§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last had discussions with disabled people's organisations about the likely effects upon disabled people of the proposed income support scheme; which organisations were involved; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottI discussed the income support scheme with representatives of the disability organisations on 30 September and have subsequently replied to their alternative proposals. I have placed a copy of my letter in the Library.
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§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the total annual cost of income support (a) in total and (b) minus the addition covering the 20 per cent. allocation for rates.
§ Mr. ScottOn the basis of the rates announced to the House by my right hon. Friend in his statement on 27 October at columns 179–81, the estimated cost of income support in 1988–89 would be £8,570 million. Excluding the 20 per cent. contribution to rates, the figure would be £8,290 million.
§ Mr. Robin Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the total cost of the increases in income support to compensate for the exclusion of 20 per cent. of rates from housing benefit on the figures in his statement of 27 October.
§ Mr. ScottOn the basis of the rates announced in my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 27 October at columns 179–81, the total cost (including the cost of additional payments of income support, housing benefit and family credit) would be £372 million.
§ Mr. Robin Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in the Official Report the calculation by which he estimated that £1.30 and £1 represent the average new liability to rates of claimants of income support; and what is his estimate of how many claimants face a liability (a) above that average and (b) below that average.
§ Mr. ScottThe figures are based on statistical samples of the rates liability of existing claimants of supplementary benefit uprated to reflect the expected liability of income support claimants in 1988–89. We estimate that slightly under half of income support claimants will face a liability above their relevant average and slightly more than half will face a liability below that average.
§ Mr. Robin Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what compensation through income support to single mothers under 18 years he has provided for the exclusion of 20 per cent. of rates from housing benefit.
§ Mr. ScottThe proposed rates of benefit for all claimants under the age of 18 contain no element to compensate them for their 20 per cent. contribution to rates in recognition of the fact that the vast majority of this age group on income support have no rates liability. However, under the transitional protection arrangements, all supplementary benefit claimants receiving a rate rebate in respect of week commencing 4 April 1988 will, for the purpose of any benefit income to be protected, have included in that income, for transitional protection purposes from 11 April 1988, either £ 1, if a single claimant under age 25, or £1.30 in other cases (including single mothers under 18).
§ Mr. Robin Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a table for rates of income support showing (a) the illustrative figures in the annex to the 1985 White Paper, (b) the illustrative figures uprated by the retail prices index since then, (c) the illustrative figures uprated by the Rossi index, (d) the amount by client group provided to compensate for the exclusion of 20 per cent. of rates from housing benefit and (e) the provisional figures for income support in his statement of 27 October.
§ Mr. ScottThe information requested is as follows: 463W
Income Support Technical Annex to the 1985 White Paper Uprated by Compensation for 20 per cent. rates contribution Proposed Rate RPI Rossi Personal Allowances 16–17 single 18.2 19.57 19.38 — 19.4 18–24 single 24.00 25.81 25.56 1.00 26.05 25+ single 30.6 32.91 32.59 1.30 33.4 couple 48.00 51.63 51.12 1.30 51.45 Premiums Family 5.75 6.18 6.13 — 6.15 Lone Parent 3.45 3.71 3.67 — 3.70 Pensioner—single 10.00 10.76 10.65 — 10.65 Pensioner—couple 15.25 16.4 16.24 — 16.25 Over 80—single 12.25 13.18 13.05 — 13.05 Over 80—couple 17.45 18.77 18.58 — 18.60 Sick/disabled single 12.25 13.18 13.05 — 13.05 Sick/disabled couple 17.45 18.77 18.58 — 18.60 Children Age under 11 10.10 10.86 10.76 — 10.75 Age 11–15 15.10 16.24 16.08 — 16.10