§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to which policy initiative he has devoted most funding in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on progress with each initiative. [15243]
§ Mr. BurtMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's priorities are: to ensure that the overall cost of delivering the social security programme does not outstrip the nation's ability to pay; to bear down on fraud and abuse; to focus benefits on those who need them most; to improve incentives to work and save; and to encourage personal responsibility.
In order to meet these priorities, the following key initiatives have been launched over the last five years.
The Child Support Agency was launched in April 1993 to ensure both parents take financial responsibility for their children whenever they can afford to do so and is now securing consistently higher levels of maintenance for many thousands of lone parents.
Incapacity benefit was introduced in April 1995 to simplify the structure of provision for the sick and disabled and improve the targeting of resources on the long-term sick. The reforms are expected to reduce benefit expenditure by over £2 billion in the long term.
In July 1995, my right hon. Friend launched the security strategy to combat benefit fraud, putting new emphasis on prevention and deterrence whilst continuing to strengthen detection measures. The strategy has 279W produced year on year record savings and, under the "spend to save" initiative in the Budget, we expect to save a total of £7 billion over the next three years.
The Pensions Act 1995 introduced major reforms to both state and private pensions. The equalisation of state pension age at 65 for men and women will strike the right balance between working population and pensioners. The reforms in private pension provision, most of which will come into force in April, will improve the security of pension funds without placing excessive burdens on employers, and strengthen the whole system of pension provision.
Jobseeker's allowance was introduced in October 1996 to help people back into work by providing more assistance in their search for a job and work incentives such as the back to work bonus, and to target resources on those most in need.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is the first legislation of its kind anywhere in Europe. From 2 December 1996, the Act makes it unlawful for an employer with 20 or more staff—employers with fewer than this number are exempt from the Act's employment provisions—unjustifiably to treat a disabled employee or prospective employee less favourably than other people for a reason relating to his or her disability and for service providers to deny disabled people access to their services. The Act also creates new powers to set minimum access standards for new buses, taxis, trains and trams. The Act also established the National Disability Council to advise the Government on matters relating to the elimination of discrimination against disabled people and the operation of the Act.
A three-year pilot of the earnings top-up scheme was launched in October 1996 to help people without dependant children enter and remain in work. We are also investing £20 million in our "parent plus" initiative which, from April, will offer help and advice to lone parents who want to work. A range of options will be tested over three years, including the involvement of the private sector.