---

Benchmark Costs

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects benchmark costs arrangements to commence and for what types of case; if benchmark costs will cover pre-litigated cases; what progress is being made in relation to fixed costs for fast track cases; and if he will make a statement. [156581]

Mr. Lock: The Department has no intention or powers to introduce benchmark costs. However, I understand that the Senior Costs Judge is currently undertaking consultation on a draft scheme for certain short and routine applications in civil proceedings. The first round produced a list of applications which might be suitable. A second round of consultation (incorporating figures for localities and grade of fee earner) is now taking place.

The Government have an open mind on the introduction of fixed costs in the fast track but no current plans to seek their introduction. Any changes to the way in which the costs regime operates should not limit the effectiveness of conditional fee agreements and other innovative methods of funding and insuring litigation.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Occupational Pensions

4. Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes have been made since 1997 to help pensioners on modest occupational pensions. [154861]

Mr. Rooker: Pensioners with modest occupational pensions will have gained from some or all of the extra increases in basic state pension, tax allowances and minimum income guarantee, together with winter fuel payments and free TV licences.

2 Apr 2001 : Column: 83W

As a result of tax and benefit measures introduced by this Government, all pensioner households will, on average, be over £11 a week, or £580 a year, better off.

25. Mr. Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes have been made to the social security system to help pensioners with small occupational pensions in the last year. [154884]

Mr. Rooker:

Pensioners with small occupational pensions will have gained from some or all of the extra increases in the basic state pension, tax allowances and minimum income guarantee, together with winter fuel payments and free TV licenses.

In addition, many pensioners with small pensions who have managed to save will benefit from the doubling of the lower capital limit in MIG, which is introduced on 9 April.

As a result of tax and benefit measures introduced by this Government, all pensioner households will, on average, be over £11 a week, or £580 a year, better off.

Winter Fuel Payments

19. Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure all pensioners receive their winter fuel allowance before the end of this winter. [154877]

Mr. Rooker: So far, over 11 million payments have been made for this winter.

34. Mr. Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to ensure that all pensioners receive their winter fuel allowance before the end of this winter. [154893]

Mr. Rooker: So far, over 11 million Winter Fuel Payments have been made in respect of this winter. Claims are still being received and processed.

Sir Nicholas Lyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Winter Fuel Payments have been claimed in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; how many have been paid to date; how many remain outstanding; what is the total amount of money as yet unpaid in respect of each year; and what proportion of eligible pensioner households have claimed such payments in each year. [155080]

Mr. Rooker: Before the current winter, 2000-01, Winter Fuel Payments were all made automatically. In each of the winters of 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 around 10 million payments were made.

Following the European Court decision, we decided to equalise the age--at 60--from which Winter Fuel Payments could be made. Also, the need to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit was removed. As a result, up to 1.5 million people, mostly men aged 60-64, became newly eligible for the winter of 2000-01. Up to 1.9 million people could also be newly eligible for payments for the first three winters of the scheme. Most of these newly eligible people need to make a claim.

For this winter, over 1 million claims have been made and paid, and over 11 million payments have been made overall. Claims for this winter continue to be received and processed, and payments made. For past winters, 1 million payments have been made so far.

2 Apr 2001 : Column: 84W

It is up to eligible individuals to choose whether to make a claim.

Pensioner Poverty

22. Mr. Sedgemore: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress is being made to combat pensioner poverty. [154880]

Mr. Rooker: I refer my right hon. Friend to my oral reply to our hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, North-East (Mr. White), at column 20.

37. Mr. Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on pensioner poverty. [154896]

Mr. Rooker: Our record speaks volumes. Around two million of the poorest pensioner households are now at least £15 a week, or £800 a year, better off in real terms as a result of Government measures since 1997. That's a real terms rise in living standards of at least 17 per cent.

Means Testing

21. Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the impact of means testing on Incapacity Benefit. [154879]

Mr. Bayley: We think it is right that some account should be taken of pensions which duplicate the purpose of Incapacity Benefit--to provide some replacement of earnings. The changes will not affect people in receipt of Incapacity Benefit on the date change, 6 April 2001, and will not affect four in five people who become eligible for Incapacity Benefit after this date. Of the people affected, nearly half will have pensions which will take them above the national average income.

As well as making this change we will provide greater support and security through such initiatives as our carers' package of extra help worth £500 million over three years, the Disability Income Guarantee that will help the poorest severely disabled adults, and families with severely disabled children, the increase in the disabled child premium in income-related benefits, the extension of Incapacity Benefit to people disabled early in life who have not had the opportunity to earn and pay National Insurance contributions and the extension of Disability Living Allowance higher rate mobility component to three and four-year-old children.

38. Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress he has made in reducing the number of pensioners and families on means-tested benefits. [154897]

Angela Eagle: The Welfare State has always used means-tested benefits as part of a complementary mixture of provision alongside contributory and universal benefits. Each plays a part in meeting people's needs. Spending on income-related benefits amounted to 34 per cent. of overall benefit expenditure in 1997-98. Next year we expect this proportion to decrease to 29 per cent.

Child Support Agency

23. Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to improve the means of communicating with the Child Support Agency. [154881]

2 Apr 2001 : Column: 85W

Angela Eagle: In preparing for the child support reforms, the Agency is providing improved telephone access over longer hours and face to face interviews where this is the best way of dealing with inquiries.

Improved information technology will allow staff from across the Department to share information and the Agency will be making use of the internet to provide another information gateway for customers.

31. Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to review the assessment of existing Child Support Agency cases in line with the new legislation. [154890]

Angela Eagle: The new child support scheme will be introduced for new cases by April 2002. Existing cases will be transferred to the new scheme at a later date once we are sure that the new scheme is working well. Changes in the levels of assessment will be phased in.

Pension Annuities

24. Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the requirement to purchase pension annuities by the age of 75. [154883]

Mr. Rooker: I refer the hon. Member to Sections 5.66 to 5.69 of our Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report published on Budget Day which sets out our views on annuities.

29. Mr. Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from financial institutions in relation to the purchase of annuities at the age of 75 years. [154888]

Mr. Rooker: I have received representations from financial institutions and other bodies.

---