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Invalid Care Allowance (Scotland)
Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in Scotland have become ineligible for invalid care allowance on the grounds of age in each of the last five years; [103865]
- (2) how many people in Scotland have received invalid care allowance in each year since 1991. [103759]
Mr. Bayley: The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what advice is given to assessors and adjudicators on applications for Disability Living Allowance on the mobility and care needs of those suffering from achondroplasia; [103642]
- (2) what account is taken of the needs of persons suffering from achondroplasia in framing criteria for Disability Living Allowance. [103641]
Mr. Bayley:
Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) depends on the extent to which a severely disabled person needs help with personal care,
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requires supervision or has difficulty getting around. People with achondroplasia have access to DLA in the same way as other severely disabled people.
Guidance on the likely effects of a large range of disabling conditions is contained in the Disability Handbook issued to all decision makers. The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board provides decision makers with regular updates and information on other conditions, to be used in conjunction with the Handbook. Advice, in this form, on the likely effects of achondroplasia and associated complications, was issued in August 1995.
In addition to the training and written guidance that decision makers receive, they also have access to advice from doctors, if they need further information relating to any medical condition or combination of conditions.
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security after what period data about payments made by absent parents is routinely erased from CSA records. [103116]
Angela Eagle:
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. Richard Livsey, dated 23 December 1999:
Mr. O'Hara:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the basic state pension for (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples, for each year between November 1979 and April 2000; and what it would have been if it had been uprated in line with the higher in each year of average earnings or prices. [103956]
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency.
The account history information on the CSA computer system is subject to an archiving process. This process examines account transactions that have reached a completed status ie. for a given charge there is a receipt and an associated payment out. Once these completed transactions are 365 days old they are marked as eligible for archiving and removed from the online system to the archive database.
Data that is held in the archive database is available for retrieval as a hard copy report. There is currently no processing which deletes this data from the system archive database.
The CSA business requirement in respect of deletion of financial data states that the information must be retained for the current financial year and the succeeding six. As CSA initial action only commenced in June 1993 the Agency does not have any financial data that has surpassed this age.
The Agency intends to examine the need to delete archived data next year however, any data removed will be subject to the appropriate business rules as noted above.
I hope this is helpful.
Notes:
1. The Retail Price Index (all items) has been used as published by the Office for National Statistics.
2. Average Earnings Index Whole Economy (Non Seasonally Adjusted) as published by the Office for National Statistics.
3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5p at each uprating.
4. From April 1994 the basic rate of retirement pension has been increased by 50p on a single person and 20p on a pensioner couple to reflect VAT on fuel.
5. The figures for November 1979 to November 1982 have been calculated using actual increases in Retail Prices Index rather than forecast increases.
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Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each of the 32 indicators in Opportunity for All which of the other indicators and targets are Opportunity for All targets. [103484]
Mr. Rooker:
We placed further information on the indicators of success in the Library of the House on 21 September to coincide with the publication of "Opportunity for All". There are no specific "Opportunity for All" targets. The paper placed in the Library shows where there is a corresponding Government target for each of the 32 indicators.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what baseline information has been developed for those indicators without baseline data in Opportunity for All. [103714]
Mr. Rooker:
We are currently developing the baselines for those indicators without baseline information and will report on their development in the second annual report on the Government's Strategy for Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason men aged 60 to 65 years are entitled to receive the winter fuel bonus if they are claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support. [103486]
Angela Eagle:
Those men aged 60 or over in receipt of Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance which includes a pensioner premium have been eligible
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for winter fuel payments since the scheme began. They are among the poorest elderly people and as such we decided that they should be eligible for this help.
We have announced that winter fuel payments will be extended to everyone aged 60 and over from next winter. The payments will be backdated to the start of the scheme.
Mr. Forth:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total allocation for his Department in 1996-97 and projected for 1999-2000 on child benefits. [102943]
Angela Eagle:
Expenditure on Child Benefits for the financial year 1996-97 amounted to £6,941 million. It is estimated that expenditure for 1999-2000 will reach £8,286 million.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what records his Department holds for current recipients of Invalid Care Allowance on the duration of their claim. [104142]
Mr. Bayley:
The information is in the table.
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Note:
1. Figure for 1996-97 includes One Parent Benefit (£317 million). 2. Figure for 1999-2000 is planned expenditure and it includes Lone Parent Addition of £128 million.
Source:
Departmental Report
| Number of carers | Percentage of total recipients | |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 64,486 | 17.2 |
| 1 to 2 years | 61,302 | 16.4 |
| 2 to 5 years | 127,403 | 34.1 |
| 5 to 10 years | 88,234 | 23.6 |
| Over 10 years | 32,594 | 8.7 |
| Total | 374,019 | 100 |
Source:
ICA Unit, 100 per cent. count
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