HC Deb 29 February 1996 vol 272 cc706-7W
Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on public revenues in 1996–97 and 1997–98 of raising the applicable amounts under disability working allowance by(a) £5, (b) £10 and (c) £25, giving figures separately for single claimants, couples and lone parents. [18243]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

Information is not available in the format requested. Available information is given in the table. Costs are given in cash terms, and are net of income-related benefit offset savings.

£ million
Cash 1996–97 1997–98
(a) Raising applicable amount by £5 1— 1—
(b) Raising applicable amount by £10 5 5
(c) Raising applicable amount by £25 10 15
1 Represents a figure less than £2.5 million.

Notes:

  1. 1. Estimates rounded to nearest £5 million.
  2. 2. Information from the "Family Expenditure Survey" (1991, 1992and 1993) is used to estimate the effects of these changes.
  3. 3. Estimates are based on sample data and should be used with extreme caution.

Source:

"Family Expenditure Survey".

Mr. Martlew

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on public revenues in 1996–97 and 1997–98 of reducing the taper for the withdrawal of disability working allowance to(a) 65 per cent., (b) 60 per cent., (c) 55 per cent., and (d) 50 per cent., and what would be the effect on claimant numbers in each case. [18109]

Mr. Mitchell

The estimated effects of changes in the disability working allowance taper are given in the table. Estimates are expressed in cash terms and are net of income-related benefit offsetting savings.

Reduce DWA taper to: 1996–97 1997–98
(a) 65 per cent.
Cost 1— £5 million
Additional DWA recipients 1,000 1,000
(b) 60 per cent.
Cost £5 million £5 million
Additional DWA recipients 2,000 2,000
(c) 55 per cent.
Cost £10 million £10 million
Additional DWA recipients 3,000 4,000
Reduce DWA taper to: 1996–97 1997–98
(d) 50 per cent.
Cost £10 million £15 million
Additional DWA recipients 6,000 7,000
1Represents a figure less than £2.5 million.

Notes:

  1. 1. Estimates are rounded to the nearest £55 million.
  2. 2. Estimates of additional DWA recipients rounded to the nearest 1,000.
  3. 3. Information from the family expenditure survey (1991, 1992 and 1993) is used to estimate the effects of these changes.
  4. 4. Estimates are based on sample data and should be used with extreme caution.

Source:

Family Expenditure Survey.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what statistics he collects about the range and averages of earnings and hours of work of people in receipt of disability working allowance. [18103]

Mr. Mitchell

Information about the range and averages of earnings can be found in the "Disability Working Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry" (July 1995), a copy of which is in the Library.

No reliable information on hours worked is held.

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