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Pensioner Income
Mr. Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 28 April 1999, Official Report, columns 165-66, on pensioner incomes, what would be the difference in income between a single man of 65 with no savings or resources and the income of a single man of 65 who has resources of at least £16,000 but no additional pension from SERPS; and what amount of money would be required to purchase an annuity to fund this difference. [83178]
Mr. Timms: The amounts of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit that a person receives depends on local factors as well as personal circumstances. As an illustrative example, a hypothetical 65-year-old man with no savings or resources who receives the average Housing Benefit and average Council Tax Benefit received by those on Income Support aged 60 or over would receive £127 a week in Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
The amount is £60 more than the full basic pension and, at February 1999 annuity rates, a lump sum of £43,000 would be required to fund this difference.
It is, however, extremely unlikely that a person would receive the full basic pension and have £16,000 in savings without having any second-tier pension as any employee who earns over the Lower Earnings Limit for National Insurance contributions automatically builds up rights to a second-tier pension. Furthermore, information from the 1996 General Household Survey suggests that half of those who are self-employed are currently contributing to a personal pension and a further 10 per cent. have contributed in the past.
6 May 1999 : Column: 452
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of defined benefit occupational pension schemes operate clawback of more than the level of the basic state pension. [83274]
Mr. Timms:
The Department does not collect this information.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the last Jaguar aircraft to be taken out of active service. [82518]
Mr. Spellar:
On current plans, the last Jaguar aircraft will be taken out of active service in the later part of the next decade.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for further expenditure on Jaguar aircraft before they are taken out of service. [82519]
Mr. Spellar:
We plan to spend only what is necessary to ensure that the Jaguar fleet is able to meet its operational commitments, and achieve safely its remaining service life.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency for the financial year 1999-2000. [83763]
Mr. Doug Henderson:
Key Targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency for the financial year 1999-2000. The targets build upon progress made by the Agency since it formed on 1 April 1997 and are as follows:
6 May 1999 : Column: 453
Notes:
1. Weekly income figures are rounded to the nearest pound and the lump sum figure is rounded to the nearest £1,000.
2. The latest available data are used for average levels of benefit receipt, the level of Income Support and annuity rates:
Income support and basic State pension level--1999-2000 figures;
Average Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit received--May 1997 data expressed in February 1999 figures;
Annuity rates--February 1999 figure.
1. Pay, allowances and pensions payments
Whilst making 100 per cent. of payments of pay, allowances and pensions by the due date, the number of errors per 1,000 payments not to exceed 2.5 for pay and allowances and 2.5 for pensions.
2. Accuracy of personnel records and liabilities data
Initiate a plan with customers by June 1999 to improve the completeness and accuracy of the record of service, to assist in the further development of unit based systems.
3. Currency of personnel records and liabilities data
Update all personnel records and liabilities data within 2 days of valid input.
4. Responsiveness
Resolve 91 per cent. of inquiries, written or through official help desks, within 10 working days, across all services, where information and/or authority is within AFPAA's control.
5. Efficiency
To reduce the average unit costs to deliver AFPAA services by 3 per cent. this year.
Special Advisers
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what dates special advisers from his Department travelled abroad on official business since 2 May 1997; which countries were visited on each occasion; and what were the names of the special advisers who travelled abroad on each occasion. [82254]
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 31 March 1999, Official Report, column 726, on special advisers, if he will give (a) the total travel cost of each occasion when a departmental special adviser has travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997 and (b) the place visited. [82433]
Mr. Michael: In February 1998 (10 to 12) Mr. Huw Roberts travelled to Brussels, Belgium at a cost, including travel and subsistence costs, of £175 to The Welsh Office.
In March 1998 (20 to 22) Mr. Huw Roberts travelled to Dublin, Republic of Ireland at a cost, including travel and subsistence costs, of £150 to The Welsh Office.
All travel complies with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
Ms Lawrence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the directions setting out the pension scheme for members of the National Assembly for Wales. [83725]
Mr. Hain:
I have today put copies of The National Assembly for Wales (Assembly Members) (Pension Scheme) Direction 1999 in the Libraries of the House.
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters and representations he has received from the Brecon Beacons National Park concerning the Talgarth Relief Road (Southern Section); and how many were (a) in favour of and (b) opposed to the scheme. [83332]
Mr. Hain:
Prior to the Public Inquiry the Welsh Office Highways Directorate received one letter from the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority in support of its published proposals for a Talgarth Bypass. Following publication of the Inspector's Report, which recommended against proceeding with the published scheme, no further representations have been received.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Ambulance Service (Fuel Costs)
Miss Widdecombe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of the increases in fuel duty since 1997 on the fuel bill of ambulance services in England. [81796]
6 May 1999 : Column: 454
Mr. Hutton
[holding answer 23 April 1999]: We estimate the costs of the increase in fuel duty since 1996-97 to be about £3.73 million. This amounts to less than 0.075 per cent. of hospital and community health services spending over the two years since 1997.
Mr. Godsiff:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the benefits of providing financial assistance schemes for people who contracted hepatitis C through contaminated blood products as a result of NHS treatment. [82860]
Mr. Hutton:
We carried out a thorough assessment in 1998 of whether it would be right to introduce a special payment scheme for people infected with hepatitis C through National Health Service treatment. We concluded that this would not be appropriate and that such patients should continue to obtain support through the benefits system in the same way as other NHS patients who have suffered non negligent harm.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to (a) ensure that NHS trusts create more consultant posts in obstetrics and gynaecology and (b) restrict the creation by NHS trusts of non-consultant career-grade posts in obstetrics and gynaecology; [83270]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 5 May 1999]: It is for National Health Service trusts, who are accountable for the quality of services they provide, to decide the number and grade of staff they need. Only they can judge exactly what is required to deliver quality services in their location.
In view of the availability of trained specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology, National Health Service Executive Regional Offices are being asked to arrange workshops and seminars, involving their health authorities, NHS trusts and local professional representatives. The aim is to encourage local managers to review the staffing and grade mix in large obstetric units and consider how services might be improved by creating further consultant posts in obstetrics and gynaecology.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS and HEFCE of training specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology from entrance into medical school, through three years of general professional services and through a complete full-time specialist (CCST) training scheme. [83268]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 5 May 1999]: The cost to the National Health Service and the Higher Education Funding Council for England of a five year undergraduate medical course is around £160,000.
The Health Service makes a significant investment in postgraduate medical education. Doctors in postgraduate training follow an apprenticeship model where their training is inextricably bound up with the service they provide. Even within specialties the length and type of training will vary according to the particular career path
6 May 1999 : Column: 455
an individual chooses and their rate of progress. For these reasons, it is not possible to put a meaningful figure to the cost of training individuals to Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training level.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of obstetricians and gynaecologists who have obtained their Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training and who (a) face redundancy this year due to lack of consultant posts and (b) are still in training posts six months after obtaining their CCST. [83269]
Mr. Denham
[holding answer 5 May 1999]: On 1 April 1999, there were 117 obstetricians and gynaecologists who had obtained their Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) and who had not found a consultant appointment. Of these, 86 had been in training posts for six months or more, after obtaining their CCST. We expect that some of these will obtain consultant posts this year, but it is not possible to say how many at this stage. We are considering a range of options for tackling this situation.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will increase the funding for obstetrics and gynaecology to implement the proposals of the NHSE voting groups to improve standards of care given to women and babies. [83276]
Mr. Denham:
The working group has proposed that National Health Service trusts should be encouraged to review staffing in obstetric and gynaecology services.
Dr. Harris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the contracts of those (a) specialist registrars and (b) senior registrars in obstetrics and gynaecology who have obtained their CCST but who have not found consultant posts. [83275]
Mr. Denham:
Under current regulations, all holders of Certificates of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) may be given an extension to their contracts of up to 6 months in order to secure a job. Because of the difficulties being experienced by CCST holders in obstetrics and gynaecology, it has been agreed that they may have their contracts extended for a further period of up to 12 months, making a total of 18 months in all.
(2) what assessment he has made of the lack of consultant numbers in the NHS hospital obstetrics service; and if he will make a statement on the level of consultant cover on labour wards. [83271]
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