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HOUSE OF COMMONS
Line of Route
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee when she expects the Committee to publish its revised proposals for re-opening the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment. [102143]
Mrs. Roe: I am pleased to advise the hon. Member that the Committee has now agreed new proposals, which will be published in the Committee's First Report of Session 1999-2000, entitled "Revised Framework for Re-opening the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment". The Report, HC(1999-2000)98, will be published at 11.00 am on 13 December, and will be available to hon. Members in the Vote Office at that time.
In view of his interest in this matter, I have arranged for a copy of the Report to be sent to the hon. Member.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Pension Funds
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to prohibit companies from using existing pension funds to fund future pension responsibilities. [100599]
Mr. Rooker: Decisions relating to the present and future management of occupational pension schemes are matters for the sponsoring employers and the trustees of the schemes, taking into account the requirements of the law and the trust deed and rules of the schemes. We will continue to monitor developments, but we have no plans to change legislation in this area.
Bilateral Concordat (Scotland)
Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the bilateral concordat between his Department and the Scottish Executive. [102473]
Mr. Darling: I am pleased to announce that the First Minister and I have agreed the text of the concordat between the Department of Social Security and the Scottish Executive. Copies of the concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and the text will be available on the departmental website.
Income Thresholds
Mr. Borrow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the rates from April 2000 of income thresholds used for non-dependant deductions in housing benefit, income support and jobseeker's allowance, the earnings limit for dependants living with claimants of retirement pension, long-term incapacity benefits, severe disablement allowance and unemployability supplement, and the personal expenses allowance for claimants of jobseeker's allowance resident in local authority part III accommodation. [102742]
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Mr. Darling:
The income thresholds proposed for non-dependant deductions is as follows:
The earnings limit proposed for dependants living with claimants of Retirement Pension, long-term incapacity benefits, severe disablement allowance and unemployability supplement is £52.20.
The proposed personal expenses allowance for claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance resident in local authority part III accommodation is £15.45.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 13, by how much below 3.5 million he expects the number of pensioners on means-tested benefits will be reduced by 2050 as a result of the proposals in the Green Paper on the stakeholder pension and the second state pension. [102064]
Mr. Rooker:
By 2050, it is estimated that there will be around 15.8 million pensioners. Without a change to current policies it is estimated that approximately one in three pensioner units (which could be either a single person or a couple) would retire onto the means-tested minimum income guarantee. This would include some people who had worked or cared for someone throughout their working life.
The proposals in the Government's Green Paper "Partnership in Pensions" are designed to ensure that someone with a full working life, or years covered by credits, will receive a pension on retirement above the minimum income guarantee.
The impact of the proposals will depend on a variety of factors, including employment records and additional voluntary savings. Our proposals seek to promote behavioural changes through the spread of low cost funded second pensions, improved pensions education, and the greater reward in retirement from helping people under pension age move from benefits to work.
For instance, with additional voluntary savings of 5 per cent., the figure of one in three pensioner units retiring onto the minimum income guarantee would fall to approximately one in five in 2050.
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) of 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 7W, on means-tested benefits, if he will break down respectively the 8 million on means-tested benefits in 1997 and the 7.9 million expected to be on
9 Dec 1999 : Column: 597W
means-tested benefits (a) by those above or below pensionable age and (b) of those below pensionable age, the proportion in receipt of in-work benefits. [102062]
Income threshold
Up to £81.00
£81.00 to £119.99
£120.00 to £156.99
£157.00 to £206.99
£207.00 to £258.99
£259 and above.
Note:
This answer corrects errors in the original schedule of benefit rates, 10 November 1999, Official Report, columns 564-78W.
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Proportion under age 60 | 60% (4.8 million) |
| Proportion age 60 and over | 40% (3.2 million) |
| Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits | 16% |
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Proportion under age 60 | 64% (5.0 million) |
| Proportion age 60 and over | 36% (2.9 million) |
| Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits | 26% |
Notes:
1. Means-tested benefits are Income Support, Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance, Family Credit, Disability Working Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Working Families Tax Credit is included for the 2001-02 estimates.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000.
3. Figures refer to benefit units which may be a single person or couple.
4. Overlap between benefits have been taken into account.
5. Council Tax Benefit cases do not include second adult rebate cases.
6. Sample sizes:
Income Support: 5 per cent.
Family Credit: 5 per cent.
Disability Working Allowance: 100 per cent.
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit: 1 per cent.
7. Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits is based on numbers receiving Family Credit and Disability Working Allowance for 1997 and Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Persons Tax Credit for 2001-02. In order to compare the years on the same basis, it excludes those in work receiving Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit only, as forecasts isolating this particular group are not available for 2001-02 figures (such recipients are included in the overall totals).
Sources:
1. Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997.
2. Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997.
3. Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards.
5. Disability Working Allowance 100 per cent. count of claims.
5. Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample of claimants without Income Support/JSA(IB), taken at the end of May 1997.
Benefits (Automated Credit Transfer)
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1999, Official Report, column 54W, in each of the last 12 months, how many (a) existing beneficiaries have chosen to switch to automated credit transfer (ACT) as a proportion of those claiming each of the benefits payable by ACT and (b) new claimants as a proportion of those claiming each of the benefits payable by ACT have chosen to use ACT. [101938]
Mr. Rooker:
The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
9 Dec 1999 : Column: 598W
| Benefit | ACT take-up percentage |
|---|---|
| Attendance Allowance | 26 |
| Child Benefit | 54 |
| Disability Living Allowance | 33 |
| Income Support | 10 |
| Incapacity Benefit | 39 |
| Retirement Pension and Widows Pension | 48 |
| War Pensions | 50 |
Note:
Figures are not currently available for Jobseeker's Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance
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