The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

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  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Disabled Persons Act 1986 – 26 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Disabled Persons Act 1986 on 26th March 1987.

    Mr. Hannam Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is in a position to make a further statement on the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.

    Mr. Major I am pleased to announce that, following discussion with the local authority associations, I have today made a commencement order to bring into force on 1 April 1987 sections 4 (except paragraph(b)) and 8 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986. I hope that it will be possible to bring section 11 into force later this year.

    I have discussed with the local authority associations how best to proceed towards implementation of the rest of the Act, in particular sections 5 and 6 which deal with disabled school leavers, given the resource implications. We agreed that there would be urgent discussions at official level to look in more detail at the costs, and that I should meet the local authority associations in May to review progress.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance – 26 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance on 26th March 1987.

    Mr. Maclennan Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his latest estimate of the total number of claims for mobility allowance refused on grounds of age at the latest available date; and what consideration he has given to raising the upper age limit of eligibility for mobility allowance.

    Mr. Major During 1986, a total of 13,940 claims for mobility allowance were disallowed on age grounds. The limit of age 75 for the payment of the allowance will not affect any recipients before November 1989 and we shall consider whether or not the legislation should be amended nearer that time.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Pensioners (Benefits) – 26 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Pensioners (Benefits) on 26th March 1987.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners, and what percentage have (i) other state benefits than retirement pensions, (ii) occupational pensions, (iii) state earnings-related pensions and (iv) income from savings which is in each case (a) £0-£1 to £5 per week, (b) £5-£10 per week, (c) £10-£20 per week, (d) £20-£30 per week, (e) £30-£40 per week, (f) £40-£50 per week, (g) £50-£60 per week, (h) £60-£70 per week, (i) £70-£80 per week, (j) £80-£90 per week, (k) £90-£100 per week and (l) more than £100 per week.

    Mr. Major I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments – 26 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments on 26th March 1987.

    Dr. Godman Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims were received by the Greenock and Port Glasgow Department of Health and Social Security supplementary benefit office for single payments in respect of the exceptionally severe weather in January; how many of these claims have been processed; and how many are outstanding.

    Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested. However, up to 10 March 1987 – the latest date for which figures are available – the Greenock and Port Glasgow local offices had made approximately 17,000 exceptionally cold weather £5 payments.

    Dr. Godman Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of claimants at the Greenock and Port Glasgow Department of Health and Social Security supplementary benefit offices who were entitled to exceptionally severe weather payments actually claimed for the payments in January of this year.

    Mr. Major I regret that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Families (Benefits) – 26 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Families (Benefits) on 26th March 1987.

    Mr. Austin Mitchell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) the number of families on family income supplement and the number with children, (b) the number of one-parent families drawing the special allowance, (c) the number of families on unemployment benefit drawing social security and the number with children, (d) the number of other families on social security and the number with children, (e) the number of families paid other kinds of dependency addition and (f) the number of children covered by each of the foregoing categories.

    Mr. Major I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits – 26 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits on 26th March 1987.

    Mr. Austin Mitchell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the savings in benefits in the next financial year of raising the single and married allowances for both income tax and national insurance contributions to £2,500 and £5,000, respectively; if he will provide an estimate of the number of adults and children taken out of benefit under the various headings; and how many would remain in receipt of benefit as a result of also raising child benefit to £15 and making it taxable.

    Mr. Major There would be a negligible effect on benefit expenditure and eligibility to benefit in 1987-88 as a result of changes in tax allowances, or changes in national insurance contributions in that year (there is, in any event, no single or married allowance for such contributions). It would be disproportionately costly to estimate the effect of raising child benefit to £15 and making it taxable.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Social Fund – 25 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Social Fund on 25th March 1987.

    Mr. Hind Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will issue the consultation document on the social fund.

    Mr. Major I have today sent to the local authority associations and to members of the SSAC for comment a draft of the proposed directions and guidance for social fund officers on the operation of the social fund from April 1988, and to national voluntary organisations and to professional bodies for information. I have placed a copy in the Library.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Maternity Payments – 25 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Maternity Payments on 25th March 1987.

    Mr. Dubs Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Putney received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested. But in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 835 claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department’s office in Wandsworth which covers the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.

    Mr. Dubs Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Welwyn and Hatfield received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested. But in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following numbers of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department’s offices which cover the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.

    Area | Number
    Hatfield | 681
    Hertford | 1,067
    St. Albans | 1,056

    Mr. Dubs Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Battersea received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested. But in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following numbers of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department’s offices which cover the constituency although the boundaries are not conterminous:

    Area | Number
    Battersea (1) | n/a
    Balham (1) | n/a
    Wandsworth | 835

    (1) Claims for these offices are dealt with at Broadstairs outstation.
    A total of 3,703 claims were dealt with at that office but this total includes claims proper to other offices.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Death and Maternity Grants – 25 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Death and Maternity Grants on 25th March 1987.

    Dr. Godman Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many claims for (a) death grant and (b) maternity grant were made at the Greenock and Port Glasgow Department of Health and Social Security offices during 1986 at the last complete year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Major The information requested concerning claims at these two social security offices is as follows:

    Greenock Port Glasgow

    (a) Death Grant | 1,462 367
    (b) Maternity Grant | 1,137 468

    The maternity grant figures quoted are for the 1986 calendar year; the death grant figures are those for the period 18 December 1985 to 16 December 1986.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Lung Cancer – 25 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Lung Cancer on 25th March 1987.

    Mr. Blair Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the regulations to introduce the prescribed disease disablement benefit scheme for those contracting lung cancer as a result of exposure to zinc chromate, calcium chromate, and strontium chromate dust will be laid before Parliament.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Stevens) on 4 March, at column 628.