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Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People on 13th May 1987.

Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he now expects sections 5, 6 and 7 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 to come into effect; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major I cannot add to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 10 March at column 157 about implementation of sections 5, 6 and 7 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Attendance Allowance on 12th May 1987.

Mr. Pike Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims regarding attendance allowance are awaiting determination resulting from the recent Court of Appeal decision regarding the interpretation of continual supervision; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major Some 6,000 cases are awaiting determination because they may be affected by the recent Court of Appeal judgment. The attendance allowance board expects soon to issue guidelines to its delegated doctors on the application of the judgment, which will enable decisions to be given in these cases.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on National Insurance on 12th May 1987.

Mr. Austin Mitchell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply dated 13 March, Official Report, column 330, concerning the cost of a reduction in the employee’s contribution to national insurance, whether he will provide an estimate for the cost in 1987-88 together with an estimate of the effect on the revenue by extending the proposed scheme to the earnings of the self-employed in classes 2 and 4, and of removing the upper limit on such contributions.

Mr. Major I assume that the first part of the hon. Member’s question refers to a cut of five percentage points in the standard rate of employers’ national insurance contributions. This, together with the lower rates paid in respect of the lower paid falling in proportion, would reduce the full year yield of employers’ contributions by £8.3 billion in 1987-88.

A cut of five percentage points in the rate of class 4 national insurance contributions. to 1.3 per cent. would reduce the full-year yield of class 4 contributions by £320 million in 1987-88. Removing the upper profits limit for class 4 national insurance contributions (currently £15,340) would increase the full-year yield of class 4 contributions by £240 million in 1987-88.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments on 12th May 1987.

Mr. Bruce Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by his Department’s offices how many people applied for the extra £5 payment for exceptionally cold weather allowance made available for the weeks beginning 12 and 19 January; how many applications have been processed; and how many payments have been made.

Mr. Major I shall let the hon. Member have the information that is available as soon as possible.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Chief Adjudication Officer on 12th May 1987.

Mr. Allan Stewart Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will make available the second annual report of the chief adjudication officer; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major The report is being published today. The publication of the report follows from the provisions of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983, which sought to improve the quality of social security adjudication by a number of measures, including the requirement for the chief adjudication officer to report annually to the Secretary of State on the standards of social security adjudication. We are grateful to the chief adjudication officer for the efforts which he and his staff have put into the report. The report makes a number of constructive suggestions which we shall consider carefully.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions on 12th May 1987.

Mrs. Sally Oppenheim Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the rate of decline in the real purchasing power of the pension for a married couple between the date of implementation of the increase in 1975 and the date when the 1976 increase took effect; and what was the rate of decline in the real purchasing power of the pension for a married couple between the date of the implementation of the increase in 1985 and the date when the 1986 increase took effect.

Mr. Major By the date of the November 1976 pension up-rating, the real value of the November 1975 pension rate for a married couple had fallen by 15 per cent. By the date of the July 1986 up-rating, the real value of the November 1985 pension up-rating had fallen by 1.7 per cent.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Disabled People on 12th May 1987.

Mr. O’Brien Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 26 March, Official Report, column 260, whether he has now received the report from Wakefield district council relating to telephone attachments and rentals; and if he will publish the figures in the Official Report.

Mr. Major For the year ending 31 March 1986, Wakefield district council social services department provided no telephone attachments, but funded 924 rentals.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People (Library Facilities) on 12th May 1987.

Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what representations he has received from the Cassette Library for the Blind and Handicapped concerning the provisions of library facilities for people unable to read; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what assistance is provided by his Department towards the Cassette Library for the Blind and Handicapped; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he is satisfied that local authorities are fulfilling their duty under section 2(1)(b) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 to make arrangements for library services for people with disabilities, in particular for books on cassette for people unable to read; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major It is for local authorities to satisfy themselves as to what is necessary to meet the needs of individual disabled people under section 2(1)(b) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

The cassette library of recorded books (CALIBRE) received grants under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 from 1976 to March 1987. Although further requests and representations have been made, when the last grant was awarded it was made clear then that no commitment could be given to further funding.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Christmas Bonus on 8th May 1987.

Mr. Allan Stewart Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to pay the Christmas bonus in 1987.

Mr. Major A Christmas bonus of £10 will be paid to people who for the week beginning 7 December are entitled to payment of one of the qualifying benefits. The special stickers for the value of the bonus will be included in some benefit books to be issued from the week after next. These will cover a 26-week period including the week beginning 7 December.

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disability (Assessment) on 8th May 1987.

Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the Disability Alliance concerning the proposed scales for assessing the severity of disability devised by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Major I have received a copy of a recent letter sent by Professor Peter Townsend on behalf of the Disability Alliance to an official in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, who I understand will reply shortly.