|---|---|
| Income Support | 10 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based) | 10 |
| Housing Benefit | 110 |
| Family Credit/Working Families Tax Credit | 185 |
| Council Tax Benefit | 25 |
| Total | 340 |
Notes:
1. Savings figures are calculated by raising the earnings of current benefit recipients to the level of the National Minimum Wage. No other factors are taken into account.
2. Estimates are based on the 1995-96 Family Resources Survey, imposing the 1999-2000 tax and benefit structure, assuming 1998-99 levels of caseloads, prices, benefit rates and earnings. Estimates are rounded to the nearest £5 million.
Pensioners (Income Support)
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many pensioners would receive income support in each of the next five years assuming (a) that the April 1998 level of income support was indexed to prices and (b) that the Government implement their proposed minimum income guarantee for pensioners. [70596]
Mr. Timms: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Estimated number of pensioner units receiving income support assuming: | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) Price indexation of income support | (b) Implementation of MIG | |
| 1999-2000 | 1,495 | 1,560 |
| 2000-01 | 1,608 | 1,673 |
| 2001-02 | 1,722 | 1,787 |
Notes:
1. Pensioner benefit unit means a single person aged 60 or over, or a couple where one member is aged 60 or over.
2. Figures are not available for years beyond 2001-02. The figures are estimates of the average number of cases in each financial year. Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000.
3. Figures given for part (b) are consistent with those published in the November 1998 pre-budget report.
4. The figures exclude pensioners in residential care and nursing homes.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 13 January 1999, Official Report column 222, what assumptions about post-retirement indexation of (i) the basic state pension, (ii) the state second pension and (iii) the minimum income guarantee underlie his estimates of the numbers of pensioners on income support. [70803]
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 674
Mr. Timms:
The estimates provided assume that the basic State Pension and State Second Pension are indexed in line with prices when in payment, and that the Minimum Income Guarantee is indexed in line with the growth in average earnings (assumed to be 1.5 per cent. per year above the growth in prices).
The actual level of indexing of the Minimum Income Guarantee in future years will depend on the prevailing economic conditions. We have stated that our long-term objective is to increase the Minimum Income Guarantee in line with average earnings, as resources allow, so that even the least well off pensioners can share in rising national prosperity.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Asset Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [70409]
Mr. Timms
[holding answer 11 February 1999]: The National Asset Register published in November 1997 showed the assets held by the Department, its agencies and associated public bodies to be 195 freehold properties, 54 historic leasehold properties, 59,500 personal computers, 24,400 printers and 2,853 vehicles.
In the period to the end of January 1999 the Department sold a relatively small percentage of its personal computers and printers. 746 vehicles were sold realising £2,223,458.
The Department's freehold and historic leasehold properties were transferred to the private sector as part of two Private Finance Initiative deals. On 8 January 1998 the Department transferred the six properties in the Newcastle Estate (Newcastle Longbenton, Gosforth Broadway West, Newcastle Ponteland Road, Washington Emerson House, Newcastle Tyneview Park and Washington Durham House) to the Newcastle Estate Partnership. The Department did not receive a cash sum but will be charged rentals at a reduced rate for the period of the contract. On 1 April 1998 the remainder of the Department's estate was transferred as part of the Private Sector Resource Initiative for Management of the Estate (PRIME). The Department received cash consideration of £250 million. The National Audit Office have performed Value For Money studies on both of the contracts. The reports are due to be published later this year.
The estimated total cash raised from such sales to date is £252,223,458.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the offences or acts of misconduct under which a civil servant in his Department could have his pension removed or reduced; and how often this has happened during the last five years. [70783]
Mr. Timms:
I refer the right hon. Member to the Written Answer from my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 15 February 1999, Official Report, column 569.
16 Feb 1999 : Column: 675
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional resources will be made available to fund interviews taking place under the Single Gateway system proposed in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill. [71189]
Angela Eagle:
The Single Work-Focused Gateway will be piloted in 12 areas, commencing in June 1999. A total of £79.5 million in additional resources has been allocated, from the Invest to Save Budget, to fund these pilot exercises. An important reason for piloting the Single Work-Focused Gateway is to measure the costs in order to inform decisions about national implementation.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if widowers who become eligible for widowed parent's allowance or bereavement allowance will have payments based upon their own, or their spouse's national insurance contribution record; and if he will estimate the annual costs of making benefit payments based on the best of either their own or their spouse's record. [71415]
Angela Eagle:
In line with the contribution conditions currently applied to Widows' Benefits, entitlement to bereavement benefits for widowers will be calculated on the National Insurance contribution record of the spouse.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |