§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will so out the calculations behind the Government's statement that expenditure on contributory benefits will increase as a proportion of total benefit expenditure by 1.2 per cent. over the present Parliament. [135263]
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§ Angela EagleThe information is in the table.
Contributory benefits expressed as a percentage of total benefits 1996–97 2001–02 Departmental Report 2001–02 Spending Review Contributory Benefits 42,159 49,958 50,061 Total Benefits 92,212 106,479 106,367 Contributory percentage of total 45.72 46.92 47.06 Notes:
1. The contributory benefits are Retirement Pension, Widow's benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance, Statutory Sick Pay, Incapacity benefit, Maternity Allowance, Statutory Maternity Pay, Guardian Allowance.
2. Total benefits include all local authority spending on Housing benefit and Council Tax benefit in addition to the money funded directly from Central Government.
Sources:
Departmental report 2000. Spending Review 2000
The rise in contributory benefits as a proportion of total benefit expenditure over the present Parliament is the proportion for 2001–02 of 46.92 per cent. less that for 1996–97 of 45.72 per cent. which gives 1.2 per cent. This was calculated using figures from the Departmental Report 2000. The table also shows the latest figures for 2001–02 published in the Spending Review 2000. The increase using these figures is 47.06 per cent. less 45.72 per cent. giving 1.3 per cent.