§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing (a) the increases and reductions since 1973 and May 1979, respectively, in entitlement to universal benefits and allowances paid nationally or by local authorities, including the provision of school meals at less than cost, and (b) the increases in rent and rates for the type of accommodation inhabited by most married manual workers with two children; what is his estimate of the net effect in each case of the changes in terms of the median earnings of an adult male manual worker; and what effect the changes have had on the retail prices index.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe available information is as follows. Table 3.1 of "Abstracts of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions" August 1988, copies of which are in the Library, provides, for various family types at various earnings levels, estimates of net income, after the receipt of benefits and the payment of housing and other costs, at current prices. The period covered is April 1978 to April 1987. Earlier information of a similar kind is not available. For information on the impact of benefits or of housing costs on the retail price index, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish the latest results of his monitoring of the new social security arrangements to show the latest rate of take-up compared to the rate under the previous arrangements together with his assessment of the number of gainers and losers under the new arrangements and their distribution by size of gain or loss; and if under the new arrangements the beneficiary will be fully compensated for any increase in(a) rates and (b) rates and other charges.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 26 October 1988 at columns207–8. Take-up estimates for the reformed system will not become available until after the 1988 family expenditure survey is completed. I also refer the hon. Member to "Impact of the Reformed Structure of Income-Related Benefits", a copy of which is in the Library. Claimants receiving housing benefit will be fully compensated in future for reasonable increases in rent. providing their income does not change, and compensated for 80 per cent. of any increases in rates.