§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases involving injury as a result of the mustard gas explosion in Bari harbour, Italy, in 1943 have been dealt with by his Department in each year since 1980; how many cases have resulted in war pensions being paid; how these pensions have been calculated; and what representations he has had to backdate payments to the period before 1986.
§ Miss WiddecombeI refer the hon. Member to my reply of 4 February 1991 at column63 and my reply of 14 February 1991, at columns 586–87. Records of claims for war pension as a result of the Bari harbour incident have not been kept since the special tracing exercise conducted in 1986–87 and the statistical information now requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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Contribution income (£ billion) June 1992 Price3 Percentage of Exchequer income Employers NICs Employees2 NICs Employers NICs Employees NICs Employers NICs Employees NICs 1982–83 12.02 9.20 20.39 15.61 9.77 7.48 1983–84 12.45 10.53 20.19 17.07 9.84 8.32 11984–85 12.20 11.29 18.83 17.42 8.87 8.20 1985–86 12.53 12.11 18.34 17.72 8.38 8.10 1986–87 13.82 12.79 19.59 18.13 8.69 8.04 1987–88 15.33 14.13 20.60 18.99 9.03 8.32 1988–89 17.28 15.65 21.65 19.61 9.22 8.35 1989–90 18.50 14.74 21.77 17.34 9.06 7.22 1990–91 20.55 14.86 22.77 16.47 9.50 6.87 41991–92 21.66 15.33 22.46 15.89 9.88 6.99 War pensions are calculated by reference to the degree of disablement due to service assessed by making a comparison between the condition of the ex-service men or women and the condition of a normal healthy person of the same age and sex.