§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the consequences of the benefit decision regarding St. Francis hospital, Haywards Heath.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe income support eligibility of people discharged from hospital is considered on an individual basis by independent adjudication officers in the local social security office and Ministers cannot intervene.
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Date Average earnings1 Statutory sick pay2 as a percentage of earnings at (a) (b) (c) £ 100 per cent. 75 per cent. 50 per cent. April 1983 147.40 27.3 36.4 54.6 April 1984 159.30 26.5 35.4 53.0 April 1985 171.00 25.9 34.6 51.9 April 1986 184.70 25.3 33.7 50.6 April 1987 198.90 23.7 31.6 47.5 April 1988 218.40 22.5 30.0 45.1 April 1989 239.70 21.7 29.0 43.5 April 1990 263.10 20.0 26.6 39.9 April 1991 284.70 18.4 24.6 30.6 Notes: 1 Earnings shown are the average for all full-time adult employees. 2 The majority of SSP recipients get occupational sick pay on top of SSP when they are sick. In many cases this brings the total payment received up to full pay. The cases of former long-term patients of St. Francis hospital, Haywards Heath are currently the subject of an appeal and it would not be appropriate for me to comment.