Health and Social Security Bill

HC Deb 21 December 1983 vol 51 cc277-8W

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in detail the individual savings that will result in reduced expenditure of £4 million arising from the withdrawal of short-term child dependency additions, as proposed in clause 6 of the Health and Social Security Bill.

Mr. Newton

The savings from the proposed changes would arise largely from child dependency additions to unemployment benefit—a little over £3 million. About £600,000 would be saved from such additions to sickness benefit and much smaller amounts from additions to

Mr. Andrew Bowden

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate how many pensioners will lose (a) 75p to £1 a week, (b) £1.50 to £2 a week, (c) £2 to £2.50 a week, (d) £2.50 to £3, (e) £3 to £3.50, (f) £3.50 to £4, (g) £4 to £4.50 and (h) £4.50 to £5 and in additional losses of 50p per week as far as possible, as a result of changes to housing benefit regulations announced in the autumn statement;

(2) if he will estimate the number of (i) single and (ii) married pensioners who will lose the following sums per week as a result of changes to housing benefit announced in the autumn statement: (a) 0 to 50p per week, (b) 50p to £1 per week, (c) £1 to £1.50 per week, (d) £1.50 to £2, (e) £2 to £2.50, (f) £2.50 to £3, (g) £3 to £3.50, (h)£3.50 to £4, (i) £4 to £4.50 and (j) £4.50 to £5, and additional losses of 50p per week; and if he will estimate the relevant income above the needs allowance on which such losses depend in each case.

Dr. Boyson

[pursuant to his reply, 8 December 1983, c. 227]: I am now able to let my hon. Friend have a further breakdown of the estimates I gave in my earlier reply, to show a distribution of the pensioner households affected according to their distance from the needs allowance. The needs allowances for pensioners are currently £43.80 for a single person and £64.25 for a couple.

maternity benefit and industrial death benefit. As the financial memorandum to the Bill explained, the saving of about £4 million to the national insurance fund will be offset by increased supplementary benefit expenditure of about £2 million.