§ Mr. Robin F. Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in the review of the supplementary benefit appeal tribunals system following Professor Bell's report; and whether he will make a statement on the Government's proposals in the light of that review.
§ Mr. OrmeThe review has reached a stage where we have been able to formulate a number of important proposals which, while not requiring legislation, should greatly increase public confidence in the working of these tribunals. The main items are:—
- 1. As and when vacancies arise, there will be a gradual but significant move towards appointing more legally qualified chairmen. Legal qualifications will not, however, be a necessary pre-requisite for appointment.
- 2. My noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor, with the agreement of the Lord Advocate, has decided in principle that in the coming months an order should be made under Section 15(3) of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971 to give a direct right of appeal from the tribunals to the High Court—in Scotland the Court of Session—on a point of law. This measure will not prevent further consideration of a second-tier appeal to a higher tribunal.
- 3. A system of training for tribunal chairmen will be introduced as soon as possible and a supplementary benefit appeal tribunal procedural guide will be prepared.
- 4. A number of improvements have been made or are being considered, aimed particularly at stressing the independence of the tribunals, making them as accessible as possible and generally simplifying the appeal procedures. They include better tribunal premises, clearer and more complete documentation of appeals, improved forms and explanatory leaflets, reconsideration of the rôle of the tribunal clerk and the officer who represents the Supplementary Benefits Commission at appeal hearings, measures to overcome the difficulties in attending hearings of elderly or handicapped appellants and those who live in areas badly served by public transport and efforts to reduce the time between making an appeal and the hearing.
Other suggestions for change which have been made, particularly by Professor Bell, concern mainly longer-term issues, and their consideration will have to take account of any changes that may 165W emerge from the review of the Supplementary Benefits scheme itself which my right hon. Friend announced on 15th September last.
For financial and other reasons, my Department cannot at present be relieved of the responsibility for the provision of clerical and administrative services to the tribunals, but I would emphasise that the tribunals are entirely independent of the Department.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will break down by age the supplementary benefit claimants classified as living as a member of another person's household in 1975 and 1976.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe information relating to December 1975 is as follows:
Ages No. (1,000s) of claimants 16–17 … … … … 79 18–20 … … … … 75 21–29 … … … … 121 30–39 … … … … 41 40–49 … … … … 26 50–59 … … … … 24 60–64 … … … … 9 65–69 … … … … 10 70–74 … … … … 12 75–79 … … … … 10 80–84 … … … … 7 85–89 … … … … 4 90+ … … … … 5 Total … … … … 423 Corresponding information for 1976 will not be available until the autumn.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants classified as living as a member of another person's household in 1975 were single and how many were married or cohabiting; in each category, how many had dependent children; and how many had one, two, three, four or more children.
§ Mr. DeakinsIn December 1975, 404,000 such claimants were single and 19,000 married, or cohabiting. Information is not available on the number of dependent children of claimants in each category.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants classified as living as a member of another person's household in 1975 were: (a) living with relations, (b) sharing accommodation with non-relatives: (i) as joint 166W tenants or with all the names on the rent book, (ii) where there was no joint tenancy or joint rent book and (iii) as squatters.
§ Mr. DeakinsI regret the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants classified as living as a member of another person's household in 1975 were living in hostels and lodging houses paying for accommodation only; and how many were living in other people's private households.
§ Mr. DeakinsIn December 1975 about 423,000 claimants were living in other people's private households. An additional 16,000 or so claimants were living in communal establishments such as lodging houses and hostels, but information is not available on how many of these paid for accommodation only.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants of supplementary benefit were classified as living as a member of another person's household in 1975; and how many of these were in each of the categories used in table 34.85 of social security statistics.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe information relating to December 1975 is as follows:
167W
Number (1,000) of claimants Supplementary Pensions: Retirement pensioners and NI widows aged 60 and over 30 others 22 Total 52 Supplementary Allowances: Unemployed with unemployment benefit 20 Unemployed without unemployment benefit 183 Sick and disabled with NI benefit 2 Sick and disabled without NI benefit 89 NI widows under age 60 1 Other single parents (This classification is slightly different from1974) 68 Others 9 Total 371 All Supplementary Benefits 423
§ MR. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he Will compare the weekly tax threshold for a single person and for a married couple With the supplementary benefit level, including an allowance for rent and rates, in January 1974,1975,1976 and 1977.
§ Mr. OrmeThe information is as follows:
(1) (2) Weekly supplementary benefit including rent* Weekly tax threshold† £ £ January1974— Single householder … 9.68 11.45 Married couple … 14.48 14.91 January1975— Single householder … 12.24 12.02 Married couple … 17.36 16.64 January1976— Single householder … 15.62 12.99 Married couple … 23.34 18.37 January1977— Single householder … 18.51 14.14 Married couple … 27.92 20.87 * For this purpose the average rent addition for supplementary allowance cases has been added to the ordinary scale rate. The addition for 1977 has been estimated. † As with those in column(1), married couples are assumed to be childless. It is also assumed that the wife is not working. With earnings at these levels and no other source of income, there would probably be an entitlement to rent and rate rebates.