§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the revised estimates of(a) the number of claimants and (b) expenditure for each benefit for each year from 1995–96 to 1999–2000 which were the basis for the total expenditure figures contained in table 5.7 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report"; and if he will give equivalent information for cyclical social security expenditure in each of those years. [9284]
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§ Mr. BurtDetailed breakdowns of total expenditure figures in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" are made available in the subsequent social security departmental report. This will be published in March 1997.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the successive estimates of the number of claimants in 1995–96 for each social security benefit(a) within the new control total and (b) included in cyclical social security expenditure, which were used as the basis for the figures published in each "Financial Statement and Budget Report" since the 1992 autumn statement. [9285]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
Caseload forecasts for 1995–96 from FSBR 1992 to FSBR 1995 Forecasts underlying: FSBR FSBR FSBR FSBR 19921 19932 19943 19954 New Control total Retirement Pension Basic 10,060 9,800 10,033 10,231 Earnings related component — 4,401 4,299 4,591 Widows Benefits Basic 320 323 306 322 Earnings related component — 251 239 253 Sickness Benefit 135 159 n/a n/a Statutory Sick Pay 330 10 10 Invalidity Benefit 10 Basic 1,775 1,773 n/a n/a Earnings related component — 1,702 n/a n/a Incapacity Benefit Short Term n/a n/a 223 214 Long Term n/a n/a 1,673 1,670 Earnings related component 1,482 1,467 Maternity Allowance 15 19 14 12 Statutory Maternity Pay 90 90 90 95 Guardians' Allowance/Child's Special Allowance — 5 3 3 Non-contributory Retirement Pension 30 30 32 33 War Pension 305 357 346 341 Attendance Allowance 1,050 1,138 1,044 1,099
New control total £ million 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 1992 plans 65,015 67,150 70,750 1— 1— 1— 1— 1993 plans 68,771 72,900 76,150 1— 1— 1— 1994 plans 72.798 75,950 79,200 1— 1— 1995 plans 76,274 79,050 81,700 1— 1996 plans 79,740 82,950 86.200 1 Figures are not available as plans were not produced at the time for these years. 1. Plans for 1992 to 1995 inclusive are those published in the relevant social security departmental reports (1993–96). Control total figures for 1996 are those published in the FSBR. Cyclical social security figures are those published in the FSBR excluding Northern Ireland.
2. Figures are the total Department of Social Security expenditure on benefits and administration. They do not include other benefit expenditure administered by local authorities and other Government Departments.
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Cyclical social security £ million 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1998–2000 1992 plans 14,744 15,800 16,250 1— 1— 1— 1— 1993 plans 14,223 14,900 15,600 1— 1— 1— 1994 plans 13,459 13,400 13,800 1— 1—
Caseload forecasts for 1995–96 from FSBR 1992 to FSBR 1995 Forecasts underlying: FSBR FSBR FSBR FSBR 19921 19932 19942 19952 Invalid Care Allowance 270 306 301 323 Severe Disablement Allowance 360 338 350 365 Disability Living Allowance 1,160 1,430 1,483 1,609 Disability Working Allowance 25 53 9 8 Industrial Disablement Benefit 285 300 335 322 Industrial Death Benefit 20 20 19 20 Other Industrial Injuries Benefit — 2 1 2 Income Support - New Control Total 1,848 1,851 1,757 Income Support - Total 6,215 6,213 5,831 5,585 Child Benefit: Number of children 12,855 12,885 12,754 12,900 Number of families 7,105 7,064 6,955 7,065 One Parent Benefit 1,030 1,036 943 1,005 Family Credit 490 603 640 627 Rent rebate 3,545 3,244 2,906 2,902 Rent Allowance 1,355 1,479 1,817 1,805 Community Charge/Council Tax Benefit 7,185 5,453 5,637 5,642 Cyclical Social Security Unemployment Benefit 725 697 474 424 Income Support—cyclical 3 4,365 3,980 3,828 1 Table 6 of 1993 department report - (average annual caseload). 2 Underlying caseload forecasts used as the basis for the expenditure forecasts in Table 1 of the 1994, 1995, 1996 departmental reports -(average annual caseload). 3 Cyclical social security was defined in July 1992 and is only available for plans for 1993–4 and beyond. 1. Figures cannot be totalled as individual claimants may be in receipt of more than one benefit.
— data not available.
n/a = not applicable.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the plans in each Budget since 1992 for Government spending for each year to 1999–2000 in respect of(a) social security expenditure within the new control total and (b) the level of cyclical social security expenditure. [9286]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is in the tables.
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Cyclical social security £ million 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 1995 plans 13,292 13,550 14,000 1— 1996 plans 13,515 13,638 14,008 1 Figures are not available as plans were not produced at the time for these years. 1. Plans for 1992 to 1995 inclusive are those published in the relevant social security departmental reports (1993-96). Control total figures for 1996 are those published in the FSBR. Cyclical social security figures are those published in the FSBR excluding Northern Ireland.
2. Figures are the total Department of Social Security expenditure on benefits and administration. They do not include other benefit expenditure administered by local authorities and other Government Departments.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the basis for the statement in paragraph 5.64 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" relating to the advantage of encouraging private provision in pensions as part of the reform of social security expenditure; and what savings resulted from that policy. [9287]
§ Mr. HealdThe Government are committed to funded occupational and personal pension provision, and have encouraged growth in this area by the introduction of greater choice and flexibility in pension options. As a result, this country is almost uniquely well placed to meet its pension promises in the new millennium. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Monetary Fund have acknowledged the strong position of the UK compared with other countries.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the forecasts of the growth of social security, given in figure 10 of the DSS departmental report (Cm 3213)(a) on the basis of the latest FSBR projections concerning the level of unemployment (b) on the assumption of a constant level of unemployment and (c) using the unemployment assumption as contained in Cm 3213. [9289]
§ Mr. BurtLong-term projections of social security benefit expenditure will be made available in the social security departmental report, which will be published in March. I will write separately to the hon. Member about any information he has requested in his answer which is not answered in the departmental report when it is published.
§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out(a) in cash terms and (b) at constant prices (i) the actual outturn and (ii) Budget estimated outturn of cyclical social security expenditure in each year since 1992; and if he will show the principal factors which affected the difference for each year between the actual outturn and the estimated outturn. [9290]
§ Mr. BurtThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table:
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Cyclical social security £ million Expenditure CASH PRICES 1993 plans 1993–94 estimated outturn1 13,470 Outturn3 13,822 1994 plans
Cyclical social security £ million 1994–95 estimated outturn2 13,602 Outturn3 13,697 1995 plans 1995–96 estimated outturn3 13,942 1995–96 current estimated outturn4 13,904 REAL TERMS (1996–97 PRICES) 1993 plans 1993–94 estimated outturn1 14,394 Outturn3 14,770 1994 plans 1994–95 estimated outturn2 14,281 Outturns3 14,381 1995 plans 1995–96 estimated outturn3 14,291 1995–96 current estimated outturn4 14,252 1 March 1994 departmental report. 2March 1994 departmental report. 3March 1994 departmental report. 4 1995–96—Cyclical social security includes benefits paid from the national insurance fund. The 1995–96 accounts for national insurance fund are not yet published so final outturn figures are not available. 1. Data for 1992–93 have not been provided as cyclical social security spending was only defined for public expenditure purposes in July 1992. Estimated outturn figures for social security for 1992–93 were therefore not on the same basis and are not directly comparable with plans for 1993–94 and beyond.
2. The principal factors giving rise to the differences in expenditure between estimated and actual outturn were: higher than anticipated increases in numbers of lone parents and sick and disabled receiving income support; higher than anticipated average amounts paid to income support recipients; and lower than anticipated numbers of unemployed claimants.