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17 Mar 2005 : Column 421W—continued

Maternity Pay

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the statistics relating to maternity pay, which, since 1997 (a) are no longer collected by his Department and (b) have had the way in which the figures are compiled changed. [221797]

Maria Eagle: The Department produces data on Maternity Allowance payments.

We have not produced annual figures for Maternity Allowance since 2000–01. However, we continue to produce figures on a quarterly basis.

Since we ceased to produce annual data we no longer have a record of the reason for non-payment of Statutory Maternity Pay.

From the May 2000 quarter data is available on the number of jobs the claimant is recorded as having.

The employment status of the claimant is shown in figures from the August 2000 quarter.
 
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Pensions

Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been paid to pensioners in Leeds, West as a result of increases in the state pension since 1997. [221964]

Malcolm Wicks: The total extra basic state pension paid to pensioners in Leeds, West as a result of above inflation increases in the state pension since 1997 (covering the years 1997–98 to 2004–05 inclusive) is £12.7 million, in 2004–05 prices.

Mr. Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of (a) men and (b) women receiving the basic state pension did not receive (i) a full basic state pension and (ii) a basic state pension of 75 per cent. or more of the value of the basic state pension in 2004, (A) in total and (B) broken down by age groups (1) 60–64 years, (2) 65–69 years, (3) 70–74 years, (4) 75–79 years and (5) 80 years plus. [216483]

Malcolm Wicks: The information is in the table.
 
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Percentage

Basic state pension recipients in Great Britain receiving less than the full basic state pension
Basic state pension recipients in Great Britain not receiving more than 75 per cent, or more of the full basic state pension
MenWomenMenWomen
All10.250.92.942.7
60–64 years of age74.054.4
65–69 years of age15.368.94.058.7
70–74 years of age11.857.13.651.3
75–79 years of age6.942.02.338.1
80 years of age and over3.720.21.217.5




Notes:
1. Numbers are taken from a five per cent., sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.
2. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
3. Percentages are given as a proportion of the relevant gender and age group receiving a basic state pension.
4. A basic state pension is paid to those who fully or partially satisfy the contribution conditions for a Category A or Category B basic state pension, either in their own right or, where applicable, on the basis of their late or former spouse's national insurance contributions.
5. Numbers do not include people entitled to a basic state pension which is then increased when they meet the conditions for a Category D pension.
6. Full rate means the standard rate of a Category A or B basic state pension based on a person's own or late spouse's national insurance contributions—£77.45 for a Category A basic state pension in 2003–04.
7.75 per cent., of a Category A basic state pension in 2003–04 was £58.09.
Source:
IAD Information Centre five per cent., sample as at 31 March 2004




Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) men and (b) women were in receipt of state retirement pension in the Tamworth constituency in (i) 1999 and (ii) 2004; what each is as a percentage of the Tamworth population; and what percentage of the population of England are in receipt of state retirement pension. [221925]

Malcolm Wicks: The information which is available shows that, as at September 1999, there were 13,400 recipients of the state pension in the Tamworth constituency, of whom 5,200 were males and 8,200 were females. As at September 2004, there were 14,700 state pension recipients in the Tamworth constituency, of whom 5,600 were males and 9,100 were females.

It is not possible to express the number of recipients as a percentage of the population in the Tamworth constituency, because the relevant population estimates are not held at constituency level. However, as at September 2004 the percentage of the population of England in receipt of a state pension was 18 per cent.

IAD five per. cent sample as at 30 September for the years shown.

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to include the Roxby pension scheme in the indicative list of schemes potentially eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [222408]

Malcolm Wicks: The provisional list published on 22 February contains those pension schemes on which we received information in our latest data collection exercise and that appear potentially eligible under the
 
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scheme entry criteria we have outlined. Presence on this list does not guarantee individuals will receive support from the FAS.

Schemes may not have been included on the provisional list either because they did not appear to meet the eligibility criteria or because the information provided was not sufficient to assess potential eligibility. After the FAS regulations have come into force, there will be a six-month period during which we shall accept formal notification from the representatives of other under-funded pension schemes, which may in due course be added to the list, so absence from this list does not preclude eligibility.

Savings

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the population has estimated savings in excess of (a) £5,000, (b) £10,000, (c) £15,000, (d) £20,000, (e) £25,000, (f) 50,000 and (g) £100,000. [222440]

Mr. Pond: Information on individual accounts and savings outside of the range £1,500 to £20,000 is not available.

The Family Resources Survey can provide estimates for Great Britain of adult savings held within benefit units. This information is presented in the following table:
Percentage of benefit units


Limit (£)
Benefit units with savings above certain limits
Above 500030
Above 10,00020
Above 15,00015
Above 20,00012




Notes:
1. All figures are estimates and are taken from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). 2002–03 is the latest year for which data is available.
2. Questions on assets are a sensitive part of the FRS questionnaire and have relatively low level of response. Evidence suggests some under reporting of capital by respondents.
3. A benefit unit is a single adult or couple living as married and any dependent children.
4. The estimates are based on sample counts that have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the FRS to Government Office Region populations by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining response bias.
Source:
2002–03 Family Resources Survey, Great Britain





 
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