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1 Mar 2010 : Column 896W—continued
Between 1997-98 and 2007-08 the number of pensioners with incomes below 60 per cent of the contemporary median income reduced by around 900,000.
Pensions
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to paragraph 5.55 of Budget 2009, whether the 2.5 per cent. uprating of the basic state pension applies to recipients who deferred claiming their basic state pension at retirement age. [318070]
Angela Eagle: The proposed 2.5 per cent increase in the rate of the basic State Pension from April 2010 will not be applied to increments payable to those recipients who have deferred their State Pension. The Retail Prices Index showed that prices had fallen for the 12 months ending in September 2009. Given this evidence the Government have decided to maintain the value of increments at 2009-10 rates.
People with increments who deferred their State Pension for at least one year since 2005 get a State Pension that is 10.4 per cent. higher than if they had not deferred. They will also benefit from the 2.5 per cent. increase in the basic State Pension announced at the pre-Budget report. We are writing to every individual in receipt of State Pension with an uprating notification which clearly states that, while basic State Pension is increasing by 2.5 per cent., increments and additional pension are not.
In addition, the increase in the basic State Pension will be reflected in the value of increments being accrued by those who are currently deferring their State Pension.
Unemployment: Lone Parents
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents claimed jobseeker's allowance in each year since 1996. [316637]
Helen Goodman: From 24 November 2008, subject to certain exemptions and conditions, most lone parents with older children are no longer entitled to income support if they are only claiming it because they are a lone parent. Instead those able to work may claim jobseeker's allowance. These changes are being introduced for most lone parents in three stages. For those with a youngest child aged 12 or over, the change applies from 24 November 2008; for those with a youngest child aged 10 or over, from 26 October 2009; and for those with a youngest child aged seven, or over from 25 October 2010.
The available information is in the table.
| Number of lone parent claimants of jobseeker's allowance in Great Britain: April 2005-November 2009 | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Claimant Count: A monthly count of jobseeker's allowance claimants in Great Britain. Totals exclude non-computerised clerical claims. 2. Some jobseeker's allowance claimants have their marital status coded as "not known". Such claimants who are claiming child benefit for at least one child aged under 16 may be lone parents but are not recorded as such in the above table. 3. These volumes may be subject to retrospective changes as and when DWP receive updated child benefit data. 4. Identification of lone parents claiming JSA: The preferred source of numbers on JSA is the Claimant Count which is produced on a monthly basis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) via the NOMIS website: www.nomisweb.co.uk DWP are providing a breakdown of this headline number so we can identify the number of lone parents claiming JSA following the roll out of lone parent obligations. This is done using marital status information from the claimant count data alongside HMRC child benefit data. Specifically looking at whether a JSA claimant has their marital status recorded as "single"; "widowed"; "divorced" or "separated", and has an open child benefit claim for at least one child aged under 16, at the 'count date' (second Thursday of each month). 5. Data are not available prior to the introduction of these new statistics. Experimental statistics: The new statistics will be labelled as an 'experimental' breakdown to the National Statistic status JSA Claimant Count. This label will remain until we are confident that we have a stable methodology and we have given users a chance to comment on the statistics. Source: ONS Claimant Count data and HMRC Child Benefit data. | |
Winter Fuel Payments: Aberdeenshire
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) households and (b) individuals have received winter fuel payments in Banff and Buchan constituency since 1 November 2009. [319347]
Angela Eagle: Information on winter fuel payments in Banff and Buchan for winter 2008-09 (the last year for which information is available) is held in the House of Commons Library.
Winter Fuel Payments: Angus
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) households and (b) individuals in Angus constituency have received a winter fuel payment since 1 November 2009. [318800]
Angela Eagle: Information on winter fuel payments in Angus for winter 2008-09 (the last year for which information is available) is held in the House of Commons Library.
Winter Fuel Payments: Dundee
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) households and (b) individuals in the Dundee East constituency have received winter fuel payments since 1 November 2009. [319602]
Angela Eagle: Information on winter fuel payments in Dundee, East for winter 2008-09 (the last year for which information is available) is held in the House of Commons Library.
Winter Fuel Payments: Greater London
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) households and (b) individuals in each London borough have received winter fuel payments since 1 November 2009; and if she will make a statement. [319059]
Angela Eagle: Information on winter fuel payments in each London borough for winter 2008-09 (the last year for which information is available) is held in the House of Commons Library.
Winter Fuel Payments: Moray
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) households and (b) individuals resident in Moray constituency have received winter fuel payments since 1 November 2009. [319673]
Angela Eagle: Information on winter fuel payments in Moray for winter 2008-09 (the last year for which information is available) is held in the House of Commons Library.
Culture, Media and Sport
Online Gaming Industry
Mr. Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of the contribution of the online betting and gaming industry to the economy. [318857]
Margaret Hodge: We have not made any formal assessment of the contribution of the online betting and gaming industry to the economy.
However the Government do recognise the many ways in which the industry contributes to the UK economy through taxation, employment, sponsorship and consumer choice.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Mr. MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many receptions he has hosted for representatives of print and broadcast media since October 2008; how much each such reception cost; and how many people attended each such reception; [319148]
(2) how many receptions he plans to host for representatives of print and broadcast media in 2010. [319149]
Mr. Bradshaw: I have held three receptions for journalists covering the Department's sectors since October 2008. The costs of these were £1,864.54, £1,251.25 and £1,431.70. Approximately 50 people attended each event.
No receptions are currently planned, but will be considered over the course of the year as part of normal departmental business.
Gaming Machines: Taxation
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he has plans to alter the tax arrangements which apply to stakes without prizes gaming machines. [319831]
Mr. Bradshaw: The Department has regular discussions with HM Treasury about a range of gambling issues. Plans relating to taxation are a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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