§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list any occasions when, in benefit upratings from 1986 onwards, the power to round benefit rates up or down under section 63(5) of the Social Security Act 1986 has not been used to round rates to the nearest 5p indicating by how much and in which direction any rounding diverged from that practice.
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 18 November 1991]: The table lists those rates whose increased amounts, from April 1987 to April 1991 upratings inclusive, were not rounded in the manner specified. In each case the rate was rounded up or down to the nearest amount indicated except where otherwise specified. The 1986 uprating order was made before the commencement of the Social Security Act 1986.
378W
Rates Child dependency increases Level at which CDIs payable with long-term benefits are affected by earnings of claimant's spouse or partner for first child £5 for each subsequent child £1 Earnings rules Therapeutic earnings limit 50p Industrial injuries unemployability supplement permitted earnings level (annual amount) £1 Income Support Reduction in benefit for strikers 50p Industrial Death Benefit Widow's pension (lower rate) 1p Industrial Disablement Pension and Pneumoconiosis, Byssinosis Workman's Compensation Scheme 18 or over—100 per cent, rate1 10p —lesser rates1 1p Under 18 —lesser rates1 1p Maximum life gratuity1 £10 Unemployability Supplement —middle rate 10p Constant Attendance Allowance Normal maximum rate 10p Invalidity Benefit Invalidity Allowance —middle rate 10p
Rates Non-Dependant Deductions (IS/HB)2 Rent rebates and allowances Aged 18 or over and in remunerative work3 10p above Others, aged 18 or over, or on Income Support and over 253 10p above Low earnings threshold 5p below Other deductions (IS) (Pre-1992) Deductions for direct payments Fuel debt 5 per cent. rate 5p above Fuel debt 10 per cent. rate 5p above Arrears of housing costs 5p above Arrears of water rates 5p above Deductions for arrears of Community Charge (from April 1990) Single debtor 5p above Couple debtors both with IS 5p above Retirement Pension Additional pension 1p Graduated Retirement Benefit (unit) 0.01p Contracted out deductions (from pre-April 1988 earnings) and graduated retirement benefit 1p Contracted out deductions (CODs) and increments to CODs (from post-April 1988 earnings) 1p Statutory Sick Pay/Statutory Maternity Pay4 5p below Widow's Benefit Widow's pension (age related) 1p 1 Industrial Disablement Pension only. 2 New Non-Dependent deductions from April 1992. 3 Non-Dependent deductions from April 1991 only. 4 The information for Statutory Sick Pay/Statutory Maternity Pay relates to the 1989 to 1991 upratings. Fron April 1992 rates are to be rounded to the nearest fivepence.