HC Deb 04 December 1995 vol 268 cc95-7W
Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefit provision Her Majesty's Government(a) currently make and (b) intend to make available to disabled applicants for political asylum and those asylum seekers who care for disabled applicants. [3672]

Mr. Roger Evans

Disabled asylum applicants, and carers who are themselves asylum applicants, are currently entitled to claim social security benefits, including invalid care allowance, subject to the normal conditions of eligibility. Payment of income support is at the urgent cases rate, which limits the claimant's personal allowance to 90 per cent. of the normal rate. Entitlement to income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit ceases on the abandonment or final negative determination of an asylum application.

Under proposed changes to these provisions, benefit entitlement would be limited to income support at the urgent cases rate, housing benefit and council tax benefit for people who applied for asylum on entry to the UK.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of his Department's budget is represented by social security benefits made available to refugees and asylum seekers. [3630]

Mr. Evans

Approximately one quarter of 1 per cent. of total benefit expenditure, or £215 million per annum.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefit provision Her Majesty's Government intend to make for pregnant women who apply for political asylum during the course of the application with regard to housing, maternal and foetal health and food. [3673]

Mr. Evans

The two maternity benefits, statutory maternity pay and maternity allowance, are specifically aimed at pregnant working women and both have qualifying conditions closely related to the woman's recent employment and earnings history. They are therefore not available to women who have newly arrived in this country. This applies whether or not they are asylum seekers and the proposed benefit changes do not affect this position. People from abroad, including pregnant women, who apply for asylum on entry to the UK will remain entitled to claim income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit under currently proposed benefit changes. In addition, an application may be made to the social fund for a maternity payment if the applicant or her partner is in receipt of income support, housing benefit or disability working allowance.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with his European counterparts about the harmonisation of welfare benefits available for asylum seekers and refugees. [3629]

Mr. Evans

My right hon. Friend and his ministerial team have had no such discussions.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the maximum amount of disability benefit that may be claimed by an applicant for political asylum; and what amount is then deducted from the amount paid to the applicant in income support; [3671]

(2) what is the maximum weekly amount of benefit which may be claimed by applicants for political asylum who are (a) a single mother with one child, (b) a married couple without dependent children and (c) a married couple with two dependent children. [3670]

Mr. Evans

Asylum seekers are currently entitled to claim any social security benefit, subject to the normal conditions of eligibility appropriate to each. The weekly amount of benefit paid will depend on which benefits are claimed and on the individual circumstances of the claimant and any partner and dependants.