The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

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  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Custodianship Allowances – 24 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Custodianship Allowances on 24th July 1986.

    Mr. Wood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision he intends to make for the treatment of custodianship allowances for supplementary benefit purposes.

    Mr. Major We intend shortly to refer to the Social Security Advisory Committee proposals to improve the position of supplementary beneficiaries who are receiving local authority custodianship allowances, and of certain young people who may receive supplementary benefit while remaining in full-time non-advanced education. We are also considering the inclusion of a number of minor clarifications and adjustments in related provisions.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 24 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 24th July 1986.

    Mr. Alton Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the ceiling on the rent which a landlord may charge where the rent is being paid via housing benefit.

    Mr. Major The regulations do not specify a maximum allowable rent for housing benefit purposes, but if a rent is registered housing benefit is payable only on the registered rent. However, local authorities can in certain circumstances limit the amount of rent which is taken into account in calculating entitlement to housing benefit if they consider that the rent charged is unreasonable. We propose to strengthen local authorities’ powers to withhold benefit and that the Secretary of State should have a reserve power to limit the level of rent eligible for housing benefit.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Fuel Payment – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Fuel Payment on 23rd July 1986.

    Mr. Wigley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing (a) the number of and (b) the total payments made during the first three months of the current year to help those on social security with fuel payments during periods of exceptionally severe weather, in each of the offices of his Department in Wales.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 18 July at column 663.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Darwen Caller Office – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Darwen Caller Office on 23rd July 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the north-west regional office of his Department has now received comments from all interested parties concerning the proposed closure of the Darwen caller office; what has been the general nature of those comments; and when a decision on the future of the office will be made.

    Mr. Major Comments have been received from most of the interested parties who have been consulted. In general, they are concerned with the value of retaining a facility locally for face to face contact with the Department and the travelling difficulties which the public may encounter in visiting the main office in Blackburn, as well as the status of the town of Darwen.

    A decision on the future of this caller office will be made soon.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits on 23rd July 1986.

    Mr. Austin Mitchell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of paying unemployment benefit to persons between the ages of 60 and 65 years whose benefit is exhausted or who are currently disqualified because their contribution record is inadequate, but excluding females who are entitled to a state pension, and the saving in other benefits and additional yield of tax; and what adjustment should be made to these figures if those with an occupational pension but no state pension were to be excluded from drawing unemployment benefit.

    Mr. Major I regret that the information requested is not available. No records are kept of the number of unemployed persons over 60 years who are not receiving benefits and who are not required to sign at the unemployment benefit office for credits.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Students (Benefits) – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Students (Benefits) on 23rd July 1986.

    Mr. Andrew F. Bennett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what welfare benefits students are eligible to claim in connection with illness; and what is the cost to public funds.

    Mr. Major A student who is ill may qualify for sickness benefit or supplementary benefit, subject to the normal rules. No separate records are kept of claims from sick students.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Means Tested Benefits – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Means Tested Benefits on 23rd July 1986.

    Mr. Knox Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the benefits in cash or in kind for which his Department is wholly or partly responsible which are means-tested.

    Mr. Major Supplementary benefit and family income supplement are the principal income-related benefits administered by the Department of Health and Social Security. Receipt can also give passported entitlement to other benefits such as free school meals. The Department also administers low-income schemes which provide help with National Health Service charges, travelling expenses and welfare foods, and has policy responsibility for housing benefit, which is administered by local authorities.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mrs. Enid Singer – 22 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mrs. Enid Singer on 22nd July 1986.

    Mr. Steen Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he hopes to answer the letter from the hon. Member for South Hams of 1 July about Mrs. Enid Singer, a constituent of the hon. Member.

    Mr. Major We are making inquiries into the points raised and I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Retirement Pensions – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Retirement Pensions on 21st July 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were receiving retirement pensions at the latest date for which information is available.

    Mr. Major The latest date for which information is available is September 1985, when the number of people receiving retirement pensions was in excess of 9,561,000.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Invalidity Benefit – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Invalidity Benefit on 21st July 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people at the latest date for which information is available were receiving invalidity benefit: (i) with the higher rate invalidity allowance, (ii) with the middle rate invalidity allowance, (iii) with the lower rate invalidity allowance and (iv) with the additional component.

    Mr. Major As at 30 March 1985, the latest date for which the information is available, the numbers of recipients were:

    Number
    (i) 211,000
    (ii) 176,000
    (iii) 321,000
    (iv) 528,000