The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

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  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 26th June 1986

    Below is the text of the Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit from 26 June 1986.

    Mr. Hargreaves asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount of resources committed by his Department to Hyndburn in the form of a housing benefit for the years 1984–85 and 1985–86.

    Mr. Major Subsidy payments to Hyndburn borough council for benefits granted under the housing benefits scheme amounted to about £3,890,000 in 1984–85 and £4,360,000 in 1985–86. The figures for 1985–86 is based on the council’s estimated expenditure and is subject to revision.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments – 26 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments on 26th June 1986.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (a) how many single payments have been made under regulation 28 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations for each year since November 1981 to the following categories of claimants: (i) pensioners, (ii) unemployed, (iii) sick and disabled, (iv) single parents and (v) others, (b) the cost by year and on average for each category, (c) how many of these payments have been made to the long-term unemployed, (d) how much the Government expect to save by their abolitions and (e) what is the margin of error which should be taken into account in the figures.

    Mr. Nellist Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state (a) how many single payments have been made under regulation 28 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations for each year since November 1981 to the following categories of claimants: (i) pensioners, (ii) unemployed, (iii) sick and disabled, (iv) single parents and (v) others, (b) what was the cost, by year and on average for each category, (c) how many of these payments have been made to the long-term unemployed, (d) how much Her Majesty’s Government expect to save by the abolition and (e) what is the margin of error in the figures.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mortgage Interest – 26 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mortgage Interest on 26th June 1986.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on assistance with mortgage interest payments provided for persons on supplementary benefit, or the equivalent, in EEC and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

    Mr. Major We have no detailed comprehensive information about the assistance with mortgage interest payments given to persons receiving social assistance in all European Community and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. From the information we do have we understand the following countries provide some direct cash assistance with housing costs to home buyers (and tenants) subject to specified conditions:

    Australia
    France
    Germany
    Ireland
    New Zealand

    and the following countries provide help for tenants only:

    Denmark
    Netherlands
    Sweden.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Rent and Rates (Rebates and Allowances) – 25 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Rent and Rates (Rebates and Allowances) on 25th June 1986.

    Mr. John Fraser Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Lambeth are now receiving rent and rate rebates and rent allowances and as to how many are certificated claims.

    Mr. Major On the basis of estimates supplied by Lambeth Borough Council, in connection with their latest housing benefit subsidy claim the number of people receiving rent rebates, rent allowances and rate rebates is:

    Type | Certificated | Standard
    Rent rebates | 17,500 | 4,600
    Rent allowance | 7,784 | 3,860
    Rate rebates | 26,498 | 9,880

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mentally Ill People – 25 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mentally Ill People on 25th June 1986.

    Mr. Irving Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action has been taken to improve the training of his Department’s staff in the recognition and appropriate handling of mentally ill clients.

    Mr. Major The initial and subsequent developmental training of all the Department’s Social Security local office staff who deal with the public, is geared to the recognition and appropriate handling of clients with particular problems, including the mentally ill.

    To reinforce this message, in April this year, a specially commissioned video training package entitled “Ready, Willing and Able” was issued for use to all local offices. The aim of the material is to produce a heightened awareness of the differing needs of clients with disabilities, and to provide practical advice on improving the service provided. It includes specific coverage of the particular needs of people with mental handicaps. The video film was produced with the valued assistance of several voluntary organisations, including MENCAP, and the film commentary was read by Sir Brian Rix.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 25 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 25th June 1986.

    Mr. Nellist Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes the Government plan to make to the system of rebates presently paid to local authorities for cash paid out in housing benefit.

    Mr. Major Changes are proposed in the arrangements for subsidising local authorities’ housing benefit expenditure as part of the proposals for the reform of the housing benefits scheme. Our objectives for the revised subsidy arrangements are to provide more incentives than now for local authorities to monitor and control costs whilst providing a fair level of support for expenditure which they properly incur.

    For benefit costs we originally proposed that 20 per cent. of benefit expenditure should he included in the rate support grant system with the remaining costs attracting a direct subsidy. Preliminary work on the effects of this proposal has indicated that it would not meet our objectives. We are therefore considering alternative ways of achieving the desired results and will be putting further proposals to the local authority interests.

    Mr. Irving Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to reduce the housing benefit claimed by those who are unemployed and living in rented accommodation.

    Mr. Major We have no plans to reduce housing benefit specifically for unemployed people living in rented accommodation, although we intend to reduce overall expenditure on the scheme in 1988 as part of the social security reforms.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Special Payments (Loans) – 24 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Special Payments (Loans) on 24th June 1986.

    Mr. Carter-Jones Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance is given by local officers of his Department to claimants seeking special needs or emergency payments regarding approaches to loan companies; what advice is given in this context as to the availability of low interest loans from reputable money lenders; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major People who do not qualify for supplementary benefit in the normal way can be considered for urgent needs payments under the Supplementary Benefit (Urgent Cases) Regulations. In these circumstances, they are asked whether they already have credit or loan facilities available.

    However, the Department does not expect claimants to negotiate new commercial loan facilities in any circumstances and therefore does not give guidance about making approaches to loan companies or money lenders.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Bloomsbury Local Office – 23 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Bloomsbury Local Office on 23rd June 1986.

    Mr. Chris Smith Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many items of outstanding post are awaiting action at the Bloomsbury local Department of Health and Social Security office, Tavistock Square; how long on average they have been outstanding; and how many of the items of unlinked post outstanding at 11 March have now been dealt with.

    Mr. Major The Department’s Bloomsbury local office had 1,090 items of post awaiting action on 17 June, of which 798 were more than two days old. Records are not kept of how long on average post is outstanding. There are no items of post from claimants still outstanding from 11 March.

    Mr. Chris Smith Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the detailed arrangements for processing urgent needs claims at the Bloomsbury local Department of Health and Social Security Office, Tavistock Square; what particular arrangements are made for urgent needs claims when the office is shut (a) before its usual time, and (b) in any event; and how information about those proceedings is made available to claimants.

    Mr. Major Urgent needs claims at Bloomsbury local office are given priority and payment is normally made the same day, in accordance with the “S Manual” – paragraphs 8001-8651. If the office is forced to close early, eg because of industrial action, callers are invited to come back the next day, and claimants who cannot wait this long are advised of the Department’s London emergency office. The London Emergency Office is open each evening and during the day at weekends. The local office also has an arrangement with the local authority Social Services Department to provide emergency payments on its behalf.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit – 20 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit on 20th June 1986.

    Mr. Hancock Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what is the cost over the most recent period of 12 months for which figures are available of unemployment and other benefits related to unemployment in Portsmouth.

    Mr. Major I regret that this information is not available.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 19 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 19th June 1986.

    Mr. Clay Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were in receipt of supplementary benefit in (a) Cleveland and (b) Langbaurgh parliamentary constituency for each year since 1979.

    Mr. Major The county of Cleveland is covered by five of the Department’s local offices – Eston, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton. The boundaries of these offices are conterminous with the boundary of Cleveland. Two of these offices, Eston and Redcar, deal with the parliamentary constituency of Langbaurgh and the boundaries are conterminous.

    Figures of people receiving supplementary benefit from the five offices covering the county of Cleveland in May 1986, and at comparable dates for the previous seven years, are as follows:

    Year | Number
    1979 | 39,637
    1980 | 41,690
    1981 | 49,623
    1982 | 59,850
    1983 | 65,286
    1984 | 72,212
    1985 | 77,657
    1986 | 78,241

    Figures of people receiving supplementary benefit at the two offices covering the parliamentary constituency of Langbaurgh for the same dates are as follows:

    Year | Number
    1979 | 9,403
    1980 | 9,584
    1981 | 11,459
    1982 | 13,759
    1983 | 15,771
    1984 | 17,493
    1985 | 18,926
    1986 | 18,603

    Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action in each local office.