Benefits (Hansard, 7 June 1985)

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) which of the new benefits mentioned in his Green Paper on the welfare state will rise in line with inflation;
(2) what is the combined rate of income support and personal allowance under his Green Paper proposals that would be required in 1985–86 to compensate a single pensioner who lost (a) heating addition, (b) clothing and dietary addition and (c) the average single payment, assuming additional resources to cover 20 per cent. of rates bills;
(3) what is the combined rate of income support and personal allowance that would be required in 1985–86 to compensate an unemployed person who loses (a) heating 287W addition, (b) clothing and dietary addition and (c) the average single payment, assuming additional resources to cover 20 per cent. of rates bills;
(4) what is the combined rate of income support, personal allowance and family premium that would be required in 1985–86 to compensate (a) a single parent and (b) a married couple who lose (i) heating addition, (ii) clothing and dietary addition and (iii) the average single payment, assuming additional resources to cover 20 per cent. of rates bills.

§ Mr. Newton
I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his proposed level of income support and personal allowance at 1986–87 benefit rates for (a) pensioners, (b)sick and disabled, (c) families and (d) unemployed persons (i) under 25 years and (ii) over 25 years.

§ Mr. Newton
Decisions have not yet been taken about the rates of benefit to be adopted when the structural reforms to social security proposed in the Green Paper are implemented.

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his proposals in the Green Paper on the welfare state assume any savings in the budget presently allocated to supplementary benefits; and if he will list the figures involved if the changes were implemented in (a) 1985–86 and (b) 1987–88.

England gross expenture(£million cash) Percentage increase in real terms (GDP de-flator) Percentage increase deflated by the Retail Price Index Percentage increase deflated by movements in NHS pay and prices

1971–72 2,000 +3.6 +3.6 +3.6

1972–73 2,281 +5.6 +6.5 +5.1

1973–74 2,592 +5.9 +2.8 +3.5

1974–75 3,426 +10.6 +12.2 +1.2

1975–76 4,511 +5.0 +5.7 +2.6

1976–77 5,149 +0.7 —1.0 +1.1

1977–78 5,689 —2.8 —3.0 +0.9

1978–79 6,455 +2.5 +4.7 +2.3

1979–80 7,712 +2.3 +3.2 —0.1

1980–81 9,917 +8.4 +10.6 +1.2

1981–82 11,158 +2.3 +0.9 +3.3

1982–83 12,134 +1.9 +1.6 +1.2

1983–84 12,917 +2.0 +1.7 +1.4

1984–85 13,847 +2.6 +2.1 +1.1

The amount of a country's resources spent on health is conventionally measured in terms of its gross domestic product. Gross United Kingdom expenditure on the National Health Service as a proportion of United Kingdom GDP in the equivalent calendar year for which figures are available is as follows

Per cent.

1971 4.1

1972 4.3

1973 4.2

1974 4.8

1975 5.1

1976 5.1

1977 4.9

1978 4.8

1979 4.8

288W

§ Mr. Newton
The proposed changes in the main structure of supplementary benefit are not intended to reduce the overall level of help provided.

	England gross expenture(£million cash)	Percentage increase in real terms (GDP de-flator)	Percentage increase deflated by the Retail Price Index	Percentage increase deflated by movements in NHS pay and prices
1971–72	2,000	+3.6	+3.6	+3.6
1972–73	2,281	+5.6	+6.5	+5.1
1973–74	2,592	+5.9	+2.8	+3.5
1974–75	3,426	+10.6	+12.2	+1.2
1975–76	4,511	+5.0	+5.7	+2.6
1976–77	5,149	+0.7	—1.0	+1.1
1977–78	5,689	—2.8	—3.0	+0.9
1978–79	6,455	+2.5	+4.7	+2.3
1979–80	7,712	+2.3	+3.2	—0.1
1980–81	9,917	+8.4	+10.6	+1.2
1981–82	11,158	+2.3	+0.9	+3.3
1982–83	12,134	+1.9	+1.6	+1.2
1983–84	12,917	+2.0	+1.7	+1.4
1984–85	13,847	+2.6	+2.1	+1.1

	Per cent.
1971	4.1
1972	4.3
1973	4.2
1974	4.8
1975	5.1
1976	5.1
1977	4.9
1978	4.8
1979	4.8