HC Deb 15 February 1983 vol 37 cc150-1
13. Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate of the savings on the social security budget for 1982–83 as a result of measures taken since May 1979.

Mr. Newton

The position remains as set out in the answer that I gave the hon. Gentleman on 18 November last. Expenditure on social security in 1982–83 is estimated to be about £1.5 billion less than it would have been but for the various changes introduced since 1979.

Mr. Rooker

Will the Minister confirm that roughly half of the total social security budget is directed towards pensioners? Will he therefore further confirm that in this financial year the Government have cut £750 million from the 9.2 million pensioners, which is more than £1 a week per pensioner?

Mr. Newton

I am not confirming the implications of what the hon. Gentleman says. As my right hon. Friend said just now, the contributions that the social security budget has made to the overall savings in Government expenditure have been necessary and are important factors in the progress that the Government have made against inflation. If Opposition Members faced reality, they would know that it is more in the interests of the retired population than of any other group in the country that we stay on top of inflation.

Mr. Adley

Can my hon. Friend say, on the subject of his Department's budget, in a situation where there may be more buildings than patients in a given area, where one building may be in the public sector and another in the private sector, whether he would seek to discourage the sharing of facilities, provided that adequate financial arrangements on both sides were reached?

Mr. Newton

I have a little difficulty in relating that question to savings on the social security budget. In so far as I take it as a plea to sustain our efforts towards greater efficiency and partnership between the public and private sectors, I am happy to endorse what my hon. Friend says.

Mr. Allan Roberts

Is the Minister aware that the social security budget for the people claiming benefits in Merseyside has increased, not reduced, and that there has been a 35 per cent. increase over the past two years in the number of people claiming benefit at local DHSS offices, while at the same time staff are being reduced in those offices? Is he aware that it is the view of the staff in those offices that if there is not a freeze on those staff reductions the local offices will grind to a halt? Also—

Mr. Speaker

Order. That is enough.

Mr. Newton

The hon. Gentleman has probably seen the note that we placed in the Library about the way that local offices are staffed, and he will realise that, frankly, these comparisons are too simple by half. I was pleased that, as a result of the settlement of the DHSS disputes in Oxford and Birmingham, we have now been able to get under way, jointly with the unions, a review of the complementing system. I am content to rest on that for the time being.