§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish the annual savings in public expenditure from clause 1 of the Social Security Bill showing separate figures for national insurance benefits and supplementary benefits;
(2) if he will list the reductions in public expenditure for each social security benefit affected by clause 1 of the Social Security Bill.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe table below sets out the information distinguishing between those benefits directly affected by clause 1 of the Social Security Bill 1981 and those in respect of which primary legislation is not required but where savings will also be made.
304W
Main Benefits (including dependency increases) directly affecte by clause 1, Social Security Bill 1981. £ million Saving at estimated outturn prices 1981–82 1982–83 Retirement pension 40 121 Unemployment benefit 5 13
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many midwives are employed in each of the regional health authorities of England and Wales; and what were the figures for each of the last five years.
§ Sir George YoungThe information requested for England is as follows:
£ million Saving at estimated outturn prices 1981–82 1982–83 Sickness benefit 3 7 Invalidity benefit 5 14 Maternity allowance — 1 Widows benefits 2 6 Industrial Injuries benefits 2 4 Attendance allowance and Invalid Care allowance 1 3 Old Persons' pension — — Non-Contributory Invalidity pension 1 1 Sub total (rounded) 60 (1)170 Other benefits(2) Supplementary benefit 9 28 War pensions 2 4 Total (rounded) 70 200 (1) Takes account of the deferment of the proposed employers statutory sick pay scheme; therefore slightly higher than figures quoted in Financial Memorandum to Social Security Bill 1981. (2) Supplementary benefit and war pensions are not covered by Clause 1 of the Bill, but increases in November 1981 will be similarly affected.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the formulae to be used in 1981 for the uprating of children's additions to national insurance benefits.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinI shall, as is customary, be announcing details of the 1981 uprating of social security benefits shortly after the Budget Statement of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I ask the hon. Member to await that announcement.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement outlining the 305W conventions used when rounding up or down each social security benefit and indicate any change in such conventions since May 1979.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinMost social security benefits are rounded to the nearest 5p when uprated. Where the calculation produces a result that could be rounded up or down, the higher amount is chosen. There has been no change in these conventions since May 1979.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which social security benefits affected by clause 1 of the Social Security Bill were reduced under section 1 of the Social Security (No. 2) Act 1980.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe information requested is as follows:
- 1. Unemployment benefit.
- 2. Sickness benefit.
- 3. Invalidity pension.
- 4. Injury benefit.
- 5. Maternity allowance.
- 6. Unemployability supplement of industrial injuries disablement pension.
- 7. Increases for adult dependants paid with the above benefits.
- 8. Invalidity allowance (paid with invalidity pension).
- 9. Increase of unemployability supplement for early onset of incapacity.
§ 40. Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the social security benefits affected by clause 1 of the Social Security Bill specifying the sums for each benefit which will be assumed would have been provided for in the uprating order for 1980.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinThe main social security benefits directly affected by clause 1 of the Social Security Bill 1981, together with the rates which would have been provided for in the Social Security (Benefits) Uprating Order 1980 had the percentage by reference to which those increases were calculated been 15.5 per cent. and not 16.5 per cent., are as follows:
306W
1980 rate Theoretical rate £ £ Retirement Pension (Category A) Widows' Pension 27.15 26.90 Widowed Mothers' Allowance Retirement Pension (Category B) 16.30 16.15 Sickness and Unemployment Benefit and Maternity Allowance 20.65 20.45 Widows' Allowance 38.00 37.65 Invalidity Pension 26.00 25.75 Industrial Injuries Benefit 23.40 23.20 100 per cent. Disablement Benefit 44.30 43.90 Category C and D Retirement Pension higher rate 16.30 16.15 lower rate 9.80 9.70 Non-Contributory Invalidity Pension 16.30 16.15 Invalid Care Allowance Attendance Allowance higher rate 21.65 21.50 lower rate 14.45 14.30 Increase, Category A Retirement Pension—Adult Dependant 16.30 16.15 Increase of SB/MA/UB/II Adult Dependant 12.75 12.65 Increase of Invalidity Benefit Adult Dependant 15.60 15.45 Increase of IVB/WA/WMA/RP Child Dependant 7.50 7.45 Increase of UB/SB/MA/II Child Dependant 1.25 1.20 Note:
SB Sickness Benefit
MA Maternity Allowance
UB Unemployment Benefit
II Industrial Injuries
IVB Invalidity Benefit
WA Widows' Allowance
WMA Widowed Mothers'
Allowance RP Retirement Pension.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if there will be any change in the numbers of persons claiming supplementary benefit as a result of clause 1 of the Social Security Bill.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinIt is estimated that any change in the number of persons claiming supplementary benefit as a result of clause 1 of the Social Security Bill will be negligible.