§ Lord Jenkin of Rodingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were the total number of absences qualifying for statutory sickness payments and the number of instances where the claim was for less than four qualifying days in a year prior to the introduction of SSP and in the most recent year available.
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Viscount AstorThe information is not available in the form requested. The estimated average number receiving benefit at any one time is as shown in the table:
Period Sickness Benefit (000s)1 Statutory Sick Pay (000s)1 1982–83 395 n/a2 1992–93 135 330 1Source—Department report. 2Statutory Sick Pay was introduced on 6 April 1983.
§ Lord Jenkin of Rodingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were the mean sums reclaimed in respect of statutory sickness payments for each year for the introduction of the present scheme by those employers in the lowest and highest deciles of total annual national insurance liability (employers' and employees payments) for each of the following bands:
- less than £1,000
- £1,000 to less than £6,000
- £6,000 to less than £11,000
- £11,000 to less than £16,000
- £16,000 to less than £20,000
- £20,000 to less than £30,000
- Over £30,000.
§ Lord Jenkin of Rodingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were the total sums reclaimed by small employers in respect of statutory sickness payments eligible for relief at 100 per cent. for each month from the introduction of the present scheme.
Viscount AstorThe information is not available in the form requested. An employer is eligible for Small Employers' Relief in 1993–94 if his total national insurance contribution liability in 1992–93 was £16,000 or less. A qualifying employer may recover 100 per cent. of the statutory sick pay paid to an employee after the first six weeks of sickness. As there was 80 per cent. reimbursement in 1993–94 for all other statutory sick pay payments, the additional cost of 100 per cent. reimbursement is the difference between reimbursement at 80 per cent. and reimbursement at 100 per cent. We estimate this cost to be around £5 million for 1993–94.
§ Lord Jenkin of Rodingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were the total sums reclaimed by employers of statutory sickness payments for each month from the introduction of the present scheme to the latest date for which figures are available.
Viscount AstorThe information is not available in the form requested. Expenditure on statutory sick pay is in the table.
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Period Expenditure £ million1 Reimbursement rate percentage 1983–84 500 100 1984–85 508 100 1985–86 545 2109 31986–87 757 2108 1987–88 840 2107 1988–89 898 2107 1989–90 949 2107.5 1990–91 941 2107 1991–92 700 80 1Source:The Growth in Social Security. 2The expenditure figures include additional sums recovered by employers as compensation of the national insurance contributions payable on statutory sick pay. 3Statutory sick pay liability extended from eight weeks in a tax year to 28 weeks in a period of incapacity for work (linked or unlinked).