§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many questions were tabled to his Department in each Session since 1987–88; how many were not answered on grounds of disproportionate cost; what percentage of the total number of questions this represented; how many were not answered on the grounds that the information was not centrally available; and what percentage of the total number of questions this represented. [21146]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table:
Cost of contracted-out rebate for 1997–98 to 2001–2 Year £ billion (rounded) 1997–98 7.7 1998–99 7.8 1999–01 7.9 2000–01 8.0 2001–02 8.1 1. Costs are estimated on the basis of the levels of contracting out and other assumptions used for the Government Actuary's report on the Pensions Bill 1994, Cm 2714.
2. The amounts shown are the costs in respect of each financial year and have been rounded to one decimal place. In some cases, the costs will not fall in the financial year to which they relate. In particular, payments by the DSS to appropriate personal pensions and occupational money purchase schemes will not fall due until the following financial year.
§ Mr. DenhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for how long after the date of commencement of the Pensions Act 1995 state scheme premiums may be paid in respect of earners who were employed in 347W contracted-out employment which occurred before that date in order to buy them back into the state earnings-related pension scheme for that period. [23126]
§ Mr. HealdNo specific time limit has been prescribed within which payment of state scheme premiums outstanding at 6 April 1997 should be made.