| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Incapacity Benefit
Mrs. Ewing:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost to (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland of restoring eligibility for incapacity benefit to its status before 1999. [106579]
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 130W
Mr. Bayley
[holding answer 25 January 2000]: Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Our welfare reforms are estimated to affect benefit expenditure for disabled people in Great Britain from 6 April 2001 as shown in the following table. The Incapacity Benefit charges apply only to new claims and no existing recipient will be adversely affected at the point of change.
Our reforms are intended to modernise the welfare system and to encourage work for those who can, while providing security for those who cannot. The reforms are not focused on making savings in benefit expenditure; spending on benefits for sick and disabled people will continue to rise.
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 129W
| Measure | £ million |
|---|---|
| Incapacity Benefit contribution changes | -20 |
| Incapacity Benefit occupational and personal pension changes | -30 |
| Replacement of Severe Disabled Allowance by Incapacity Benefit for under 20-25-year-olds | 0 |
| Severe Disablement Allowance abolition for new cases | -10 |
| Extension of Disability Allowance mobility component to 3 and 4-year-olds | +15 |
| Disability Income Guarantee | +60 |
Notes:
1. Estimate for the United Kingdom is unavailable.
2. Estimates are available for Great Britain. It is expected that the effects will be proportionate for each measure in Scotland.
3. All above figures are in April 1998 prices from April 2001.
4. From 6 April 2001 the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 amends the National Insurance contributions that have to be met to qualify for Incapacity Benefit and provides for some account of occupational and personal pension income in excess of £85 a week to be taken. Both measures apply to new Incapacity Benefit claims only.
5. The Disability Income Guarantee is included in the above table as it was part of the welfare reforms published in the command paper "A New Contract for Welfare: Support for Disabled People".
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 131W
Minimum Wage
Mr. Swinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the impact on benefit payments in the next financial year of a single minimum wage for all age groups of (a) £4.00 per hour, (b) £4.20 per hour and (c) £4.50 per hour. [108674]
| £4.00 | £4.20 | £4.50 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income Support/JSA (IB) | -30 | -50 | -70 |
| Housing Benefit | -50 | -100 | -140 |
| Council Tax Benefit | -10 | -20 | -30 |
| Total | -90 | -170 | -240 |
Notes:
1. Estimates based on 1996-97 Family Resources Survey data, uprated to 2000-01 prices and benefit rates.
2. Estimates rounded to the nearest £5 million. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
3. Estimates assume no secondary effects on employment or wages.
Benefit Administration
Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the initiatives local government authorities have taken to improve the administration of benefits. [107342]
Angela Eagle: Local and central government have a common aim in transforming the delivery of Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit (HB/CTB) so that all local authorities can provide their communities with a faster, more accurate service which is more secure against fraud and error, provides value for money and takes account of the views and needs of clients.
Many local authorities are providing an excellent benefits service and are committed to modernising the way in which they provide it for local people. We are delighted that Leeds City Council was one of the five councils awarded Beacon status under the Modern Service Delivery theme along with the London Boroughs of Camden and Harrow, Exeter City Council and New Forest District Council. Beacon councils have a key role in disseminating best practice so that others can benefit from their experience.
New Best Value performance indicators will target key areas of benefit administration from April 2000. All local authorities will be required to set and meet challenging targets against indicators and demonstrate that they are achieving continuous improvements in the standards of service they provide.
There are many other initiatives underway between local and central government, including the pilot ONE service where Leeds City Council is a key player. Their involvement has been key to the delivery of the ONE service in Leeds, not only because of their responsibility for delivering housing benefit and council tax benefit, but also because of their expertise in providing a wide range of local services and information.
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 132W
Mr. Willis:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded. [109072]
Mr. Lock:
Secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange Initiative which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are involved: Voluntary, Education, Health, Public and Private. Interchange is a key component of the reform agenda. The Modernising Government White Paper committed us to increasing interchange, in particular by bringing in more people on secondment and sending more of our people out.
Records in this Department are only available for the periods April 1997 to March 1998 and April 1998 to March 1999. During 1997-98, we had one individual seconded from ICL to LCD Headquarters for less than three months and in 1998-99 a lawyer from Clifford Chance was seconded to the Law Commission for more than three months.
Ms Oona King:
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how his Department will take forward reform of the Public Trust Office following the Quinquennial Review of its executive agency status, published on 18 November 1999. [109502]
Jane Kennedy:
When he published the Quinquennial Review of the Public Trust Office, my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor indicated that he would explore the Review's recommendations in a programme of reform and would make a further announcement on the way forward in February 2000. It remains his view that radical reforms are needed but he is also determined to ensure, in an area where we are trying to protect the interests of some of the most vulnerable in society, that we consider very carefully the full implications of any changes we make. Several organisations and professional groups commenting on the Quinquennial Review have asked for an extension of the timetable in order to put forward their views. In order to ensure that all have sufficient time to give their views, the Lord Chancellor now intends to allow comments to be submitted up until 3 March. The Lord Chancellor will consider these and make an announcement on the way forward for the Public Trust Office by this Easter.
Mrs. Brinton:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place a copy of the transcript of the hearings of the appeals against the judgments of the Securities and
8 Feb 2000 : Column: 133W
Futures Authority's disciplinary tribunal in the case of Bertram Fleurose in the Library, together with a set of the papers available to the appeals tribunal. [109117]
Miss Melanie Johnson:
I will arrange for transcripts of the hearings to be placed in the Library as soon as possible. However, the papers available to the tribunal are not being supplied as they contain commercially sensitive information and documents subject to legal professional privilege.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it his policy that the Comprehensive Spending Review to be announced this year will set Government spending plans up to and including 2004-05; and if he will make a statement. [108903]
Mr. Andrew Smith:
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Pre-Budget Report (Box 2.1, page 15, "Stability and steady growth for Britain", Cm 4479).
The Spending Review will set plans for Departmental Expenditure Limits up to and including the financial year 2003-04.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will present his Budget Statement for 2000; and if he will make a statement. [108977]
Dawn Primarolo:
The Chancellor announced to the House on 3 February 2000, Official Report, column 1187, that he will deliver his Budget Statement on 21 March.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |