§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which software providers have responded to Stakeholder Pension Consultation Brief 6. [98119]
§ Mr. RookerOne software provider, Quality Management Software Ltd. responded to Stakeholder Pension Consultation Brief 6.
§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently waiting for their pension application to be processed by Newcastle Benefit Office; and when the Office expects to process applications from people who reached the age of 60 in September. [98190]
§ Mr. RookerThe number of people who reached pension age (60 for a woman and 65 for a man) in September 1999 and are currently waiting for their
Percentage of pensioners in receipt of occupational pensions Amount of occupational pension received (£ per week, July 1996 prices) Under £10 £10–20 £20–50 £50–100 £100–200 More than £200 Total number in receipt (millions) 1987 29 19 27 14 9 2 3.8 1988 23 21 26 17 10 3 3.8 1989 23 21 25 18 11 2 4.0 1990–91 20 19 29 16 11 4 4.2 1992 17 16 26 18 16 6 4.3 1993 17 16 29 17 17 5 4.5 1994–95 14 17 28 19 15 8 4.6 1995–96 15 15 27 22 15 7 4.7 1996–97 12 13 27 22 18 9 4.5 Notes:
- 1. Pensioners are defined as individuals over State Pension age (65 for men, 60 for women).
- 2. All money amounts are expressed in £ per week at July 1996 prices.
- 3. All years are calendar years except 1990–91, which refers to the combined calendar years 1990 and 1991, and 1994–95 onwards, which refer to financial years.
- 4. Receipt of occupational pension is based on survey respondents' own assessment and may be subject to under-reporting.
Source: Family Expenditure Survey
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate(a) the net cost and (b) the gross cost of paying SERPS to widows and widowers at (i) 100 per cent. of spouse's contributions made to 5 April 2000 and (ii) 50 per cent. of spouse's contributions made after 6 April 2000, broken down by each year from 2000 to 2020. [98091]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
804Wpension application to be processed by the Benefit Agency's clerical section in Newcastle is 888. It is expected that most of this number will have been completed by 30 November.
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are not claiming the minimum income guarantee; what is the average resulting loss of income to those pensioners; and if he will make a statement. [98062]
§ Mr. RookerWe estimate that the number of pensioners not claiming their Income Support entitlement is between 530,000 and 870,000. The average weekly amount unclaimed is estimated to be £18.80. We will announce our plans for a national programme to encourage take-up of the minimum income guarantee in due course.
Note:
Source Income Related benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 1997–98.
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many pensioners in each of the last 10 years were in receipt of occupational and other pensions additional to the state retirement pensions and the percentage of those pensioners who were receiving(a) up to £10, (b) £10 to £20, (c) £20 to £50, (d) £50 to £100, (e) £100 to £200 and (f) over £200 per week from such sources. [98055]
§ Mr. RookerThe information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
805W
Gross costs of SERPS pensions for surviving spouses on the basis of 100 per cent. of pension accruals to 5 April 2000 and 50 per cent. after that date £ million 2000–01 60 2001–02 160 2002–03 280 2003–04 390 2004–05 500 2005–06 620 2006–07 730 2007–08 850
Gross costs of SERPS pensions for surviving spouses on the basis of 100 per cent. of pension accruals to 5 April 2000 and 50 per cent. after that date £ million 2008–09 970 2009–10 1,080 2010–11 1,200 2011–12 1,310 2012–13 1,420 2013–14 1,520 2014–15 1,620 2015–16 1,720 2016–17 1,810 2017–18 1,900 2018–19 1,980 2019–20 2,060 2020–21 2,130 Notes:
- 1. Gross costs have been provided from the Government Actuary's Department.
- 2. Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million, and are in 1999–2000 prices.
- 3. Exact figures for net costs are not available. It is estimated that gross costs are likely to incur an offset of around 0–5 per cent. in the years up to and including 2010 and around 5–10 per cent. thereafter.
- 4. Estimates assume average earnings growth from 1999 onwards of 1.5 per cent. per year above prices. The State Second Pension and Welfare Reform Bill changes are not taken into account in these figures.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many meetings of the working group on Best Practice Guidelines for occupational pensions have taken place so far. [98294]
§ Mr. RookerThe Best Practice Working Group met for the first time in October. Their second meeting will be in January 2000.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many inquiries(a) by letter, (b) by telephone and (c) in total have been received by the Benefits Agency since October 1998 on SERPS for widows and widowers after April 2000; [98093]
(2) which Benefits Agency Pensions Bulletins issued since October 1998 mention SERPS for widows and widowers after April 2000; and if he will publish them. [98095]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
The Benefits Agency has collected data on the number of inquiries received within Local Offices and the Pensions and Overseas Directorate on the changes to SERPS for widows and widowers from April 2000, since April 1999.
806W
Number of inquiries received by letter and telephone Month Inquiries received by letter Inquiries received by telephone 1999 April 1,495 508 May 467 137 June 345 114 July 289 52
Number of inquiries received by letter and telephone Month Inquiries received by letter Inquiries received by telephone August 151 53 September 143 63 Total 2,890 927 Note:
Prior to April 1999 the data has not been collected
In addition to the data provided above the Benefits Agency Chief Executive has responded directly to 56 SERPS related inquiries since October 1998.
Since October 1998 the Benefits Agency has issued six procedural bulletins in the Pensions Bulletin series on the subject of the changes to inherited SERPS from April 2000. These are 2/99; 13/99; 16/99; 18/99; 20/99; 28/99.Benefits Agency Pensions Bulletins are not priced publications available from HMSO. However, in line with the Benefits Agency's commitment to the Open Government Code of Practice, the bulletins are in the public domain and can be viewed at Benefit Agency Local Offices.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) hon. Members, (b) members of the public and (c) organisations have written to him since October 1998 about SERPS for widows and widowers after April 2000. [98092]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available shows that since October 1998 we have received 1,381 letters from hon. Members on this subject. Since November 1998, 834 letters have been received from organisations and members of the public.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to consult outside organisations before he publishes regulations under Clause 1 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill relating to additional pension for widows and widowers. [98094]
§ Mr. RookerWe plan to write shortly to interested organisations to invite them to be involved in a consultation group.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many meetings of the Pension Forecasting Advisory Group have taken place so far. [982931
§ Mr. RookerThe Pensions Forecasting Advisory Group met for the first time in October. Their second meeting will be in January 2000.