HC Deb 18 July 1995 vol 263 cc1099-100W
Mr. Denham

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 12 July,Official Report, column 623, on money purchases schemes, on what grounds it is assumed that the number of holders of APPs will fall between 2010 and 2030. [35513]

Mr. Heald

The introduction of age-related rebates will mean that the majority of current appropriate personal pension holders are able to maintain their plans until retirement. The new system will also reduce the financial incentives for younger people to take out an APP for the first time, so it is predicted that the level of take-up of new APPs will fall, leading to a gradual drop in the overall numbers of APP holders. However, the rebate will be regularly reviewed, and the changes to the contracting out system make it very difficult to predict future take up of APPs.

The detailed assumptions used in the figures are given in the Government Actuary's report on the Pension Bill 1995 (CM 2714).

Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has held with pension

Type of deduction 1989 (percentage of all claimants) 1990 (percentage of all claimants) 1991 (percentage of all claimants) 1992 (percentage of all claimants) 1993 (percentage of all claimants) 1994 (percentage of all claimants)
All cases with one or more deductions 631,000(15.16) 615,000 (14.71) 682,000 (15.2) 1,006,000 (19.77) 1,675,000(29.52)
Electricity 131,000(3.16) 100,000 (2.38) 96,000(2.14) 96,000 (1.9) 76,000 (1.34) 74,000(1.31)
Current charges only 40,000 (0.8) 32,000 (0.56) 30,000 (0.52)
Including arrears 56,000(1.1) 44,000 (0.78) 45,000 (0.79)
Gas 134,000 (3.22) 123,000 (2.94) 146,000 (3.25) 194,000 (3.8) 204,000 (3.61) 231,000(4.07)
Current charges only 43,000 (0.9) 37,000 (0.66) 38,000 (0.67)
Including arrears 151,000 (3.0) 166,000 (2.95) 193,000 (3.40)
Mortgage interest 4,000(0.10) 5,000(0.11) 7,000(0.16) 44,000 (0.9) 463,000 (8.20) 445,000 (7.85)
Current charges only 9,000 (0.2) 343,000 (6.08) 310,000 (5.46)
Including arrears 35,000 (0.7) 120,000(2.12) 135,000(2.39)
Water/sewerage charges, service charge for fuel and water1 22,000 (0.52) 51,000(1.21) 67,000(1.49) 134,000 (2.6) 161,000(2.86) 218,000 (3.83)
Current charges only 16,000 (0.3) 16,000 (0.29) 19,000 (0.34)
Including arrears 118,000(2.3) 145,000 (2.57) 198,000 (3.49)
Community charge2 34,000 (0.75)
Community charge higher arrears only 17,000 (0.3) 30,000 (0.53) 33,000 (0.58)
Community charge lower arrears only 228,000 (4.5) 408,000 (7.22) 490,000 (8.64)
Council tax arrears only3 14,000 (0.25)
Fines recovery arrears only4 7,000(0.12)
Social fund loan recovery5 352,000 (8.46) 383,000(9.16) 443,000 (9.87) 586,000(11.5) 665,000(11.72)
Overpayment recovery 79,000 (1.91) 70,000(1.67) 68,000(1.51) 92,000(1.8) 93,000(1.65) 114,000(2.02)
Child support6 19,000 (0.34)
Other housing costs, rent arrears and amenity charges 74,000(1.78) 57,000(1.37) 98,000(2.17) 101,000(2.0) 110,000(1.96) 161,000(2.83)

organisations on the future calculation of the retirement pension; and if he will make a statement. [35414]

Mr. Heald

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the previous Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 27 June,Official Report, columns 585–86.