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SOCIAL SECURITY
Mrs. J. Duffy
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will pay compensation to Mrs. J. Duffy of Kingsbridge, following the outcome of her appeal against the Benefits Agency on 6 October 1999 and the reinstatement of her benefit. [108995]
Mr. Bayley: The administration of Disability Living Allowance is a matter for Mr. Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 9 February 2000:
10 Feb 2000 : Column: 262W
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question if he will pay compensation to Mrs. J. Duffy of Kingsbridge, following the outcome of her appeal against the Benefits Agency on 6 October, 1999 and the reinstatement of her benefit.
Mrs. Duffy's case has been carefully considered and an award of £50.00 consolatory special payment has been made for gross inconvenience. Mrs. Duffy has been invited to submit evidence to allow consideration of further ex-gratia payments for her out of pocket expenses.
Compensation by way of interest on delayed arrears of Disability Living Allowance is not payable in Mrs. Duffy's case as she has not been deprived of benefit as a result of clear and unambiguous official error or exceptional delay. Guidelines for which are laid down in the Department's "Financial Redress for Maladministration" manual.
I hope this is helpful.
Departmental Contracts
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number and value of contracts let by his Department since May 1997 to external consultants and advisers for the management of competitive tendering processes. [109454]
Mr. Rooker: There have been no contracts let by the Department to external consultants and advisers for the management of competitive tendering processes during the period May 1997 to date.
New Deal (Lone Parents)
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the reason for the numbers of ethnic minority interviewees on the New deal for lone parents who are subsequently found to be ineligible for the caseload. [109508]
Angela Eagle: All lone parents on income support are eligible to join the New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP).
The rate at which lone parents from ethnic minorities agree to participate in NDLP following an initial interview is in line with the equivalent figure for all lone parents (currently 90 per cent. and 89 per cent. respectively).
The latest results show that 6.7 per cent. of all leavers from the NDLP caseload left because they became ineligible for the programme. The equivalent figure for ethnic minority lone parents is 5.1 per cent.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people of working age lived in (a) households with incomes below (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 60 per cent. and (iii) 70 per cent. of median household income, and (b) households with incomes below (x) 40 per cent., (y) 50 per cent. and (z) 60 per cent. of average household income, (1) before and (2) after housing costs in (A) 1997-98 and (B) 1998-99, with median and mean household incomes fixed at their 1996-97 value in real terms. [109346]
Notes:
1. Ethnic group is recorded for only 62 per cent. of clients at present.
2. Lone parents on the NDLP caseload may become ineligible owing to a change in circumstance, for example lone parents who re-partner.
| Percentage of 1996-97 Median(8) | Percentage of 1996-97 Mean(8) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 60 | 70 | 40 | 50 | 60 | |
| BHC | 8 | 14 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 22 |
| AHC | 14 | 19 | 24 | 13 | 19 | 25 |
(8) Thresholds are calculated as percentages of 1996-97 averages in real terms
Notes:
1. The information comes from the 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series. The estimates are presented on household income both Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) in line with HBAI conventions. All the estimates in the table relate to adults in families where the adult male is of working age, or the adult single female is of working age.
10 Feb 2000 : Column: 263W
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children lived in (a) households with incomes below (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 60 per cent. and (iii) 70 per cent. of median household income and (b) in households with incomes below (x) 40 per cent., (y) 50 per cent. and (z) 60 per cent. of mean household income, (1) before and (2) after housing costs in (A) 1997-98 and (B) 1998-99, with median and mean household income fixed at their 1996-97 value in real terms. [109347]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.
| Percentage of 1996-97 Median(9) | Percentage of 1996-97 Mean(9) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 60 | 70 | 40 | 50 | 60 | |
| BHC | 12 | 24 | 35 | 10 | 25 | 37 |
| AHC | 22 | 32 | 40 | 20 | 33 | 42 |
(9) Thresholds are calculated as percentages of 1996-97 averages in real terms.
Notes:
1. The information comes from the 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series. The estimates are presented on household income both Before Housing Costs and After Housing Costs in line with HBAI conventions.
2. Children are defined as an individual aged under 16 or an unmarried 16 to 18-year-old on a course up to and including 'A' level standard or 'Highers' in Scotland.
3. Estimates are derived from the Family Resources Survey for 1997-98, and relate to Great Britain. All estimates are subject to sampling error.
4. Information for 1997-98 is the latest year available.
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many adults aged under 60 years were in families in which they or their partner had been in receipt of (a) income support and (b) income based jobseeker's allowance for two years or more in (i) May 1998 and (ii) May 1999. [109348]
Mr. Bayley: The information is in the table:
| Date | Benefit | Number of claimants | Number of partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1998 | Income Support | 1,364 | 210 |
| May 1999 | Income Support | 1,330 | 210 |
| May 1998 | Income Based JSA | 213 | 50 |
| May 1999 | Income Based JSA | 181 | 41 |
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Figures are based on cases where either the claimant or their partner or both are aged less than 60 years.
3. Income based JSA figures may include cases which have entitlement to benefit via the contributory route.
4. Based on a 5 per cent. sample, therefore subject to sampling error.
Source:
Income Support Statistical Enquiries, May 1998 and May 1999.
Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries 1999.
10 Feb 2000 : Column: 264W
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the median income for the bottom quintile of (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples (i) before housing costs and (ii) after housing costs in (1) 1997-98 and (2) 1998-99, with median household income fixed at the July 1996 value in real terms. [109343]
| Income distribution | Median income of the bottom quintile |
|---|---|
| Net income before housing costs | |
| Pensioner couples | 122 |
| Single pensioners | 66 |
| Net income after housing costs | |
| Pensioner couples | 102 |
| Single pensioners | 52 |
(10) July 1996 prices
Notes:
1. Estimates are derived from the Family Resources Survey for 1997-98, and relate to Great Britain. All estimates are subject to sampling error.
2. Single pensioners are defined as single (non-cohabiting) people over State pension age (65 for men, 60 for women); pensioner couples are defined as couples (married or cohabiting) where the man is over State pension age.
3. All estimates are expressed in July 1996 prices and are rounded to the nearest £ per week, although they are not necessarily accurate to that degree.
4. The distribution of income has been calculated separately under the before housing costs and after housing costs measures of income. The distribution of income is also calculated separately for each group, i.e. estimates for pensioner couples show the median income for the bottom quintile of the pensioner couples' income distribution.
5. Information for 1997-98 is the latest year available.
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in (a) households with incomes below (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 60 per cent. and (iii) 70 per cent. of median household income, and (b) households with incomes below (x) 40 per cent. of average household income, (y) 50 per cent. of average household income and (z) 60 per cent. of average household income, (1) before and (2) after housing costs in (A) 1997-98 and (B) 1998-99. [109344]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.
| BHC | AHC | |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of Median | ||
| 50 | 11 | 12 |
| 60 | 22 | 27 |
| 70 | 36 | 38 |
| Percentage of Mean | ||
| 40 | 10 | 11 |
| 50 | 23 | 29 |
| 60 | 40 | 42 |
Notes:
1. The information comes from the 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series. The estimates are presented on household income both Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) in line with HBAI conventions.
10 Feb 2000 : Column: 265W
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people of working age lived in (a) households with incomes below (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 60 per cent. and (iii) 70 per cent. of median household income and (b) households with incomes below (x) 40 per cent., (y) 50 per cent. and (z) 60 per cent. of average household income, (1) before and (2) after housing costs in (A) 1997-98 and (B) 1998-99. [109345]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the table.
| BHC | AHC | |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of median | ||
| 50 | 8 | 14 |
| 60 | 15 | 20 |
| 70 | 21 | 25 |
| Percentage of Mean | ||
| 40 | 8 | 14 |
| 50 | 15 | 20 |
| 60 | 23 | 26 |
Notes:
1. The information comes from the 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series. The estimates are presented on household income both Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) in line with HBAI conventions. All the estimates in the table relate to adults in families where the adult male is of working age, or the adult single female is of working age.
2. Estimates are derived from the Family Resources Survey for 1997-98, and relate to Great Britain. All estimates are subject to sampling error.
3. Information for 1997-98 is the latest year available.
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