§ 7.19 p.m.
§ The Lord ChancellorMy Lords, I beg to move that the House do now resolve itself into Committee (on re-commitment) on this Bill.
Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee (on recommitment).—(The Lord Chancellor.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
House in Committee (on re-commitment) accordingly. 1481 [The BARONESS LOCKWOOD in the Chair.]
Clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.
Clause 3 ["Earnings" and "earner"]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendment No. 1:
Page 3, line 30, leave out ("Act") and insert ("Part of this Act and of Parts II to V below other than those of Schedule 8")The noble and learned Lord said: With this amendment I should like to speak also to Amendment No. 19. These are drafting amendments. Clause 3(2) reproduces Section 3(2) of the Social Security Act 1975. But the reference in Clause 3(2) to "this Act" covers many provisions that do not derive from the 1975 Act. Although the two sections are absolutely the same in wording the reference to "this Act" in the 1975 Act is to a much smaller provision than it is when incorporated in this Bill. Amendment No. 1 accordingly limits this provision to the provisions that need to be covered by it. Amendment No. 19 makes a similar correction in Clause 112(1). The subsection derives from Section 18(1) of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977. That subsection refers back to the 1975 Act. In addition to introducing the correct limitation into Clause 112(1), the amendment removes a superfluous reference to the Social Security Administration Bill. I beg to move.
§ Lord MishconIn supporting this amendment I congratulate the noble and learned Lord on the speed of his movements.
On Question, amendment agreed to.
Clause 3, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 4 to 8 agreed to.
Clause 9 [Calculation of secondary Class 1 contributions]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendment No. 2:
Page 7, line 10, leave out ("£84.99") and insert ("£89.99")The noble and learned Lord said: I shall speak at the same time to Amendments Nos. 3 to 18 and 20 to 25. These amendments all have exactly the same purpose and basis. Since the Bill was introduced, numerous sums specified in various provisions of the social security legislation have been altered by statutory instrument under the powers conferred by the original legislation. The amendments make the corresponding alterations in the sums specified in the Bill. I regret to say that there are a good many of them which is why there are so many amendments. At the moment I think that I can move only Amendment No. 2. I beg to move.
On Question, amendment agreed to.
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendments Nos. 3 to 5:
Page 7, line 11, leave out ("£85.00 to £129.99") and insert ("£90.00 to £134.99")Page 7, line 12, leave out ("£130.00 to £184.99") and insert ("£135.00 to £189.99")Page 7, line 13, leave out ("£185.00") and insert ("£190.00")The noble and learned Lord said: I move these amendments en bloc. I have already given the explanation.
On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 9, as amended, agreed to.
1482 Clause 10 agreed to.
Clause 11 [Liability for Class 2 contributions]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendments Nos. 6 and 7:
Page 9, line 13, leave out ("£5.15") and insert ("£5.35")Page 9, line 34, leave out ("£2,900") and insert ("£3,030")The noble and learned Lord said: For the same reason, I move Amendments Nos. 6 and 7 en bloc.
On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 11, as amended, agreed to.
Clause 12 agreed to.
Clause 13 [Class 3 contributions]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendment No. 8:
Page 10, leave out line 48 and insert ("£5.25")The noble and learned Lord said: For the reason already given, I beg to move.
On Question, amendment agreed to.
Clause 13, as amended, agreed to.
Clause 14 agreed to.
Clause 15 [Class 4 contributions recoverable under the Income Tax Acts]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendments Nos. 9 and 10:
Page 12, line 29, leave out ("£5,900") and insert ("£6,120")Page 12, line 29, leave out ("£20,280") and insert ("£21,060")The noble and learned Lord said: For the same reason I have given before, I move these amendments en bloc. On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 15, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 16 and 17 agreed to.
Clause 18 [Class 4 contributions recoverable under regulations]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendments Nos. 11 to 13:
Page 14, line 27, leave out ("£5,900") and insert ("£6,120")Page 14, line 30, leave out ("£5,900") and insert ("£6,120")Page 14, line 30, leave out ("£20,280") and insert ("£21,060")The noble and learned Lord said: For the same reason, I move Amendments Nos. 11 to 13 en bloc.On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 18, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 19 to 43 agreed to.
Clause 44 [Category A retirement pension]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendments Nos. 14 and 15:
Page 38, line 33, leave out ("£52.00") and insert ("£54.15")Page 38, line 35, leave out ("£49.90") and insert ("£51.95")The noble and learned Lord said: For the same reason, I beg to move Amendments Nos. 14 and 15 en bloc.On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 44, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 45 to 79 agreed to.
Clause 80 [Beneficary's dependent children]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendments Nos. 16 to 18:
Page 69, line 43, leave out ("£110") and insert ("£115")1483Page 70, line 1, leave out ("£14") and insert ("£15")Page 70, line 2, leave out ("£110") and insert ("£115")The noble and learned Lord said: For the same reason, I beg to move Amendments Nos. 16 to 18 en bloc.
On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 80, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 81 to 111 agreed to.
Clause 112 [Certain sums to be earnings]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendment No. 19:
Page 84, line 17, leave out ("this Act and the Administration") and insert ("Parts I to V of this")The noble and learned Lord said: This amendment is a little different. The reason for it is the same as I gave in respect of Amendment No. 1. I beg to move.On Question, amendment agreed to.
Clause 112, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 113 to 125 agreed to.
Clause 126 [Trade disputes]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendment No. 20:
Page 95, line 15, leave out ("£21.00") and insert ("£22.50")
| Part I | ||
| Contributory Periodical Benefits | ||
| Description of benefit | Weekly rate | |
| 1. Unemployment benefit | £43.10 | |
| 2. Sickness benefit | £41.20 | |
| 3. Invalidity allowance | (a) higher rate | £11.55 |
| (b) middle rate | £7.20 | |
| (c) lower rate | £3.60 | |
| (the appropriate rate being determined in accordance with section 34(3)) | ||
| 4. Maternity allowance | £42.25 | |
| 5. Category B retirement pension where section 50(1)(a)(i) applies | £32.55 | |
| 6. Child's special allowance | £10.85 |
| Part III | ||
| Non-contributory Periodical Benefits | ||
| Description of benefit | Weekly rate | |
| 1. Attendance allowance | (a) higher rate | £43.35 |
| (b) lower rate | £28.95 | |
| (the appropriate rate being determined in accordance with section 65(3)) | ||
| 2. Severe disablement allowance | £32.55 | |
| 3. Age related addition | (a) higher rate | £11.55 |
| (b) middle rate | £7.20 | |
| (c) lower rate | £3.60 | |
| (the appropriate rate being determined in accordance with section 69(1)) | ||
| 4. Invalid care allowance | £32.55 | |
| 5. Guardian's allowance | £10.85 | |
| 6. Category C retirement pension | (a) lower rate | £19.45 |
| (b) higher rate | £32.55 |
§ The noble and learned Lord said: We are now back to the reasons for amendments to figures in the legislation since the Bill was drafted. I beg to move.
§ On Question, amendment agreed to.
§ Clause 126, as amended, agreed to.
§ Clauses 127 to 156 agreed to.
§ Clause 157 [Rate of payment]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendments Nos. 21 and 22:
Page 118, line 6, leave out ("£185") and insert ("£190")Page 118, line 7, leave out ("£43.50") and insert ("£45.30")The noble and learned Lord said: For the same reasons, I beg to move.
On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 157, as amended, agreed to.
Remaining clauses agreed to.
Schedules 1 to 3 agreed to.
Schedule 4 [Rates of benefit etc.]:
§ The Lord Chancellormoved Amendment No. 23:
Page 150, line 12, leave out Schedule 4 and insert£