| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
The success rate for applications in Springburn is 64.7 per cent., which is higher than the overall national rate of 54.2 per cent. Of the 3,870 initial awards, 97 per cent. were partial awards, which is a little above the national average. The initial refusal rate for claims made to the centre in Springburn was lower, at 35 per cent., than the national figure of 42 per cent. For Springburn, the percentage of all awards as a percentage of applications processed was nearly 69 per cent., compared with 61 per
cent. nationally. The total expenditure for Springburn last year was £4.65 million, out of a national gross figure of £45.9 million. For the geographical area covered by Springburn, the average award was £1,133, a fraction less than the national average of £1,162.
On my right hon. Friend’s final question about the amounts of money paid out in respect of social fund funeral payments in each of the past three years, we do not have complete figures because of office mergers, as he has said. During 2005-06, when his constituency was covered by the Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire Jobcentre Plus district, the figure paid was £1.24 million. We have only partial figures for the next year from April to December, when the figure was £880,000. Last year, expenditure was £4.65 million.
As I have dealt with the figures that my right hon. Friend sought, let me now turn to the operation of the funeral payments scheme as a whole. Last year, 40,000 social fund funeral payments were made at a gross cost of £46 million. I say gross cost because there was some recovery from the estates in many instances. In that way, the funeral payment scheme has continued to provide towards the cost of a simple, respectful, low-cost funeral—that is, to provide for the necessary costs of burial or cremation in full plus a significant contribution towards the fee levied by a funeral director. That fee, as he knows, is currently £700.
Those payments are made to recipients, and the partners of recipients, of income-related benefits and tax credits, thus ensuring that the payment is as widely accessible as possible for people with lower incomes. It is worth looking at the list of qualifying benefits, because for funeral payments it is a long one: income support; income-based jobseeker’s allowance; pension credit; child tax credit; working tax credit; housing benefit; and council tax benefit.
It will perhaps come as no surprise to the House that approximately 50 per cent. of funeral expenditure goes to pensioners. Furthermore, last year 55 per cent. of initial awards were paid to the partner of the deceased person. I am confident that the funeral payment scheme provides those who have lost a loved one in circumstances where no provision had been made to cover funeral expenses with a means of meeting what they see to be their obligation.
Although funeral payments do not operate in a cash-limited budget, resources are finite. Although the scheme provides for the full necessary cost of burial or cremation and a significant contribution towards funeral costs for those who need that help the most, I hope that my right hon. Friend will agree that we also have a responsibility to keep public expenditure under control in this area. For that reason, the qualifying criteria are stringent to ensure that payment is made only when it is reasonable for the applicant to have taken responsibility for the cost of the funeral. It is interesting to note that even as far back as 60 years ago, regulations to limit who could receive payment, in what circumstances and what the payment should provide for were considered necessary. Those concerns have been carried forward in the current scheme.
The qualification criteria for who might qualify were tightened several times in the 1990s in an attempt to tackle the issue of people taking responsibility for a funeral and claiming when other members of the family were better placed to do so. Primarily, those changes
were a reaction to a steady year-on-year increase in expenditure which had reached nearly £63 million by 1994-95. As a result, the number of funeral payment awards dropped and expenditure dropped back to about £42 million.
Let me return to the current scheme. The provisions are encapsulated in the Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Regulations 2005 and, as my right hon. Friend will know, established conditions must be met. The scheme allows for the full necessary cost of burial or cremation plus £700 for other funeral expenses. In addition, allowances can be made where appropriate for additional necessary transportation costs and the necessary costs of a return journey for the responsible person, either for the purpose of making arrangements or for attendance at the funeral.
I am of course aware, from the meetings I have had with the all-party group and from a large amount of ministerial correspondence, of concerns that the amount allowed for funeral directors’ fees does not meet the full cost. However, as I have already pointed out, the scheme does provide for the full necessary cost of burial or cremation, despite the wide range in those costs, particularly for burials, in different parts of the country. The costs vary widely, and cremations generally cost less than burials. Burial costs can range from £774 to as much as £2,750. For cremation, the range is smaller—between £311 and £530. The average amount included in a funeral payment last year for burial costs was £852, and £495 for cremation costs. The average funeral payment last year was £1,162. That reflects the position after deductions have been made to take into account any moneys held by the deceased or insurance on the life of the deceased that is then available to the responsible person. However, the average payment differs significantly around the country. Last year, the average payment in south-east Wales was £952, while in London—to which my right hon. Friend referred—the figure was £1,550.
The cost of the components of a simple funeral, excluding burial or cremation, also vary significantly for different parts of the country. My officials recently looked at the costs across a number of different geographical areas. In some of those areas, including north Lanarkshire, a simple funeral could be obtained for around £1,000, while the lowest cost of £798 was to be found in Newport, Wales. On the other hand, the most expensive simple funeral, at £1,600, was in Edinburgh. I have to say that it is not entirely clear to me why the costs of a simple, dignified funeral should vary so much from one funeral director to another.
From those figures, one can see that the total cost of a simple funeral including a burial in Edinburgh would be in the region of £3,300. At the other end of the spectrum, in Cardiff the cost would be £1,572—half the Edinburgh figure. Nevertheless, I am satisfied that the amount available as a funeral payment still represents a significant contribution to the cost of a funeral.
Funeral directors must take some responsibility for ensuring that they can take account of a customer’s circumstances before taking a contract to provide a funeral whose cost is clearly beyond the means of that customer, even if a social fund funeral payment is to be made.
As I said earlier, I have regular meetings with the all-party parliamentary group, and I also receive correspondence from the industry trade associations. I value the feedback that comes to me from these quarters. I am pleased to say that we recently introduced the facility for funeral payments to be made directly into the bank account of funeral directors. The industry had been keen for some time to have that.
I accept there are big regional variations in add-on costs and that currently there is considerable complexity in the scheme that makes it difficult for those claiming a funeral payment, or their funeral director, to work out what they might be entitled to, or indeed even generally navigate the system. I am keen to try to address those concerns. I have asked my officials to consider over the summer how we might better target the help available.
Although the social fund funeral payment scheme has its detractors—my right hon. Friend listed some continuing issues with it—I believe that it plays an important role in social security safety net provision. It is right that we exercise control on expenditure in this area, but it is also right that we continue to provide, for most customers, a funeral payment that meets the full costs of burial or cremation and goes a significant way to meeting funeral directors’ costs. As I have said, I accept that there are some weaknesses in the scheme as it currently operates. My right hon. Friend alluded to them, and I am examining ways of addressing them. I hope to be in a position to say more about that in the not-too-distant future.
The motion having been made after Seven o'clock, and the debate having continued for half an hour, Mr. Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned at twenty two minutes to Eight o'clock.
Deferred Divisions
That the draft Immigration (Biometric Registration) Regulations 2008, which were laid before this House on 11th June, be approved.
The House divided: Ayes 249, Noes 56.
AYES
Abbott, Ms Diane
Ainsworth, rh Mr. Bob
Alexander, rh Mr. Douglas
Anderson, Mr. David
Anderson, Janet
Armstrong, rh Hilary
Austin, John
Bailey, Mr. Adrian
Baird, Vera
Balls, rh Ed
Banks, Gordon
Barlow, Ms Celia
Bayley, Hugh
Beckett, rh Margaret
Begg, Miss Anne
Bell, Sir Stuart
Benn, rh Hilary
Benton, Mr. Joe
Berry, Roger
Betts, Mr. Clive
Blackman, Liz
Blackman-Woods, Dr. Roberta
Blears, rh Hazel
Blizzard, Mr. Bob
Blunkett, rh Mr. David
Brennan, Kevin
Brown, rh Mr. Nicholas
Brown, Mr. Russell
Bryant, Chris
Burden, Richard
Burgon, Colin
Burnham, rh Andy
Butler, Ms Dawn
Byers, rh Mr. Stephen
Caborn, rh Mr. Richard
Cairns, David
Campbell, Mr. Alan
Campbell, Mr. Gregory
Campbell, Mr. Ronnie
Cawsey, Mr. Ian
Challen, Colin
Chapman, Ben
Chaytor, Mr. David
Clapham, Mr. Michael
Clark, Paul
Clarke, rh Mr. Charles
Clarke, rh Mr. Tom
Clelland, Mr. David
Clwyd, rh Ann
Coaker, Mr. Vernon
Coffey, Ann
Cohen, Harry
Connarty, Michael
Cooper, rh Yvette
Creagh, Mary
Cryer, Mrs. Ann
Cummings, John
Cunningham, Mr. Jim
Cunningham, Tony
Curtis-Thomas, Mrs. Claire
Darling, rh Mr. Alistair
David, Mr. Wayne
Davies, Mr. Dai
Davies, Mr. Quentin
Dean, Mrs. Janet
Devine, Mr. Jim
Dismore, Mr. Andrew
Dodds, Mr. Nigel
Donohoe, Mr. Brian H.
Doran, Mr. Frank
Dowd, Jim
Eagle, Angela
Eagle, Maria
Efford, Clive
Ellman, Mrs. Louise
Ennis, Jeff
Fitzpatrick, Jim
Flello, Mr. Robert
Flint, rh Caroline
Flynn, Paul
Follett, Barbara
Foster, Mr. Michael (Worcester)
Francois, Mr. Mark
Gapes, Mike
Gerrard, Mr. Neil
Gibson, Dr. Ian
Gilroy, Linda
Goggins, Paul
Goodman, Helen
Griffith, Nia
Griffiths, Nigel
Grogan, Mr. John
Gwynne, Andrew
Hain, rh Mr. Peter
Hall, Mr. Mike
Hall, Patrick
Hamilton, Mr. David
Hamilton, Mr. Fabian
Hanson, rh Mr. David
Harman, rh Ms Harriet
Harris, Mr. Tom
Healey, John
Heppell, Mr. John
Hesford, Stephen
Hewitt, rh Ms Patricia
Heyes, David
Hillier, Meg
Hodgson, Mrs. Sharon
Hoon, rh Mr. Geoffrey
Hope, Phil
Hopkins, Kelvin
Howarth, rh Mr. George
Hoyle, Mr. Lindsay
Humble, Mrs. Joan
Iddon, Dr. Brian
Illsley, Mr. Eric
Irranca-Davies, Huw
James, Mrs. Siân C.
Jenkins, Mr. Brian
Johnson, Ms Diana R.
Jones, Helen
Jones, Mr. Martyn
Joyce, Mr. Eric
Kaufman, rh Sir Gerald
Keeble, Ms Sally
Keeley, Barbara
Kelly, rh Ruth
Kemp, Mr. Fraser
Kennedy, rh Jane
Khan, Mr. Sadiq
Kidney, Mr. David
Kumar, Dr. Ashok
Ladyman, Dr. Stephen
Lammy, Mr. David
Laxton, Mr. Bob
Lazarowicz, Mark
Lepper, David
Levitt, Tom
Lewis, Mr. Ivan
Linton, Martin
Lloyd, Tony
Lucas, Ian
Mackinlay, Andrew
Mactaggart, Fiona
Malik, Mr. Shahid
Mallaber, Judy
Mann, John
Marris, Rob
Marsden, Mr. Gordon
Martlew, Mr. Eric
McAvoy, rh Mr. Thomas
McCarthy, Kerry
McCarthy-Fry, Sarah
McCrea, Dr. William
McFadden, Mr. Pat
McGovern, Mr. Jim
McIsaac, Shona
McKenna, Rosemary
Meale, Mr. Alan
Michael, rh Alun
Milburn, rh Mr. Alan
Miliband, rh Edward
Miller, Andrew
Moffat, Anne
Moffatt, Laura
Mole, Chris
Moran, Margaret
Morgan, Julie
Morley, rh Mr. Elliot
Mountford, Kali
Mullin, Mr. Chris
Munn, Meg
Murphy, Mr. Denis
Murphy, rh Mr. Paul
Naysmith, Dr. Doug
Norris, Dan
O'Brien, Mr. Mike
Olner, Mr. Bill
Owen, Albert
Pearson, Ian
Plaskitt, Mr. James
Pope, Mr. Greg
Pound, Stephen
Prentice, Bridget
Prentice, Mr. Gordon
Prosser, Gwyn
Purchase, Mr. Ken
Purnell, rh James
Raynsford, rh Mr. Nick
Reed, Mr. Andy
Reed, Mr. Jamie
Riordan, Mrs. Linda
Robertson, John
Robinson, rh Mr. Peter
Ruane, Chris
Russell, Christine
Ryan, rh Joan
Salter, Martin
Seabeck, Alison
Sharma, Mr. Virendra
Shaw, Jonathan
Sheerman, Mr. Barry
Sheridan, Jim
Simon, Mr. Siôn
Simpson, Alan
Simpson, David
Skinner, Mr. Dennis
Slaughter, Mr. Andy
Smith, rh Mr. Andrew
Smith, Ms Angela C. (Sheffield, Hillsborough)
Smith, Angela E. (Basildon)
Smith, Geraldine
Snelgrove, Anne
Soulsby, Sir Peter
Spellar, rh Mr. John
Spink, Bob
Starkey, Dr. Phyllis
Stewart, Ian
Stoate, Dr. Howard
Strang, rh Dr. Gavin
Straw, rh Mr. Jack
Stringer, Graham
Sutcliffe, Mr. Gerry
Tami, Mark
Taylor, Dr. Richard
Timms, rh Mr. Stephen
Tipping, Paddy
Touhig, rh Mr. Don
Trickett, Jon
Truswell, Mr. Paul
Turner, Dr. Desmond
Turner, Mr. Neil
Twigg, Derek
Ussher, Kitty
Vaz, rh Keith
Walley, Joan
Waltho, Lynda
Ward, Claire
Watson, Mr. Tom
Watts, Mr. Dave
Whitehead, Dr. Alan
Wicks, Malcolm
Williams, Mrs. Betty
Wilson, Phil
Winnick, Mr. David
Woolas, Mr. Phil
Wright, Mr. Anthony
Wright, David
Wright, Dr. Tony
Wyatt, Derek
NOES
Baker, Norman
Baron, Mr. John
Beith, rh Sir Alan
Brake, Tom
Breed, Mr. Colin
Brooke, Annette
Browne, Mr. Jeremy
Burstow, Mr. Paul
Burt, Lorely
Cable, Dr. Vincent
Corbyn, Jeremy
Durkan, Mark
Farron, Tim
Featherstone, Lynne
George, Andrew
Gidley, Sandra
Hancock, Mr. Mike
Harris, Dr. Evan
Heath, Mr. David
Hemming, John
Holmes, Paul
Horwood, Martin
Howarth, David
Hughes, Simon
Huhne, Chris
Hunter, Mark
Keetch, Mr. Paul
Kramer, Susan
Lamb, Norman
Laws, Mr. David
Leech, Mr. John
Llwyd, Mr. Elfyn
MacNeil, Mr. Angus
Moore, Mr. Michael
Mulholland, Greg
Oaten, Mr. Mark
Öpik, Lembit
Price, Adam
Pugh, Dr. John
Reid, Mr. Alan
Rennie, Willie
Robertson, Angus
Rogerson, Dan
Russell, Bob
Sanders, Mr. Adrian
Smith, Sir Robert
Swinson, Jo
Taylor, Matthew
Teather, Sarah
Webb, Steve
Weir, Mr. Mike
Williams, Hywel
Williams, Mark
Williams, Stephen
Willis, Mr. Phil
Wilson, Sammy
Question accordingly agreed to.
That the draft Immigration (Biometric Registration) (Civil Penalty Code of Practice) Order 2008, which was laid before this House on 11th June, be approved.
The House divided: Ayes 249, Noes 56.
AYES
Abbott, Ms Diane
Ainsworth, rh Mr. Bob
Alexander, rh Mr. Douglas
Anderson, Mr. David
Anderson, Janet
Armstrong, rh Hilary
Austin, John
Bailey, Mr. Adrian
Baird, Vera
Balls, rh Ed
Banks, Gordon
Barlow, Ms Celia
Bayley, Hugh
Beckett, rh Margaret
Begg, Miss Anne
Bell, Sir Stuart
Benn, rh Hilary
Benton, Mr. Joe
Berry, Roger
Betts, Mr. Clive
Blackman, Liz
Blackman-Woods, Dr. Roberta
Blears, rh Hazel
Blizzard, Mr. Bob
Blunkett, rh Mr. David
Brennan, Kevin
Brown, rh Mr. Nicholas
Brown, Mr. Russell
Bryant, Chris
Burden, Richard
Burgon, Colin
Burnham, rh Andy
Butler, Ms Dawn
Byers, rh Mr. Stephen
Caborn, rh Mr. Richard
Cairns, David
Campbell, Mr. Alan
Campbell, Mr. Gregory
Campbell, Mr. Ronnie
Cawsey, Mr. Ian
Challen, Colin
Chapman, Ben
Chaytor, Mr. David
Clapham, Mr. Michael
Clark, Paul
Clarke, rh Mr. Charles
Clarke, rh Mr. Tom
Clelland, Mr. David
Clwyd, rh Ann
Coaker, Mr. Vernon
Coffey, Ann
Cohen, Harry
Connarty, Michael
Cooper, rh Yvette
Creagh, Mary
Cryer, Mrs. Ann
Cummings, John
Cunningham, Mr. Jim
Cunningham, Tony
Curtis-Thomas, Mrs. Claire
Darling, rh Mr. Alistair
David, Mr. Wayne
Davies, Mr. Dai
Davies, Mr. Quentin
Dean, Mrs. Janet
Devine, Mr. Jim
Dismore, Mr. Andrew
Dodds, Mr. Nigel
Donohoe, Mr. Brian H.
Doran, Mr. Frank
Dowd, Jim
Eagle, Angela
Eagle, Maria
Efford, Clive
Ellman, Mrs. Louise
Ennis, Jeff
Fitzpatrick, Jim
Flello, Mr. Robert
Flint, rh Caroline
Flynn, Paul
Follett, Barbara
Francis, Dr. Hywel
Gapes, Mike
Gerrard, Mr. Neil
Gibson, Dr. Ian
Gilroy, Linda
Goggins, Paul
Goodman, Helen
Griffith, Nia
Griffiths, Nigel
Grogan, Mr. John
Gwynne, Andrew
Hain, rh Mr. Peter
Hall, Mr. Mike
Hall, Patrick
Hamilton, Mr. David
Hamilton, Mr. Fabian
Hanson, rh Mr. David
Harman, rh Ms Harriet
Harris, Mr. Tom
Healey, John
Heppell, Mr. John
Hesford, Stephen
Hewitt, rh Ms Patricia
Heyes, David
Hillier, Meg
Hodgson, Mrs. Sharon
Hoon, rh Mr. Geoffrey
Hope, Phil
Hopkins, Kelvin
Howarth, rh Mr. George
Hoyle, Mr. Lindsay
Humble, Mrs. Joan
Iddon, Dr. Brian
Illsley, Mr. Eric
Irranca-Davies, Huw
James, Mrs. Siân C.
Jenkins, Mr. Brian
Johnson, Ms Diana R.
Jones, Helen
Jones, Mr. Martyn
Joyce, Mr. Eric
Kaufman, rh Sir Gerald
Keeble, Ms Sally
Keeley, Barbara
Kelly, rh Ruth
Kemp, Mr. Fraser
Kennedy, rh Jane
Khan, Mr. Sadiq
Kidney, Mr. David
Kumar, Dr. Ashok
Ladyman, Dr. Stephen
Lammy, Mr. David
Laxton, Mr. Bob
Lazarowicz, Mark
Lepper, David
Levitt, Tom
Lewis, Mr. Ivan
Linton, Martin
Lloyd, Tony
Lucas, Ian
Mackinlay, Andrew
Mactaggart, Fiona
Malik, Mr. Shahid
Mallaber, Judy
Mann, John
Marris, Rob
Marsden, Mr. Gordon
Martlew, Mr. Eric
McAvoy, rh Mr. Thomas
McCarthy, Kerry
McCarthy-Fry, Sarah
McCrea, Dr. William
McDonagh, Siobhain
McFadden, Mr. Pat
McGovern, Mr. Jim
McIsaac, Shona
McKenna, Rosemary
Meale, Mr. Alan
Michael, rh Alun
Milburn, rh Mr. Alan
Miliband, rh Edward
Miller, Andrew
Moffat, Anne
Moffatt, Laura
Mole, Chris
Moran, Margaret
Morgan, Julie
Morley, rh Mr. Elliot
Mountford, Kali
Mullin, Mr. Chris
Munn, Meg
Murphy, Mr. Denis
Murphy, rh Mr. Paul
Naysmith, Dr. Doug
Norris, Dan
O'Brien, Mr. Mike
Olner, Mr. Bill
Owen, Albert
Pearson, Ian
Plaskitt, Mr. James
Pope, Mr. Greg
Pound, Stephen
Prentice, Bridget
Prentice, Mr. Gordon
Prosser, Gwyn
Purchase, Mr. Ken
Purnell, rh James
Raynsford, rh Mr. Nick
Reed, Mr. Andy
Reed, Mr. Jamie
Riordan, Mrs. Linda
Robertson, John
Robinson, rh Mr. Peter
Ruane, Chris
Russell, Christine
Ryan, rh Joan
Salter, Martin
Sarwar, Mr. Mohammad
Seabeck, Alison
Sharma, Mr. Virendra
Shaw, Jonathan
Sheerman, Mr. Barry
Sheridan, Jim
Simon, Mr. Siôn
Simpson, Alan
Simpson, David
Skinner, Mr. Dennis
Slaughter, Mr. Andy
Smith, rh Mr. Andrew
Smith, Ms Angela C. (Sheffield, Hillsborough)
Smith, Angela E. (Basildon)
Smith, Geraldine
Snelgrove, Anne
Soulsby, Sir Peter
Spellar, rh Mr. John
Spink, Bob
Starkey, Dr. Phyllis
Stewart, Ian
Stoate, Dr. Howard
Strang, rh Dr. Gavin
Straw, rh Mr. Jack
Stringer, Graham
Sutcliffe, Mr. Gerry
Tami, Mark
Taylor, Dr. Richard
Timms, rh Mr. Stephen
Tipping, Paddy
Touhig, rh Mr. Don
Trickett, Jon
Truswell, Mr. Paul
Turner, Dr. Desmond
Turner, Mr. Neil
Twigg, Derek
Ussher, Kitty
Vaz, rh Keith
Walley, Joan
Waltho, Lynda
Ward, Claire
Watson, Mr. Tom
Watts, Mr. Dave
Whitehead, Dr. Alan
Wicks, Malcolm
Williams, Mrs. Betty
Wilson, Phil
Winnick, Mr. David
Woolas, Mr. Phil
Wright, Mr. Anthony
Wright, David
Wright, Dr. Tony
Wyatt, Derek
NOES
Baker, Norman
Barrett, John
Beith, rh Sir Alan
Brake, Tom
Breed, Mr. Colin
Brooke, Annette
Browne, Mr. Jeremy
Burstow, Mr. Paul
Burt, Lorely
Cable, Dr. Vincent
Corbyn, Jeremy
Durkan, Mark
Farron, Tim
Featherstone, Lynne
George, Andrew
Gidley, Sandra
Hancock, Mr. Mike
Harris, Dr. Evan
Heath, Mr. David
Hemming, John
Holmes, Paul
Horwood, Martin
Howarth, David
Hughes, Simon
Huhne, Chris
Hunter, Mark
Keetch, Mr. Paul
Kramer, Susan
Lamb, Norman
Laws, Mr. David
Leech, Mr. John
Llwyd, Mr. Elfyn
MacNeil, Mr. Angus
Moore, Mr. Michael
Mulholland, Greg
Oaten, Mr. Mark
Öpik, Lembit
Price, Adam
Pugh, Dr. John
Reid, Mr. Alan
Rennie, Willie
Robertson, Angus
Rogerson, Dan
Russell, Bob
Sanders, Mr. Adrian
Smith, Sir Robert
Swinson, Jo
Taylor, Matthew
Teather, Sarah
Webb, Steve
Weir, Mr. Mike
Williams, Hywel
Williams, Mark
Williams, Stephen
Willis, Mr. Phil
Wilson, Sammy
Question accordingly agreed to.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |