§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table of each social security change since the major reform of social security in April 1988 including changes as part of the April 1989 uprating, showing the gainers and losers and the spending and savings as a result of each measure.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 16 February 1989]: The majority of the changes made in social security since April 1988 are set out in the amendments to the regulations made under the Social Security Acts. Major changes have been announced in statements to the House by my right hon. Friend. These include the changes to the capital rule and transitional protection on housing benefit, announced on 27 April 1988 at columns 356–61; the uprating of social security benefits on 27 October 1988 at columns 455–58, which included details of the additional resources available for low-income families with children 397W from April of this year and the extra help for poorer pensioners announced on 24 November 1988 at columns 241–49.
Other changes have been given in written answers, in particular the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) on 18 July 1988 at columns 487–88, which detailed changes to board and lodging arrangements; the reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 28 February at columns 161–62 concerning widows' benefits and the reply 398W to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 13 March at columns 27–28 which gave details of additional help to vulnerable 16 and 17-year-olds. Precise estimates of the effect of every change in social security since April 1988 are not readily available. Estimates of the numbers affected by individual changes, where available, were included in the announcements. The "Impact of the Reform Structure of Income-Related Benefits" shows the estimated effects on claimants of the changes that took place in April 1988.