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War Pensions
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason a decision on a constituent's claim for a War Disablement Pension, reference AB501819C with the War Pensions Agency, has been delayed; when the final decision will be notified; and if he will make a statement. [146635]
Mr. Bayley: The administration of War Pensions is a matter for the Chief Executive of the War Pensions Agency, Gordon Hextall. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Gordon Hextall to Mr. Paul Keetch, dated 29 January 2001:
- This Parliamentary Question asked why there has been a delay in making a decision on a claim for War Disablement Pension, reference AB 501819C, and when that decision will be notified.
- As individual cases are a confidential matter, I will write to the hon. Member privately.
29 Jan 2001 : Column: 92W
Council Tax (Pensioners)
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioner households paid more than 10 per cent. of their household income in council tax in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 1998-99. [147827]
Mr. Rooker: The requested information is not available for 1999-2000. The information for 1998-99 is as follows.
It is estimated that 6 per cent. of pensioner households were liable to pay more than 10 per cent. of their gross income in council tax after Council Tax Benefit has been taken into account.
- Notes:
- 1. Pensioner households are defined as any household containing a single person over state pension age (65 for men and 65 for women) or a couple (married or cohabiting) where the man is over state pension age.
- 2. Estimates "after taking account of Council Tax Benefit" use gross (pre-tax) income excluding Council Tax Benefit/rebates, and use council tax liability net of discounts and net of Council Tax Benefit/rebate.
- 3. Gross (pre-tax) income and council tax payments have been estimated at the household level. Therefore amounts will include income /payments from all (if any) non-pensioners living in the household.
- Source:
- Family Resources Survey 1998-99.
Down's Syndrome
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has sent to recent representations from the Down's Syndrome Association in connection with the entitlement to disability allowance of young children with that condition. [147156]
Mr. Bayley: I have recently received a copy of a report published by the Downs Syndrome Association on 22 January 2001 along with a covering letter from the Chief Executive of the Downs Syndrome Association. Today I will place a copy of my response to the Chief Executive of the Downs Syndrome Association in the Library.
Minimum Income Guarantee
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Slough are claiming the Minimum Income Guarantee. [147747]
Mr. Rooker: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave her on 25 January 2001, Official Report, column 682W.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) the number of Housing Benefit claimants, (b) the average amount paid, (c) the administrative cost of each claim and (d) the average number of cases not processed in Islington in each of the last five years. [144520]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 9 January 2001]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables. Information is not collected centrally on the number of cases not processed.
29 Jan 2001 : Column: 93W
| Year | Housing Benefit caseload | Average weekly amount of Housing Benefit (£) |
|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 33,930 | 55.40 |
| 1996-97 | 33,030 | 56.80 |
| 1997-98 | 33,130 | 57.80 |
| 1998-99 | 32,580 | 58.90 |
| 1999-2000 | 28,350 | 58.90 |
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken from May 1995 to August 2000.
| Year | Reported annual expenditure on Housing Benefit administration (£000) | Housing Benefit caseload | Average cost per case (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | 2,733 | 33,930 | 81 |
| 1996-97 | 2,470 | 33,030 | 75 |
| 1997-98 | 3,814 | 33,130 | 115 |
| 1998-99 | 1,586 | 32,580 | 49 |
Notes:
1. The data refer to households, which may be a single person, a couple or a family.
2. The caseload for each year has been calculated by averaging the four quarters in the financial year.
3. Caseload figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 cases and the average weekly amounts have been rounded to the nearest 10 pence.
4. The figures for administrative costs are the cost per case using the authority's total expenditure on administration costs, as reported by the authority to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the total Housing Benefit caseload.
5. The figure for annual expenditure in 1998-99 replaces the previously reported figure.
Miners' Compensation
Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the number of cases being dealt with by his Department in regard to miners' compensation claims. [145993]
Mr. Bayley: To date, the DSS has been asked for--and has provided--information on around 30,000 cases.
29 Jan 2001 : Column: 94W
The DSS is working very closely with the Department of Trade and Industry on administrative changes to speed up the process. I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowlands) on 26 January 2001, Official Report, column 729W.
Energy Payments
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many arrangements (a) are and (b) were in each of the last five years in place to deduct gas and electricity payments from Income Support and income-based Jobseeker's Allowance; and if he will make a statement. [147813]
Angela Eagle: The information is in the tables.
| Thousand | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | All cases | Electric only | Gas only | Electricity and gas |
| 1996 | 168.4 | 27.0 | 121.1 | 20.2 |
| 1997 | 137.6 | 23.7 | 98.1 | 15.8 |
| 1998 | 99.2 | 20.2 | 67.7 | 11.4 |
| 1999 | 71.9 | 18.9 | 44.7 | 8.3 |
| 2000 | 60.4 | 17.0 | 35.8 | 7.6 |
| Thousand | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | All cases | Electric only | Gas only | Electricity and gas |
| 1997 | 15.4 | 3.0 | 11.1 | 1.4 |
| 1998 | 10.3 | 2.7 | 6.7 | 1.0 |
| 1999 | 5.6 | 1.8 | 3.4 | 0.5 |
| 2000 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.2 |
Notes:
1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample records, taken at August each year, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling error.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and shown in thousands.
3. Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance replaced Income Support for the unemployed in October 1996.
Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, August 1996 to August 2000.
Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, August 1997 to August 2000.