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21 May 2007 : Column 1157W—continued


Departments: Wales

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Department of Work and Pensions offices in Wales (a) opened and (b) closed in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [136635]

Mrs. McGuire: The following list details offices that have opened and closed since 1998. Information for 1997 is not available as it is not held centrally and to collate it would incur a disproportionate cost.

(a) Offices opened

1998

1999

2000

2002

2003

2005

2006

(b) Offices closed

1998

1999

2000

2001


21 May 2007 : Column 1158W

2003

2004

2005

2006


21 May 2007 : Column 1159W

2007

Financial Assistance Scheme

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the new cap of £26,000 for assistance from the financial assistance scheme will be uprated in line with inflation. [135123]

James Purnell: The extension to the FAS announced in March means that we will be helping many more members over a greater length of time. Because of the extension the payment assessment rules may need to be revised to help ensure we determine FAS payments consistently for all members. We intend to ensure that the cap retains its value, even where assessments are made for members who will not be eligible for payment until many years into the future. We are looking at the best way to achieve this objective and details will be published in draft regulations for consultation.

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many former Allied Steel and Wire workers have received (a) 80 per cent., (b) 65 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent. of their expected core pension under the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [135298]

James Purnell: There are two ASW pension schemes that qualify for the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). FAS cannot make annual payments at 80 per cent. until the ASW pension schemes have completed the wind up process. In the meantime, initial payments at 60 per cent. of expected core pension are being made to 31 members of the ASW Pension Plan (Cardiff) and three members of the ASW Sheerness Steel Group Pension Fund. The current Pensions Bill will raise the level at which initial payments are made to 80 per cent. with immediate effect from Royal Assent. No payments are being made at the rates of 80 per cent., 65 per cent. and 50 per cent.

As FAS payments commence at age 65, (except in special circumstances where early access to payments can be applied for by scheme trustees for terminally ill qualifying members or to the survivor of a qualifying member), under the current scheme no-one would be expected to start receiving payments at the rate of 65 per cent. or 50 per cent. until at least 15 May 2011 or 15 May 2015 respectively. However our announcement of increased funding for FAS will ensure that by then all will receive 80 per cent.

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) average, (b) highest and (c) lowest payment has been under the Financial Assistance Scheme to former Allied Steel and Wire workers living (i) in and (ii) outside Wales; and if he will make a statement. [136632]


21 May 2007 : Column 1160W

James Purnell: There are two ASW pension schemes which qualify for FAS, the ASW Pension Plan (Cardiff) and the ASW Sheerness Steel Group Pension Fund. The following figures relate to individual member/survivor payments of gross payments per annum (inclusive of tax but not including arrears).

ASW Pension Plan (Cardiff) (32 members)
Amount (£)

Highest payment

7,557.72

Lowest payment

399.24

Average payment

2,578.71


ASW Sheerness Steel Group Pension Fund (3 members)
Amount (£)

Highest payment

2,606.52

Lowest payment

726.92

Average payment

1,684.08


Members/survivors living in Wales (30 members)
Amount (£)

Highest payment

7,557.72

Lowest payment

399.24

Average payment

2,537.18


Members/survivors living outside Wales (5 members)
Amount (£)

Highest payment

2,606.52

Lowest payment

635.76

Average payment

1,280.68


Housing Benefit: Costs

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of housing benefit in each year since the scheme was introduced. [137923]

Mr. Plaskitt [holding answer 18 May 2007]: The available information is in the following table.

Housing benefit expenditure
£ millions
Cash 2007-08 prices Status of Data

1988-89

3,757

6,896

Outturn

1989-90

4,258

7,293

Outturn

1990-91

5,106

8,109

Outturn

1991-92

6,363

9,523

Outturn

1992-93

7,814

11,330

Outturn

1993-94

9,218

13,026

Outturn

1994-95

10,104

14,065

Outturn

1995-96

10,876

14,693

Outturn

1996-97

11,380

14,873

Outturn

1997-98

11,176

14,194

Outturn

1998-99

11,065

13,705

Outturn

1999-2000

11,066

13,434

Outturn

2000-01

11,166

13,368

Outturn

2001-02

11,589

13,552

Outturn

2002-03

12,637

14,334

Outturn

2003-04

12,345

13,599

Outturn

2004-05

13,172

14,121

Outturn

2005-06

13,947

14,678

Outturn

2006-07

14,675

15,071

Estimated Outturn

2007-08

15,526

15,526

Plans

Notes: All figures are consistent with the 2007 Budget report. Figures have been rounded to the nearest million pounds. Source: DWP benefit expenditure tables (Tables 3, 3a, 4, and 4a).

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