Jobseeker's Allowance

HC Deb 29 March 1999 vol 328 cc526-7W

Mr. Healey

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to treat as income money granted from a college access fund where a jobseeker's allowance claimant is studying under the part-time study concession. [78728]

Angela Eagle

Arrangements for the treatment of payments from college Access Funds have been in place since the Funds were introduced in the 1990–91 academic year.

Up to £20 per week of any regular payments from Access Funds may be disregarded in the calculation of Jobseeker's Allowance paid to part-time students. Any remainder is taken into account as income. One-off lump sum payments are treated as capital. Entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance is not affected unless a person's capital or savings exceeds £3,000.

There are no plans to change these arrangements. Pensions

Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the highest earnings level at which entitlement to the proposed state second pension will equal entitlement to SERPS, during the first phase of operation of the state second pension; and if he will set out the basis of his calculation. [78875]

Mr. Timms

We are currently consulting on our proposals for the State Second Pension. Final decisions, including those on earnings thresholds at which different pension accrual rates apply, will take account of responses received.