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Pensions
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which software providers have responded to Stakeholder Pension Consultation Brief 6. [98119]
Mr. Rooker: One software provider, Quality Management Software Ltd. responded to Stakeholder Pension Consultation Brief 6.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently waiting for their pension application to be processed by Newcastle Benefit Office; and when the Office expects to process applications from people who reached the age of 60 in September. [98190]
Mr. Rooker:
The number of people who reached pension age (60 for a woman and 65 for a man) in September 1999 and are currently waiting for their
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pension application to be processed by the Benefit Agency's clerical section in Newcastle is 888. It is expected that most of this number will have been completed by 30 November.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are not claiming the minimum income guarantee; what is the average resulting loss of income to those pensioners; and if he will make a statement. [98062]
Mr. Rooker:
We estimate that the number of pensioners not claiming their Income Support entitlement is between 530,000 and 870,000. The average weekly amount unclaimed is estimated to be £18.80. We will announce our plans for a national programme to encourage take-up of the minimum income guarantee in due course.
Mr. Love:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many pensioners in each of the last 10 years were in receipt of occupational and other pensions additional to the state retirement pensions and the percentage of those pensioners who were receiving (a) up to £10, (b) £10 to £20, (c) £20 to £50, (d) £50 to £100, (e) £100 to £200 and (f) over £200 per week from such sources. [98055]
Mr. Rooker:
The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
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Note:
Source Income Related benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 1997-98.
| Amount of occupational pension received (£ per week, July 1996 prices) | Total number in receipt | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under £10 | £10-20 | £20-50 | £50-100 | £100-200 | More than £200 | (millions) | |
| 1987 | 29 | 19 | 27 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3.8 |
| 1988 | 23 | 21 | 26 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 3.8 |
| 1989 | 23 | 21 | 25 | 18 | 11 | 2 | 4.0 |
| 1990-91 | 20 | 19 | 29 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 4.2 |
| 1992 | 17 | 16 | 26 | 18 | 16 | 6 | 4.3 |
| 1993 | 17 | 16 | 29 | 17 | 17 | 5 | 4.5 |
| 1994-95 | 14 | 17 | 28 | 19 | 15 | 8 | 4.6 |
| 1995-96 | 15 | 15 | 27 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 4.7 |
| 1996-97 | 12 | 13 | 27 | 22 | 18 | 9 | 4.5 |
Notes:
1. Pensioners are defined as individuals over State Pension age (65 for men, 60 for women).
2. All money amounts are expressed in £ per week at July 1996 prices.
3. All years are calendar years except 1990-91, which refers to the combined calendar years 1990 and 1991, and 1994-95 onwards, which refer to financial years.
4. Receipt of occupational pension is based on survey respondents' own assessment and may be subject to under-reporting.
Source:
Family Expenditure Survey
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Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate (a) the net cost and (b) the gross cost of paying SERPS to widows and widowers at (i) 100 per cent. of spouse's contributions made to 5 April 2000 and (ii) 50 per cent. of spouse's contributions made after 6 April 2000, broken down by each year from 2000 to 2020. [98091]
Mr. Rooker:
The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
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Notes:
1. Gross costs have been provided from the Government Actuary's Department.
2. Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million, and are in 1999-2000 prices.
3. Exact figures for net costs are not available. It is estimated that gross costs are likely to incur an offset of around 0-5 per cent. in the years up to and including 2010 and around 5-10 per cent. thereafter.
4. Estimates assume average earnings growth from 1999 onwards of 1.5 per cent. per year above prices. The State Second Pension and Welfare Reform Bill changes are not taken into account in these figures.
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Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many meetings of the working group on Best Practice Guidelines for occupational pensions have taken place so far. [98294]
Mr. Rooker: The Best Practice Working Group met for the first time in October. Their second meeting will be in January 2000.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many inquiries (a) by letter, (b) by telephone and (c) in total have been received by the Benefits Agency since October 1998 on SERPS for widows and widowers after April 2000; [98093]
- (2) which Benefits Agency Pensions Bulletins issued since October 1998 mention SERPS for widows and widowers after April 2000; and if he will publish them. [98095]
Mr. Rooker: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
Note:
Prior to April 1999 the data has not been collected
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In addition to the data provided above the Benefits Agency Chief Executive has responded directly to 56 SERPS related inquiries since October 1998.
Since October 1998 the Benefits Agency has issued six procedural bulletins in the Pensions Bulletin series on the subject of the changes to inherited SERPS from April 2000. These are 2/99; 13/99; 16/99; 18/99; 20/99; 28/99.Benefits Agency Pensions Bulletins are not priced publications available from HMSO. However, in line with the Benefits Agency's commitment to the Open Government Code of Practice, the bulletins are in the public domain and can be viewed at Benefit Agency Local Offices.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) hon. Members, (b) members of the public and (c) organisations have written to him since October 1998 about SERPS for widows and widowers after April 2000. [98092]
Mr. Rooker:
The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available shows that since October 1998 we have received 1,381 letters from hon. Members on this subject. Since November 1998, 834 letters have been received from organisations and members of the public.
Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to consult outside organisations before he publishes regulations under Clause 1 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill relating to additional pension for widows and widowers. [98094]
Mr. Rooker:
We plan to write shortly to interested organisations to invite them to be involved in a consultation group.
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many meetings of the Pension Forecasting Advisory Group have taken place so far. [98293]
Mr. Rooker:
The Pensions Forecasting Advisory Group met for the first time in October. Their second meeting will be in January 2000.
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