§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what proposals he has to protect those people on Government training schemes in respect of cuts in income support for mortgage interest payments; [14776]
(2) if he will take into account in his final plans for reduction in income support for mortgage interest the position of women who are unemployed due to pregnancy; [14782]
(3) what proposals he has to protect those people on Government training schemes in respect of cuts in income support for mortgage interest payments. [14882]
§ Mr. Roger EvansWe are considering the position of all groups during the consultation period and officials are discussing with the Association of British Insurers how best to ensure that the interaction between state and private provision works well.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice he has given to insurance firms in respect of mortgage protection in respect of unemployment due to pregnancy. [14778]
§ Mr. Roger EvansNone, but officials are talking to the Association of British Insurers to ensure that the interaction between state and private provisions work well.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assurances he has received from the Association of British Insurers in respect of the availability of mortgage protection policies following cuts in income support. [14777]
252W
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe Association of British Insurers has said that very few people who are accepted for a mortgage will not also satisfy the conditions for insurance and that even where insurance may not currently be available it expects cover to develop quite quickly.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to examine the Social Security Advisory Committee report of 1993 in regard to the extent of coverage by insurance companies of the whole range of workers for mortgage interest. [14779]
§ Mr. Roger EvansI have read the 1993 report by the Social Security Advisory Committee on the regulations introducing an upper limit on the amount of help with income support mortgage interest and responded to it. I also read the committees 1994 report on state benefit and private provision, which accepted that there was scope for the expansion of private mortgage protection insurance, at the time of publication. The Governments proposals for change in relation to income support mortgage interest payments announced in the last Budget have also been referred to the committee, which is consulting widely on them. I will study in detail the report that it produces on these proposals.