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Housing
Dr. Moonie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to publish the Green Paper on housing in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [71994]
Mr. Dewar: I am publishing the Green Paper "Investing in Modernisation--An Agenda for Scotland's Housing" today, and have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.
The Government's firm belief is that every household should be able to live in a decent, secure and affordable home, and the Green Paper sets out a range of ideas and proposals for achieving this objective. We have already made substantial progress towards this goal, for example, by providing an additional £300 million of investment for housing; by developing new programmes through the Warm Deal, Empty Homes, and Rough Sleepers initiatives; by establishing New Housing Partnerships to lever in private finance; and by putting community regeneration and tenant empowerment at the centre of our strategy. The publication of "Investing in Modernisation"--the first Scottish Housing Green Paper in twenty years--is further evidence of the importance which this Government attach to improving housing in Scotland.
The Green Paper seeks views on a wide-range of issues and proposals, some forty in all. It emphasises the need for a long-term strategy which recognises the links with health, employment, and environmental policies and the role that housing can play in promoting social inclusion. It addresses all housing tenures, and places particular emphasis on the housing needs of the most vulnerable members of our society--rough sleepers and the homeless, community care users and families in cold and damp homes. "Investing in Modernisation" sets out the Government's ideas for revitalising public housing through the promotion of community ownership, which offers the prospect of fundamental and radical change which should bring major benefits to tenants, local authorities and communities. The Green Paper also highlights the importance of local authorities developing a strategic role in respect of housing in their areas, and it assesses the current activities of Scottish Homes and seeks views on how these might best be carried out in future.
"Investing in Modernisation" is a consultative document which is intended to stimulate debate and discussion about the long-term housing policies and strategies which are most relevant to Scotland's
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distinctive needs and circumstances. The closing date for responses to the Green Paper is 31 May 1999. Responses will be made available to the Scottish Parliament and Executive, who will have responsibility for determining, after 1 July, whether these proposals should be taken forward.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the annual cost of abolishing the tolls on the Skye Bridge and paying a shadow toll to Skye Bridge Ltd. for the remaining years of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [69246]
Mr. Macdonald
[holding answer 4 February 1999]: The terms of the contract with the concessionaire are that any changes to the concession agreement must have the consent of the concessionaire. Accordingly, it is not possible to estimate the final cost of shadow tolling. However, as my right hon. Friend said in his written answer of 4 July 1997, Official Report, columns 288-90, the idea of removing tolls completely through 100 per cent. shadow tolls is not less expensive than buying out the contract nor in public expenditure terms does it have the effect of spreading the cost over a number of years, as people have tended to assume. The full cost of the project would be a public expenditure charge immediately because of the absence of the transfer of risk to the private sector, which is what justifies the phased public expenditure cost for DBFO roads contracts entered into before construction has begun. The cost of buying out the contract is estimated to be at least £25m, but the final figure would depend upon the outcome of negotiations with the concessionaire. Hence, full shadow tolling is not considered an affordable option given the other competing pressures upon the roads budget.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Berry:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amounts in his Department's budget for 1998-99 can be attributed to spending on disabled people; and what proportion this represents of total departmental spending. [71288]
Mr. Bayley:
Expenditure on those people with a long term illness or disability is estimated to be £24.8 billion in 1998-99. This represents approximately 25 per cent. of total Social Security expenditure.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the total savings to the social security budget, for the past five years, resulting from maintenance paid to families through the Child Support Agency. [71099]
Angela Eagle:
The information is in the table.
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| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Year | Benefit savings |
| 1993-94 | 418 |
| 1994-95 | 479 |
| 1995-96 | 493 |
| 1996-97 | 469 |
| 1997-98 | 464 |
| 1998-99(42) | 314 |
| Total | 2,637 |
(42) up to 31 December 1998
Note:
The figures include maintenance, collected or arranged which directly offsets benefit expenditure, together with estimated savings where a claim for Income Support ceases as a result of action by the Agency.
Transfer of Functions
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on plans for the division of responsibilities between the Treasury and the Department of Social Security with respect to (a) answering parliamentary questions and (b) appearances before Select Committees following the implementation of the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, Etc.) Bill [Lords]. [71124]
Mr. Timms: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security, announced to the House on 8 February 1999, Official Report, columns 35-45, that Treasury Ministers would take on responsibility for policy on National Insurance on 1 April 1999. The Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, Etc. Bill currently before Parliament transfers operational responsibility for National Insurance contributions, Statutory Sick Pay, Statutory Maternity pay and contracting out matters, together with control and management of the National Insurance Fund, to the Board of the Inland Revenue. It also transfers responsibility for policy on National Insurance contributions from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to Treasury Ministers.
Policy responsibility for Statutory Sick Pay, Statutory Maternity Pay, contracting out, credits, Home Responsibilities Protection and the security of the National Insurance Number system remains with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security. He will also continue to be responsible for benefits. Ministers and, where appropriate, officials will be accountable to Parliament on the areas for which they are responsible. Treasury Ministers will answer questions relating to the Inland Revenue including those responsibilities transferred to it by the Bill. It is for the House to decide on the areas of responsibility for Select Committees.
Guaranteed Minimum Pension
Dr. Lynne Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the additional annual cost of the introduction of the guaranteed minimum pension. [71373]
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| 1999-2000 | 2000-01 | 20001-02 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of introducing the minimum income guarantee | 495 | 670 | 840 |
Note:
The costs include the effect on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit arising from increasing the rates in line with Income Support, and the additional numbers qualifying for full HB as a result of becoming entitled to the Minimum Income Guarantee.
Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the additional annual cost of increasing the state retirement pension to the same level as the guaranteed minimum pension. [71374]
Mr. Timms: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer my right hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for Social Security, gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 18 November 1998, Official Report, columns 624-25.
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