| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Environmental Appraisals
Mr. Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what environmental appraisals of policy his Department has (a) completed, (b) started and (c) planned. [79621]
Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer from the Under-Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale), on 13 April 1999, Official Report, column 66.
Bereavement Benefits
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 19 March 1999, Official Report, columns 838-39, on bereavement benefits, if he will estimate the ranges of income from occupational pensions being received by the widows in receipt of such pensions. [80599]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 14 April 1999]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
| Thousand | |
|---|---|
| Amount of occupational pension received | Number |
| No occupational pension | 1,450 |
| £0-£10 | 180 |
| £10-£20 | 260 |
| £20-£30 | 180 |
| £30-£40 | 140 |
| £40-£50 | 100 |
| £50 or more | 80 |
| Total | 2,780 |
The information provided in my Written Answer on 19 March 1999, Official Report, at columns 838-39 included information on widowers. The analysis reproduced related only to widows.
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 463
Notes:
1. The figures above are estimates and are taken from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) 1996-97 data set which are based on the Family Resources Survey (FRS). The FRS does not include Northern Ireland. 1996-97 is the latest year for which information is available.
2. All monetary values are given in April 1998 prices.
3. Estimates are given in thousands and are rounded to the nearest 10,000. Due to rounding components may not sum to totals.
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 465
Mr. Sawford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to increase the take-up of occupational pensions. [79743]
Mr. Timms:
The latest National Association of Pension Funds Survey shows proportion of eligible employees joining occupational pensions schemes. For final salary schemes the figure has increased from 62 per cent. in 1997 to 86 per cent. in 1998. For Money purchase schemes the comparable figures are 68 per cent. and 75 per cent. In schemes where employers operate automatic entry the figures are over 90 per cent.
We want to do more to encourage people to join occupational pension schemes. In the Green Paper "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions", we have sought views on how to do this and on whether we should allow employers to require employees to be members of their occupational pension scheme, subject to the right for employees to opt out.
We are currently considering the responses we have received and will be formulating proposals to take action to improve take-up.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on proposed improvements to the situation of those mature students who have recently forfeited housing benefits. [79851]
Angela Eagle:
There has been no change in the position of mature students. Most full-time students, including mature students, are not entitled to housing benefit, although certain students in vulnerable groups, such as lone parents, can continue to claim this benefit.
Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce safeguards in respect of the welfare of people with diagnosed mental illness in his benefits review process. [81357]
Mr. Bayley:
From the beginning of this month, the Benefit Integrity Project was replaced by a system of periodic inquiry into Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 466
entitlement. This is designed to be fairer to the welfare of vulnerable benefit claimants, including those with mental illness. We have discussed the operational procedures with disability organisations and we are aware that when contacting claimants, we need to take account of their individual circumstances and the effect that this contact may have. We are taking steps to ensure that any periodic inquiry literature issued to claimants, including to those who are diagnosed with a mental illness, is both clear and user-friendly, giving people the opportunity to discuss the best way of obtaining information as to their needs. We have also recognised the need to carry out specialised training on mental health issues for visiting officers and adjudication officers involved in the inquiry process. This training is planned to start in late May.
Certain types of case are exempt from action from the periodic inquiry from the outset. These include certain categories of mental illness, and the full list can be found in the pursuant answer to the hon. Member for Winchester (Mr. Oaten) on 10 March 1999, Official Report, columns 251-52.
We will continue to discuss the operation of the new arrangements with disability organisations, and will involve them in a comprehensive review of the new system at the end of the first six months of its operation.
Mr. Efford:
To ask the President of the Council what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department of the Macpherson Inquiry recommendations; and if she will make a statement. [80538]
Mrs. Beckett:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 14 April 1999, Official Report, columns 239-40, by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office. The Privy Council Office will participate fully in Government initiatives to improve the representation of ethnic minorities in the Civil Service. The Department has few policy responsibilities which impact directly on racism in society, but it does have responsibility for the appointment of High Sheriffs. There are currently no Sheriffs from the ethnic minorities, and the Privy Council Office wrote last year to the Shrievalty Association
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 467
expressing concern. The Association has agreed to address this point specifically in guidance to their members, since under the relevant legislation it is for serving Sheriffs to provide nominations. My Department will continue regularly to monitor the position and to urge action where necessary.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer of 13 April 1999, Official Report, column 29, if she will list the Commonwealth countries from which appeals and applications for leave to appeal in cases concerning the death penalty have been submitted; and if she will make a statement. [81579]
| Country | Number of appeals | Number of applications for leave |
|---|---|---|
| Trinidad and Tobago | 7 | 10 |
| Jamaica | 3 | 4 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1 | -- |
| Belize | 1 | -- |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | -- | 1 |
| Bermuda | 1 | -- |
NORTHERN IRELAND
Macpherson Inquiry
Mr. Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department of the Macpherson inquiry recommendations; and if she will make a statement. [80530]
Mr. Ingram: I have been considering the report into the brutal murder of Stephen Lawrence in the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland. The report focuses on the Metropolitan Police but it raises many issues for policing and, indeed, society generally. Many of the Lawrence report's recommendations are pertinent in Northern Ireland, not only in terms of how racial differences are addressed, but also in terms of divisions along religious and other lines.
The Government attach great importance to issues of racial equality in Northern Ireland and, in the context of policing, I welcome the first meeting of the Consultative Committee on Policing for Ethnic Minorities hosted recently by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland and the RUC. This Committee will do much to ensure the views of ethnic minority groups are fully understood and their policing needs met. It will develop a greater understanding in the police service of the problems faced by ethnic minorities and provide a means by which these communities can work with the police to provide a better service and have their problems addressed.
The Criminal Justice and Policing section of the Good Friday Agreement recognises that we have a unique opportunity to bring about a society,
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 468
None the less, there are a number of areas where I will want to see comparable changes to those set out in my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's action plan for addressing the recommendations of the Lawrence report. On the application of not only race relations legislation, but all Northern Ireland's stringent equality legislation to the police, I want to see as full a coverage as possible. Northern Ireland is already a leader in providing statutory guarantees of equality of treatment and I want to build on this.
Improving community confidence in policing generally is an essential priority. The Police Authority has set an objective in the recently published Policing Plan requiring the Chief Constable to raise public confidence in the RUC in the year 1999-2000. However, in view of the recommendations contained in the Lawrence report, I will examine with the Authority and the Chief Constable what more might be needed to promote racial, religious, sex and disability equality and what meaningful measures can be adopted to ensure this happens. There should be no doubt of the Government's commitment to tackling all forms of discrimination.
Turning to the recommendations which affect police complaints and discipline procedures, we are making important changes. On independent investigations, we are pressing ahead with the establishment of a Police Ombudsman. This will provide for completely independent investigation of complaints against the police and will provide a model for other systems. We want this system to be as transparent as possible. We will also be introducing important reforms of the police conduct and performance procedures and will consider the further changes recommended by the Lawrence report in this area.
While first aid training in the RUC generally meets the standards recommended by the report, we are in touch with the RUC to ensure that any steps necessary to reduce intervals between refresher training are advanced as a matter of urgency. In other aspects of training, the police will build upon the initiatives taken as part of the Community Awareness Programme which already uses outside trainers from a wide variety of organisations. On inspection, similar changes to the role of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary will be made in Northern Ireland in line with those being made by the Home Secretary.
The Report raises issues about communication between the prosecuting authorities and victims. In Northern Ireland, victims or their families are informed about the progress of their case by the RUC at key stages during the process, and by staff of the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland if any decisions are taken once the case has actually come to court. The experience of those victims and witnesses who are made to feel particularly vulnerable because of the
19 Apr 1999 : Column: 469
nature of the offence they are giving evidence about has been considered by a working group since last May. The group will be making recommendations to me in the summer as to how the criminal justice system might better assist such witnesses.
This is why the Government established the independent Commission on Policing and the Review of Criminal Justice, which will report later this year. The terms of reference of these two bodies cover many areas highlighted by the report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
"which will recognise the full and equal legitimacy and worth of identities, senses of allegiance and ethos of all sections of the community in Northern Ireland".
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |