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Child Benefit

Jean Corston: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the rate of child benefit for (a) the first or only child of the family and (b) second or other children of the family (i) at 2000-01 prices and (ii) as a percentage of average male earnings in each of the years 1990 to 2000. [130060]

Angela Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.

Rate of child benefit for the first child

Year	Child benefit for first child £ per week	Child Benefit for first child at 1999-2000 prices(7) £ per week	Average male earnings(8) £ per week	Child Benefit for first child as percentage of earnings
April 1990	7.25	9.37	295.80	2.45
April 1991	8.25	10.18	318.90	2.59
April 1992	9.65	11.54	340.30	2.84
April 1993	10.00	11.76	353.90	2.83
April 1994	10.20	11.67	363.00	2.81
April 1995	10.40	11.53	376.30	2.76
April 1996	10.80	11.69	391.30	2.76
April 1997	11.05	11.57	408.70	2.70
April 1998	11.45	11.63	427.10	2.68
April 1999	14.40	14.40	442.40	3.25
April 2000(9)	15.00	--	(10)--	--

13 Jul 2000 : Column: 642W

Rate of child benefit for subsequent children

Year	Child Benefit for subsequent children £ per week	Child Benefit for subsequent children at 1999-2000 prices(7) £ per week	Average male earnings(8) £ per week	Child Benefit for subsequent children as percentage of earnings
April 1990	7.25	9.37	295.80	2.45
April 1991	7.25	8.94	318.90	2.27
April 1992	7.80	9.33	340.30	2.29
April 1993	8.10	9.53	353.90	2.29
April 1994	8.25	9.44	363.00	2.27
April 1995	8.45	9.37	376.30	2.25
April 1996	8.80	9.53	391.30	2.25
April 1997	9.00	9.43	408.70	2.20
April 1998	9.30	9.45	427.10	2.18
April 1999	9.60	9.60	442.40	2.17
April 2000(9)	10.00	--	(10)--	--

(7) The Retail Prices Index (all items) has been used, as published by the Office of National Statistics.

(8) Weekly Average earnings for all Full-time Adult men, as published in the New Earnings Survey, by the Office of National Statistics.

(9) The figures shown are based on prices for the latest full financial year, 1999-2000, as the 2000-01 data are not yet available.

(10) Not available.

Income Support

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many retired people are in receipt of Income Support in England and Wales. [130096]

Mr. Bayley: There are 1,272,300 pensioners in England and Wales benefiting from the Minimum Income Guarantee paid through Income Support.

Source:

Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, February 2000.

13 Jul 2000 : Column: 643W

National Insurance

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women. [129494]

Mr. Rooker: The Department has standing instructions requiring staff to report changes in marital status.

Dr. Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to inform the married women who have retained the right to pay the reduced rate of National Insurance contributions of the consequences of their option with regard to future eligibility for incapacity benefit. [128596]

Mr. Rooker: A publicity exercise will be undertaken later this year. It will be aimed at all women who hold a valid election to pay National Insurance contributions at the reduced rate.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Interactive Voice Response Systems

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems; [127401]

(2) how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public. [127400]

Mr. Mandelson: None.

Departmental Vehicles

Mr. Pearson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for his Department and its agencies the approved list of manufacturers of (a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement on his Department's leasing and purchasing policy. [128993]

Mr. Mandelson: The Northern Ireland Office and its agencies do not have approved lists of manufacturers for either cars or commercial vehicles. Vehicles are sourced using either UK national framework agreements or by open competitive tender. Procurement (i.e. purchasing or leasing) for the NIO is normally undertaken using the open procedure. The procurement practice for such contracts is governed by national and international regulations, in particular EC Directives. These Directives mean that government must conduct public purchasing according to three basic principles--openness and transparency of award procedures, genuine competition in contract award, and no unlawful discrimination.

In certain circumstances (e.g. security) the restricted procedure is used. Where this procedure is used companies may apply to be included on a restricted list of approved suppliers. Their inclusion on such lists is subject to their meeting the required criteria.

13 Jul 2000 : Column: 644W

Telephone Steering Systems

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by touch tone telephone steering systems. [129628]

Mr. Mandelson: None.

National Insurance

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women. [129482]

Mr. Mandelson: At present, no special arrangements operate to notify those members of staff who have elected to pay married women's reduced rate National Insurance contributions to keep the Department informed of changes to their marital status. All staff are informed at induction and are periodically reminded by general office notices thereafter of the necessity to keep the Department informed of any change in their personal circumstances which may have a bearing on the accuracy of records kept about them, or in relation to their pay or other entitlements or conditions of their employment.

Lords Lieutenant

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money his Department has spent in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available on (a) lords-lieutenant and (b) their deputies in Northern Ireland. [129681]

Mr. Mandelson: The information is contained in the table.

There is no separate record of expenditure on the lords-lieutenant and their deputies.

£

Year	Outturn expenditure
1999-2000	4,101
1998-99	5,780
1997-98	8,427
1996-97	13,824
1995-96	6,234
1994-95	10,336
1993-94	5,857
1992-93	5,177
1991-92	7,991
1990-91	4,106

PRIME MINISTER

Government's Annual Report

Mr. Caplin: To ask the Prime Minister when he will publish the Government's annual report. [130231]

13 Jul 2000 : Column: 645W

The Prime Minister: I have done so today. Copies have been placed in the Library and are available in the Vote Office.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000 have not received substantive answers, excluding those not answered on the grounds of (a) disproportionate cost, (b) that the information is not available, not held centrally, or not held in the form requested and (c) of commercial or other confidentiality. [127097]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 21 June 2000]: I assume the right hon. Member is referring to parliamentary questions where Ministers have sent a holding reply, and will reply as soon as possible. If so, there have been seven such cases out of a total of 1,187 parliamentary questions answered by my Department in the period in question.

Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions he has deposited papers in the Library in response to parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000. [127439]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 23 June 2000]: For the period in question, my Department has deposited papers in the Library in response to parliamentary questions on 40 occasions.

Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many written parliamentary questions were tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April; and how many have not received substantive answers, citing disproportionate cost as the reason. [128017]

Mr. Morley: For this period there have been 1,189 written parliamentary questions tabled, and 21 did not receive substantive answers, citing disproportionate cost.

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