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Smallpox Vaccine

Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The contract awarded to PowderJect is for smallpox vaccine manufactured in Germany by PowderJect's partner company, Bavarian Nordic.

Specified Risk Material

Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:

13 May 2002 : Column WA22

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (England) Regulations 2002, which came into force on 19 April 2002, require the vertebral column of all cattle over 30 months to be removed, stained and disposed of as specified risk material. The vertebral column of such animals must be removed at cutting plants specifically licensed for the purpose, under the supervision of the Meat Hygiene Service.

In the United Kingdom, the only cattle aged over 30 months at slaughter that may enter the food chain are those from low BSE-risk beef assurance scheme (BAS) herds, as they are the only domestic animals exempt from the general prohibition on the sale for human

consumption of fresh meat from bovines aged over 30 months. Previously there had been no domestic requirement to remove vertebral column from BAS animals.

National Insurance Contributions: Charities

13 May 2002 : Column WA23

Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What calculations have been made of the costs of the proposed rise in national insurance contributions to charities providing 24-hour care, supported accommodation and home care for long-term sick and disabled people; and whether they will consult the Enham Trust and other charities affected about the consequences of the proposal for them, and for those they work to help.[HL4034]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: It is estimated that the changes to employers' national insurance contributions announced in the Budget will increase pay costs on average by 0.7 per cent next year.

Smoking: Public Transport

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

    What proposals they have to ban smoking on all public transport. [HL4113]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: As set out in the White paper Smoking Kills, we are working with businesses and others to achieve change on exposure to tobacco smoke. Smoking on public transport is a matter for the

13 May 2002 : Column WA24

transport operators, and we support the bans operators have introduced.

State Retirement Pension: Postponement of Receipt

Lord Vinson asked Her Majesty's Government:

    If a male pensioner of 65 elects to postpone receiving his old age pension until age 70, what age he will have to reach in order to recover, by way of an enhanced pension, the income forgone, and thereby reap any additional benefit. [HL3966]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Hollis of Heigham): Such a person would have to reach the age of 84, assuming no uprating and no investment return on the income forgone. Whether it is worthwhile to defer retirement pension depends on the circumstances of the person concerned.

Child Benefit

Lord Higgins asked Her Majesty's Government:

    To what extent any reduction in child benefit to a low-income family would result in an increase in other social security benefits; and which benefits would be affected. [HL4188]

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Income-related benefits (IRBs) normally take child benefit into account as income in the assessment. This has the effect of reducing the amount of the IRB payable. The implications for the IRBs would have to be considered in any development of child benefit policy.

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