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17 May 2004 : Column 734W—continued

New Deal (Lone Parents)

Mr. Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work   and Pensions how many lone parents in South Ribble have gained work through the New Deal programme. [172140]

 
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Jane Kennedy: 320 lone parents in South Ribble have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the start of the programme in October 1998. Figures for lone parents who have gained work through other New Deal Programmes are not available.

Pensioner Benefits

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work   and Pensions (1) what the total Government expenditure on pensioner benefits (a) in pounds, (b) in real terms and (c) as a percentage of gross domestic product was in each year since 1992; [172490]

(2) what the predicted total Government expenditure on pensioner benefits (a) in pounds, (b) in real terms and (c) as a percentage of gross domestic product is over the next three years. [172491]

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
Expenditure on pensioner benefits 1992–93 to 2006–07

		Cash terms (£ million)	Real terms (£ million, 2004–05 prices)	Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
1992–93	Outturn	35,387	47,810	5.8
1993–94	Outturn	37,811	49,731	5.8
1994–95	Outturn	38,723	50,189	5.6
1995–96	Outturn	39,919	50,276	5.5
1996–97	Outturn	41,829	50,923	5.4
1997–98	Outturn	43,426	51,560	5.3
1998–99	Outturn	45,165	52,122	5.2
1999–2000	Outturn	47,934	54,120	5.2
2000–01	Outturn	50,580	56,377	5.2
2001–02	Outturn	54,493	59,192	5.4
2002–03	Outturn	57,404	60,367	5.4
2003–04	Estimated outturn	60,347	61,739	5.4
2004–05	Forecast	64,728	64,728	5.5
2005–06	Forecast	67,735	66,070	5.4
2006–07	Forecast	71,352	67,735	5.5

Notes:
1. Figures include basic State Pension (contributory and non-contributory), severe disablement allowance, widow's-bereavement benefits and invalidity-incapacity benefit paid to pensioners, additional State Pension (State Second Pension-SERPS), Graduated retirement benefit, Christmas bonus, winter fuel payment, 80 plus payment, one-off 70 plus payment (for 2004–05), free TV licences for over 75s, pensions compensation board, income support for people over 60-minimum income guarantee-pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit.
2. Forecast figures for 2003–04 to 2005–06 are consistent with Budget 2004 medium-term forecasts; forecast figures for 2006–07 are consistent with Budget 2004 long-term projections.
Source:
(Benefit expenditure Tables consistent with the Budget 2004, and long term projections for 2006–07.




 
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Pensioner Incomes

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) median and (b) average income of pensioners was in each year since 1997. [171580]

Malcolm Wicks: The following table gives the median and mean average weekly incomes of pensioners between 1996–97 and 2002–03. Information is given in 2002–03 prices and rounded to the nearest pound.
The mean and median income of pensioners since 1996–97

	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	Growth 1996–97 to 2002–03 (Percentage)
Pensioner units
Median net BHC income	156	159	161	169	173	183	189	21
Mean net BHC income	199	202	208	216	225	233	237	19
Pensioner couples
Median net BHC income	226	227	231	237	248	253	262	16
Mean net BHC income	287	289	294	301	316	329	327	14
Single pensioners
Median net BHC income	125	126	128	135	140	148	153	23
Mean net BHC income	145	147	153	160	167	170	177	22

Pensioner units, pensioner couples and single pensioners have seen significant real terms growth in both mean and median net weekly incomes (before housing costs) between 1996–97 and 2002–03. Annual estimates are based on survey data and are subject to sampling error—strong conclusions should not therefore be drawn about year-on-year changes in pensioner incomes.

Pensions (Compensation)

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated cost is of compensating, on the same formula that the Pension Protection Fund will use, all those pensioners who will have lost all or part of their occupational pension prior to the commencement of the Pension Protection Fund. [173486]

Malcolm Wicks: We do not have the information available to answer this question. This would require detailed information on individual schemes including breakdowns of membership distribution and annual accrual rates.

We are currently working with trustees to gather data about defined benefit schemes that are winding up under funded. Using this data we will establish firm estimates of the extent of the problem.
 
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Poverty

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the level of persistent poverty. [169971]

Mr. Pond: Indicators of persistent low income for children, working age adults and older people are included in the fifth annual Opportunity for all report (Cm 5956), which is available in the Library.

We are determined to tackle poverty, from childhood through to old age. The nature of measuring persistent low income means that it will take longer for the impact of tax credits, increases in employment and pension credit for example to be reflected in the data. The progress we have made, for instance, in reducing the number of children with low incomes in a given year have yet to show up in these figures. However, there are now over half a million fewer children in low-income households (below 60 per cent. median income) than in 1997.

Trade Mark Schemes

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of whether trade mark schemes can help to reduce the cost of employers' liability compulsory insurance. [172468]

Jane Kennedy: The Department is aware of a range of trade mark schemes that are designed to help to reduce the cost of employers' liability compulsory insurance. These include the Association of British Insurers'
 
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(ABI's) initiative 'Making the Market Work'. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 23 March 2004, Official Report, column 740W.

The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) has set up with the Electrical Contractors' Insurance Company their own insurance via a captive cell fund exclusively for NFRC members to offer insurance roughly 10 per cent. below current market rates and with longer notice periods and more certainty of gaining cover.

As with the evaluation of the 'Making the Market Work' initiative by the ABI, if the NFRC undertakes an evaluation of the scheme the Government will take a close interest in the outcome.

Weekly Benefit Savings Scheme

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a breakdown by local authority of (a) savings achieved under the Weekly Benefit Savings scheme, (b) benefit expenditure and (c) weekly benefit savings as a percentage of benefit expenditure for (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02. [172979]

Mr. Pond [holding answer 13 May 2004]: The information has been placed in the Library.

For local authorities, the Weekly Benefit Saving (WBS) scheme was replaced by the Security Against Fraud and Error (SAFE) scheme on 1 April 2002. The WBS scheme was specifically for fraud and was a measurement of prevention whereas the SAFE scheme is for fraud and claimant error and rewards detection.
 
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