§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report details of approximate savings in social security expenditure made by the Government since May 1979 as they will affect expenditure in 1982–83, showing which Acts or administrative actions have brought about such savings.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIt is estimated that the approximate effect on planned expenditure in 1982–83 of savings from social security changes so far made by the Government since May 1979 is of the following order:
Approximate savings in 1982–83 £ million Social Security Act 1980 (i) Keeping pensions and long-term benefits in line with prices rather than with the higher of prices or earnings 500 (ii) Deferring uprating by two weeks 100 Social Security (No. 2) Act 1980 (i) 5 per cent, abatement 500 (ii) 'Freezing' Retirement Pensioners' Earnings rule (iii) Changes to 'waiting days' and linking (iv) Abolition of earnings related supplement (v) Abatement of unemployment benefit for occupational pensioners over 60 | (vi) Reduction of supplementary benefit for strikers' families | Social Security Act 1981 Recovery of one per cent, 'overshoot' on social security benefits 200 Other measures (not requiring primary legislation) Campaign against fraud and abuse 50 Method of uprating national insurance child dependency addition 50 Not making good 'shortfall' for certain benefits at the 1982 uprating (decision announced but not operative until November 1982) 65 Changeover to 4-weekly payment of child benefit 55