§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the factors which caused him to raise the upper limit on the lower earnings band in respect of statutory sick pay from £83.99 to £124.99; and what is the expected saving in statutory sick pay as a result.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardRaising the earnings band to £124.99 restores the balance between the proportion of employees entitled to the higher rate of statutory sick pay and those entitled to less than this, to about what it was when the statutory sick pay scheme was introduced in April 1983. The saving in public expenditure from this proposal is estimated as just under £30 million. As 91 per cent. of employees are employed by businesses with occupational sick pay schemes, which will make up any difference in statutory sick pay, the great majority of employees will not experience any reduction in the payments made to them when sick.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 19 January,Official Report, column 479, (1) he will introduce regulations requiring occupational sick pay schemes to include transfer rights in relation to payments for long-term incapacity where length of service is a factor in the calculation of such payments; and if he will make a statement;
(2) he will introduce regulations requiring all occupational sick pay schemes to pay benefits in respect of long-term incapacity of equal or greater value than those to which a person would have been entitled under the state earnings-related pension scheme's additional component to invalidity pension; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardNo. Decisions on the terms and conditions of individual occupational sick pay schemes are matters for that scheme's trustees in consultation with all relevant parties as appropriate.