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Departmental Policies (Meirionnyd Nant Conwy)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Meirionnydd Nant Conwy constituency, the effects on Meirionnydd Nant Conwy of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [154937]

Mr. Rooker: The Department's policies and initiatives have made a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives of:

Eradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10;

Promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the position of those in greatest need; and,

Combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and tomorrow's pensioners.

These goals are being pursued nationwide and our achievements are set out in our annual "Opportunity for all" reports. Our second report, "Opportunity for all--One year on: making a difference" (CM4865, September 2000) sets out what progress has been made in the past year, as well as highlighting what more needs to be done. Nationwide statistical information is necessarily more complete than constituency level data, but the following provides a comparative guide to the effect of the Department's policies and actions in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy since May 1997.

Measures in our five Budgets so far will lift over 1.2 million children nationally out of poverty. These include record increases to Child Benefit, the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, increases in the income-related benefits, the minimum wage and tax changes.

Child Benefit will be worth £15.50 a week for the eldest child and £10.35 a week for other children from April 2001: nationally about 7 million families receive Child Benefit, and in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy 4,273 families benefit.

We now have the lowest unemployment rate in 25 years. The New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, the over 50s and partners of the unemployed to move from benefit into work. In the period since May 1997 the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance nationally has reduced from 1,562,400 to 960,600; in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy the number has reduced from 1,300 to 800. Since May 1997 the number of lone parents who claim Income Support has decreased from 1,013,500 to 894,100 nationally; in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy the number has remained at around 400.

Older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. So we have introduced Winter Fuel Payments to help with their heaviest fuel bill. This winter, the payment is £200 for households who qualify. Around 10,500 older people in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy have received a winter fuel payment for this winter.

To demonstrate our commitment to combating pensioner poverty, this year we will spend £4.5 billion extra in real terms on pensioners. Some 10,700 pensioners

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in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy will benefit from the substantial increases in the basic State pension this April and next; this year's increase is £5 a week for single pensioners and £8 for couples. In addition we have introduced free TV licences for the over 75s of whom we estimate there are about 4,500 in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy. 1,700 pensioner families in Meirionnydd Nant Conwy are receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee, which we introduced in April 1999 to help our poorest pensioners. From April they will be at least £15 a week, or £800 a year, better off in real terms as a result of Government measures since 1997.

Other reforms in the pipeline include: the new Pension Credit in 2003 designed to ensure that pensioners benefit from their savings; the launch of Stakeholder Pensions in April this year; and the introduction of the State Second Pension in April 2002 both of which will help provide greater security for tomorrow's pensioners.

Departmental Policies (Chichester)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Chichester constituency, the effects on Chichester of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [155281]

Mr. Rooker: The Department's policies and initiatives have made a significant contribution to the Government's overall objectives of:

Eradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10;

Promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the position of those in greatest need; and,

Combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and tomorrow's pensioners.

These goals are being pursued nationwide and our achievements are set out in our annual "Opportunity for all" reports. Our second report, "Opportunity for all--One year on: making a difference" (CM4865, September 2000) sets out what progress has been made in the past year, as well as highlighting what more needs to be done. Nationwide statistical information is necessarily more complete than constituency level data, but the following provides a comparative guide to the effect of the Department's policies and actions in Chichester since May 1997.

Measures in our five Budgets so far will lift over 1.2 million children nationally out of poverty. These include record increases to Child Benefit, the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, increases in the income-related benefits, the minimum wage and tax changes.

Child Benefit will be worth £15.50 a week for the eldest child and £10.35 a week for other children from April 2001: nationally about seven million families receive Child Benefit, and in Chichester 10,303 families benefit.

We now have the lowest unemployment rate in 25 years. The New Deals have helped lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, the over 50s and partners of the unemployed to move from benefit into work. In the period since May 1997 the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance nationally has reduced from 1,562,400 to 960,600; in

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Chichester the number has reduced from 1,100 to 700. Since May 1997 the number of lone parents who claim Income Support has decreased from 1,013,500 to 894,100 nationally; in Chichester the number has increased from 800 to 900.

Older people are disproportionately affected by fuel poverty. So we have introduced Winter Fuel Payments to help with their heaviest fuel bill. This winter, the payment is £200 for households who qualify. Around 26,800 older people in Chichester have received a Winter Fuel Payment for this winter.

To demonstrate our commitment to combating pensioner poverty, this year we will spend £4.5 billion extra in real terms on pensioners. Some 25,700 pensioners in Chichester will benefit from the substantial increases in the basic State pension this April and next; this year's increase is £5 a week for single pensioners and £8 for couples. In addition we have introduced free TV licences for the over 75s of whom we estimate there are about 11,600 in Chichester. 2,200 pensioner families in Chichester are receiving the Minimum Income Guarantee, which we introduced in April 1999 to help our poorest pensioners. From April they will be at least £15 a week, or £800 a year, better off in real terms as a result of Government measures since 1997.

Other reforms in the pipeline include: the new Pension Credit in 2003 designed to ensure that pensioners benefit from their savings; the launch of Stakeholder Pensions in April this year; and the introduction of the State Second Pension in April 2002 both of which will help provide greater security for tomorrow's pensioners.

Correspondence

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South will receive a reply to his letters of 22 November 2000 and 20 February, concerning Marie Harris of Katrine Place, Irvine. [155808]

Mr. Bayley: A reply was issued on Wednesday 21 March 2001.

Horizon Project

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the final net costs of the Horizon swipecard project to eliminate social security fraud to (a) public funds, (b) the Post Office and (c) the commercial promoters. [151611]

Mr. Rooker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on 15 January 2001, Official Report, column 84W, for information on the costs to the Department. The costs to the Post Office and the commercial promoters (ICL) is a matter for those organisations.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Overhead Power Lines

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the setting up of a Royal Commission on the

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relationship between overhead power lines and the incidence of cancer and leukaemia; and if he will make a statement. [155052]

Mr. Hain: The only representation which has been received on the setting up of a Royal Commission was the recent correspondence forwarded by the hon. Member for the Vale of York from one of her constituents, Professor Henshaw.

The hon. Lady will know that the Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation published its report: "Extremely low frequency Electromagnetic Fields and the Risk of Cancer" on 6 March 2001. (Documents of the NRPB Vol 12, No 1, 2001). Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

The independent Advisory Group that is chaired by Sir Richard Doll reports directly to the Board of the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). Its terms of reference are:

"To review work on the biological effects of non-ionising radiation relevant to human health and to advise on research priorities". The remit covers static and extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields (including those at power frequencies) and radio-frequency fields and radiation such as infrared, visible and ultraviolet.

The members of the Advisory Group are appointed by the NRPB on the basis of their proven research expertise. They are also independent of Government and commercial interests. Membership reflects the work of the Advisory Group at any particular time.

There is every benefit in maintaining a group that is independent and comprises a number of particularly eminent scientists. I could not foresee the need for establishing a Royal Commission on this issue.

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