HC Deb 13 December 1985 vol 88 cc821-2W
Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those social security payments

Vaccine damage payments scheme: cost
Financial year
1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 Totals
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Number of payments 6 353 254 68 40 40 36 797
Cost of payments at cash 60,000 3,530,000 2,540,000 680,000 400,000 400,000 360,000 7,970,000
Estimated administrative cost at cash 240,000 259,000 243,000 134,000 113,000 94,000 101,000 1,184.000
Total cost at cash 300,000 3,789,000 2,783,000 814,000 513,000 494,000 461,000 9,154.000
Real value of each £10,000 payment 10,000 8,600 7,200 6,500 6,100 5,800 5,600 —
Cost of payments at 1978–79 prices 60,000 3,020,500 1,829,800 444,900 244,500 234,000 201,000 6,035,300

which have been increased either not at all or only once since 1979; and where there has been one increase, if he will give the time that had elapsed since the previous increase and the size of the percentage increase that was made.

Mr. Newton

The following social security payments have not been increased since 1979:

  • Death Grant.
  • Maternity Grant.
  • Age addition to retirement pension (for over 80's).
  • Blind addition to supplementary benefit (for over 80's).
  • Christmas bonus.
  • Industrial death benefit (for relatives other than widows).
  • Death benefit under the pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and miscellaneous diseases scheme.

There are no social security payments which have been increased only once since 1979.