HC Deb 09 November 1998 vol 319 c93W
Mr. Oaten

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) civilian internees and (b) former prisoners of war are in receipt of a war disablement pension relating to the Second World War. [58475]

Mr. Timms

At 31 October 1998 there were 254,209 War Disablement Pensions in payment. Statistics on the number of former civilian internees and prisoners of war receiving payment are not kept and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits Expenditure 1978–79 to 2001–02
1978–79 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95
(Cash)£ million
FIS/Family Credit 24 425 494 626 929 1,208 1,441
Disability Working Allowance 3 7 11
WFTC
DPTC
Total Benefit Expenditure less DWA/FC/WFTC/DPTC 15,681 49,167 52,832 61,614 69,839 76,292 78,439
(Real terms–1997 to 1998 prices) £ million
FIS/Family Credit 75 570 614 733 1,568
Disability Working Allowance 3 8 12
WFTC
DPTC
Total Benefit Expenditure less DWA/FC/WFTC/DPTC 49,176 65,860 65,655 72,114 79,135 84,210 85,342
(As % of GDP) Percentage
FIS/Family Credit 0.01 0.08 0.09 0.11 0.15 0.19 0.21
Disability Working Allowance 0.00 0.00 0.00
WFTC
DPTC
Total Benefit Expenditure less DWA/FC/WFTC/DPTC as % of 9.1 9.4 9.4 10.4 11.4 11.8 11.4

Social Security Benefits Expenditure 1995–96 to 2001–02
1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02
(Cash) £ million
FIS/Family Credit 1,739 2,084 2,326 2,498 1,933
Disability Working Allowance 19 34 42 51 45
WFTC 991 4,042 4,446
DPTC 27 100 116
Total Benefit Expenditure less DWA/FC/WFTC/DPTC/ 81,547 84,702 85,686 88,218 93,512 97,174 102,274
(Real terms–1997 to 1998 prices) £million
FIS/Family Credit 1,840 2,138 2,326 2,429 1,832
Disability Working Allowance 20 35 42 49 43
WFTC 939 3,738 4,011
DPTC 26 92 104
Total Benefit Expenditure less DWA/FC/WFTC/DPTC 86,259 86,902 85,686 85,778 88,644 89,868 92,278
(As % of GDP) Percentage
FIS/Family Credit 0.24 0.27 0.29 0.29 0.22
Disability Working Allowance 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01
WFTC 0.11 0.43 0.45
DPTC 0.00 0.01 0.01
Total Benefit Expenditure less DWA/FC/WFTC/DPTC as % of 11.3 11.1 10.5 10.3 10.6 10.5 10.4

Notes:

1. The Social Security Expenditure is purely DSS Benefit Expenditure and excludes Local Authority, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and Welsh Office on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and its predecessors. Forecasts are consistent with the Pre Budget Report.

2. Consistent data for years from 1979–80 to 1988–89 are not readily available.

3. FIS—Family Income Supplement;

WFTC—Working Family Tax Credit

DPTC-Disabled Persons Tax Credit

DWA-Disability Working Allowance

FC-Family Credit