The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

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  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Striking Miners (Benefits) – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Striking Miners (Benefits) on 13th February 1986.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many miners who were on strike during the period March 1984 to March 1985 were refused benefit in each week after 6 March 1985, when they sought to claim unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit, on the grounds that the strike was not yet over; and how many miners’ families continued each week since 6 March 1985 to suffer a deduction of £16 a week from benefits for their wives and children.

    Mr. Major Information is not available about the number of miners who claimed unemployment or supplementary benefit after 6 March 1985 and who were refused benefit because the stoppage of work due to the trade dispute at their place of employment had not yet ended.

    The following table shows the numbers of payments made each week from 6 March 1985 to 30 April 1985 (when weekly returns ceased) to miners for their dependants, and in which the £16 statutory deduction was made.

    Week Ending | Number of Payments Made

    12 March 1985 | 4,665

    19 March 1985 | 519

    26 March 1985 | 169

    2 April 1985 | 94

    9 April 1985 | 23

    16 April 1985 | 39

    23 April 1985 | 19

    30 April 1985 | 11

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Income Support – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Income Support on 13th February 1986.

    Mr. Ralph Howell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what income support or other benefits a British citizen receives if he is without any form of income in (i) Eire, (ii) France, (iii) West Germany and (iv) Italy if he has been in the country (a) less than three months, (b) less than 6 months and (c) less than 12 months.

    Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friend to the Department’s publication, “Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the Member States of the European Communities. Portugal and Spain (position at 1 January 1985)”, a copy of which is in the Library. Section IX contains information on social assistance schemes in the European Community member states.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Occupational Pensions – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Occupational Pensions on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Powley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to inform members of occupational pension schemes of their new rights under the Social Security Act 1985.

    Mr. Major Advertisements advising employees who are changing jobs that they now have the right to transfer their accrued pension benefits to a new employer’s scheme, or to use them to buy an insurance policy or annuity to provide themselves with a pension, were placed in the national press from 12 January. An information sheet providing employees with further information which is available from my Department has attracted considerable interest and we have so far issued some 12,000 copies. I am placing a copy of this information sheet in the Library.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many couples there are without dependent children where the husband is in receipt of supplementary benefit and the wife is employed 24 or more hours per week; and how many couples there are without dependent children where the wife is in receipt of supplementary benefit and the husband is employed 24 or more hours per week.

    Mr. Major It is regretted that the information is not available.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services according to the most recent available figures how many claimants are in receipt of unemployment benefit at less than the full rate (a) by sex and martial status and (b) where married, by sex and employment status of spouse.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mrs. Gillian Stringer – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mrs. Gillian Stringer on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Pawsey Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a reply to his letters of 12 November and 2 January referring to Mrs. Gillian Stringer of Rugby.

    Mr. Major I wrote to my hon. Friend on 10 February.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Social Security (Appeals) – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Social Security (Appeals) on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Harvey Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his practice regarding intervening when a statement of grounds in an appeal under section 93 of the Social Security Act is identical to the original statement of grounds in his Department’s decision, although new evidence has been presented at that appeal and although the statute requires that any opinion previously expressed is ignored.

    Mr. Major An intervention by the Secretary of State may not be made in respect of the content of a statement of grounds issued pursuant to regulation 14 of the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1984. I assume that my hon. Friend has a specific case in mind, and if the details are provided I will write to him.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on War Pensions – 11 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on War Pensions on 11th February 1986.

    Mr. Pawsey Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if, pursuant to the answer of 3 February regarding disregard on war pensions, he will list those branches of the Royal British Legion which can readily be identified as having made representations on the subject; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1986, c. 218]: Representations from the following Royal British Legion branches have been identified:

    Royal British Legion Scotland – Edinburgh and Lothian Area Council

    Royal British Legion – Kenilworth branch

    Royal British Legion – Firs branch, Birmingham

    Regular representations have also been received from the National Headquarters of the Royal British Legion and the Royal British Legion Scotland following resolutions taken at their annual conferences.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit – 11 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit on 11th February 1986.

    Mr. McGuire Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to seek to enable YTS trainees to qualify for unemployment benefit after they have completed their training; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major To receive unemployment benefit a person must satisfy two conditions. First he must have actually paid a certain amount of Class 1 contributions at some time; and second, he must have paid or been credited with enough contributions in the relevant tax year. YTS trainees receive a training allowance, not earnings, and they are not in class 1 employment. They therefore do not pay contributions but they are given credits for the training period which assist them to satisfy the second contribution condition. A YTS trainee will therefore receive unemployment benefit only if he paid enough contributions before commencing training to satisfy the first contribution condition. The Government have no plans to alter this situation. Supplementary benefit, which is not dependent on contribution conditions, is available to trainees who are unemployed on completion of their training.

    Mr. Robert Banks Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the benefit to the Exchequer of reduced unemployment benefits being paid to those who undertake duties in the Territorial Army volunteer reserve.

    Mr. Major A reservist who is in receipt of unemployment benefit loses benefit of up to £5.07 for himself, or £8.21 if he has an adult dependant, for each day, other than Sundays, on which he undertakes duties in the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve and earns more than £2. Supplementary benefit is reduced by the amount by which TA pay exceeds £32 in a month. Both benefits are withdrawn for the period of the annual camp. Information on the total amount of benefit withheld as a result of these procedures is not available.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Information Leaflets – 11 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Information Leaflets on 11th February 1986.

    Mr. Irving Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what priority he is giving to translating his Department’s information leaflets and claim forms into the Welsh, Greek, Turkish, Chinese, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujurati, Hindi and Urdu languages respectively; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major A selection of DHSS information leaflets and claim forms is produced in Welsh by the Department’s Wales and South Western Region in response to local requirements. Also in April 1985 the Department introduced “Which Benefit”, a comprehensive leaflet on social security benefit, in the Bengali, Chinese, Gujerati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu languages. Departmental evaluation of these projects is still in progress.