Benefits (Hansard, 1 July 1991)

§ Mr. John Garrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what forecast of the percentage take-up of widows' benefits has been used when estimating expenditure on these benefits for 1991–92.

§ Miss Widdecombe
The planned level of expenditure on widows' benefits shown in table 1 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1991–92 to 1993–94, Social Security" (Cm. 1514), was based on the figures available in the autumn of 1990 on the number of recipients, the composition of their families and the level of awards, and on the trends in those figures and the effects of uprating. It was not based on any explicit view of future take-up, but, implicitly, on the established trend.

§ Mr. John Garrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what forecast of the percentage take-up of disability working allowance has been used when estimating expenditure on this benefit in 1991–92.

§ Mr. Scott
Disability working allowance will not be introduced until April 1992.

§ Mr. John Garrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what forecast of the percentage take-up of invalid care allowance has been used when estimating expenditure on this benefit in 1991–92.

§ Mr. Scott
The planned level of expenditure on invalid care allowance shown in table 1 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1991–92 to 1993–94, Social Security" (Cm. 1514), was based on the figures available in the autumn of 1990 on the number of recipients, the66W circumstances in which they are caring, the level of awards and changes in other benefits which affect entitlement, and on the trends in those figures and the effects of uprating. It was not based on any explicit view of future take-up, but, implicitly, on the established trend.

§ Mr. John Garrett
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what forecast of the percentage take-up of family income supplement has been used when estimating expenditure on this benefit in 1991–92.

§ Mr. Jack
Family income supplement was replaced by family credit in April 1988. The planned level of expenditure on family credit shown in table 1 of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1991–92 to 1993–94, Social Security" (Cm. 1514), was based on the figures available in the autumn of 1990 on the number of recipients, the composition of their families and the level of awards, and on the trends in those figures and the effects of uprating. It was not based on any explicit view of future take-up, but, implicitly, on the established trend.