§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing, for the most recent available date, the number of people in receipt of(a) the higher rate and (b) the lower rate of statutory sick pay.
§ Mr. HagueDuring 1992–93, the latest year for which information is available, an estimated 330,000 people received statutory sick pay at any one time. One third—around 110,000—of these cases were estimated to be in receipt of the lower rate, and two thirds—around 220,000—were estimated to be in receipt of the higher rate.
Notes:
1. Data from the April 1993 New Earnings Survey (GB) suggests that two thirds of people eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) would have received the higher rate if they had fallen ill; the remaining one third would have received the lower rate. Applying this breakdown to actual 282W SSP recipients assumes a constant distribution of sickness across earnings bands.
2. Most SSP recipients receive occupational sick pay in addition to SSP when they are sick. In many cases, this brings the total payment received up to full pay.
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the current higher rate of statutory sick pay if it had been uprated annually in line with the retail price index since April 1990.
§ Mr. HagueI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newport West (Mr. Flynn) on 27 October,Official Report, column 794.
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the effect on revenues, expressed in today's prices, of the freeze in the higher rate of statutory sick pay since April 1990 giving figures for(a) each year and (b) total savings to date.
§ Mr. HagueThe estimated savings arising from freezing the higher rate of statutory sick pay in each year from April 1991, and the cumulative savings up to April 1994, are set out in the table.
Estimated savings generated from freezing higher rate SSP Year Estimated savings £ million 1991–92 60 1992–93 80 1993–94 95 Cumulative total 235 Estimates are given at constant 1994–95 prices. Figures are rounded to the nearest £5 million but are not accurate to that degree.