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Hollywood Films
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has (a) received and (b) made regarding allegations of anti-British bias in Hollywood films; and if he will make a statement. [128815]
Mr. Chris Smith: I have received a number of letters from members of the public about historical misrepresentation in Hollywood films, and while it is not for the Government formally to intervene in the creative process of film-making, I have made my personal views on the subject clear and will do so again when appropriate occasions arise.
Tourist Industry (Crime)
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of a rise in the crime rate on the tourist industry. [128814]
Mr. Chris Smith: The vast majority of tourists to Britain have a safe and enjoyable visit. Misleading comparisons of crime in Britain with that in the United States are of course unhelpful; but we expect to welcome many overseas visitors to Britain this year, four million of whom are expected to come from the United States alone. The Government are, of course, determined to tackle violent crime and are providing resources to address the issue.
United Kingdom Sports Institute
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts have been let by the United Kingdom Sports Institute; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement. [128812]
Mr. Chris Smith: My Department has asked both Sport England and UK Sport to provide the information requested, and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Library of the House.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefits (Foreign Countries)
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the foreign countries where people claiming social security benefits currently reside; and how many customers of his Department reside in each such country. [127351]
Mr. Rooker [holding answer 22 June 2000]: Such information as is available has been placed in Library.
Child Support
Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 22 June 2000, Official Report, column 256W, on child support, if the new criminal offences for providing false information will apply retrospectively; and if he will make a statement. [128153]
3 Jul 2000 : Column: 14W
Angela Eagle: It would not be appropriate under the terms of the European Convention on Human Rights for such provisions to have retrospective effect, allowing prosecution for an act or omission which was not a criminal offence at the time it was committed.
Ancillary Employees
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest position regarding the payment of Jobseeker's Allowances to school ancillary employees during the school holidays. [128293]
Angela Eagle: The current legal position, confirmed by the Court of Appeal in October 1999, is that ancillary workers with an on-going contract of employment, who are not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Income Support (IS) during term-time because of the hours they work, are also not entitled to JSA or IS during the school holidays. We understand that leave to appeal to the House of Lords against the Court of Appeal decision was granted on 11 April.
Where any doubts exist over entitlement to JSA or Income Support, school ancillary workers may make a claim, which will be decided on an individual basis. School ancillary workers with low incomes may still claim in-work benefits such as Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Those with children may also be eligible for the Working Families Tax Credit.
Winter Fuel Payments
Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects men aged between 60 and 64 years in the West Chelmsford Constituency to receive their Winter Fuel Allowance; and if he will make a statement on the delays in paying it to them. [128320]
Angela Eagle: Retrospective payments for previous years winter fuel payments started to be paid in the week commencing 26 June 2000 in line with our targets. The payments will be issued as claims are processed and are not defined into postcoded areas. Some customers in West Chelmsford may have already received their payment and the remainder will receive them over the coming months as claims are received and processed.
Mr. John Ward
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will investigate the treatment by SEMA and by the Benefits Agency of Mr. John Ward, a constituent whose address has been supplied to him; and if he will make a statement. [124877]
Mr. Bayley [holding answer 12 June 2000]: This matter has now been fully investigated. Due to the Data Protection Act 1998 I have written to my hon. Friend privately.
State Pension
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 27 June 2000, Official Report, column 480W, on the state pension, if he will estimate the cost of Option (b), an increase of £5 in the rate of the basic state pension and the introduction of age additions of £5 for pensioners aged 75 to 79 and £10 for
3 Jul 2000 : Column: 15W
pensioners aged 80 years or over, on the basis that the age additions for those aged 75 to 79 or 80 years and over are paid in full, regardless of contribution record. [128605]
Mr. Rooker: The information is in the table.
| £ billion | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gross | Net of means-tested benefits and income tax | |
| 2001-02 | 4.6 | 3.1 |
| 2002-03 | 4.7 | 3.2 |
| 2003-04 | 4.7 | 3.2 |
| 2004-05 | 4.8 | -- |
| 2005-06 | 4.8 | -- |
Notes:
1. Figures include the cost of benefits whose rates are linked to the rate of basic Retirement Pension.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 billion and are in 2000-01 price terms.
3. Gross costs estimated by the Government Actuary's Department. Costs net of income-related benefit savings are estimated using the Policy Simulation Model. Income tax revenues estimated by the Inland Revenue.
4. Estimates of income tax revenues not available beyond 2003-04.
5. Age related increase uprated in line with RPI, as in previous reply.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the annual cost would have been in respect of pensioners in Scotland if the level of the state pension for (a) single pensioners and (b) couples had been uprated in line with earnings from May 1997. [128064]
Mr. Rooker: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is shown in the table.
| Gross cost | |
|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 20 |
| 1999-2000 | 70 |
| 2000-01 | 200 |
Notes:
1. Costs estimated by the Government Actuary's Department are in 2000-01 price terms. Estimates are rounded to the nearest £10 million.
2. Costs include those benefits whose rates are linked to the rate of basic retirement pension.
3. Assumed rates of earnings growth are based on the seasonally adjusted average earnings index for the three months to July of the previous year, as originally published.
4. Separate estimates for singles and couples are not available.
5. Costs net of means-tested benefit savings are not available.
Staff Secondments
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 9 February 2000, Official Report, column 213W, concerning secondments, which of the secondees listed were appointed for a period of 12 months or less. [124820]
Mr. Rooker [pursuant to his reply, 7 June 2000, c. 290W]: All four of the secondees listed were appointed for a period of 12 months or less.
3 Jul 2000 : Column: 16W
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department in (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. [109293]
Mr. Rooker [pursuant to his reply, 9 February 2000, c. 213W]: 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.
For the periods in question, four private sector staff are recorded as having been seconded to the Department. One was from the Guardian Media Group plc between September 1997 and December 1997, one from Sacker and Partners between October 1997 and February 1998, one from Oracle from March 1998 to September 1998 and the final one from CSL Managed Services between August 1999 and February 2000. Other inward secondments of three months or more recorded centrally in the above periods were mainly from local government and other parts of the public sector outside the Civil Service.
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