The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Author: admin

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Post Offices (Services) – 10 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Post Offices (Services) on 10th February 1986.

    Mr. Patchett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice he has received from the consultants appointed by him to advise on the scope for the transfer of services provided on his behalf by Post Offices to other institutions; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major No such consultancy exercise has been commissioned. I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the recent survey carried out on attitudes to methods and frequency of payment of benefit. The conclusions of the survey are now being studied.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Departmental Staff – 10 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Departmental Staff on 10th February 1986.

    Mr. Freeson Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the approximate turnover of staff in grades of clerical assistant and clerical officers, respectively, in social security offices open to the public covering the Brent, East constituency, together with maximum and minimum rates of turnover naming the offices concerned.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mr. J. Lowry – 10 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mr. J. Lowry on 10th February 1986.

    Mr. Tony Lloyd Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate what progress concerning Mr. J. Lowry of 62 Parkhill Avenue, Rusholme, Manchester has been made since the letter to the hon. Member for Stretford from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security of 20 December 1985; and whether he will make it his policy to seek to resolve the matter before 21 February.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to the letter which my noble Friend sent to him on 5 February about the developments in Mr. Lowry’s case.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments – 10 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments on 10th February 1986.

    Mr. Meadowcroft Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report comparable statistics on the total amount paid out in single payments to claimants in different areas, based on the smallest convenient geographical areas, and on the most recent convenient dates.

    Mr. Major I am arranging for a table, showing the total amounts paid out in single payments by each of the Department’s local offices during the year ended 9 April 1985, to be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give, for the most recent month for which information is available (a) the number of single payment awards as a rate per 1,000 claimants and (b) the average single payment to (i) persons under pension age not required to register for work, (ii) persons under pension age required to register for work and (iii) persons over pension age for each social security office.

    Mr. Major This information is not immediately available but will be obtained as soon as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits (Payment) – 7 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits (Payment) on 7th February 1986.

    Mr. Patchett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he is having with the banks about the Government’s response to the recommendations of the 20th report of the Public Accounts Committee about switching benefit payments from post offices to banks; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major No such discussions are currently taking place. The position remains as described in the Government response to the Public Accounts Committee’s report.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Death Grant – 7 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Death Grant on 7th February 1986.

    Mr. Corbyn Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of claimants of funeral grant for each year since 1979 at the Highgate and Finsbury Park offices of his Department.

    Mr. Major The information relating to the number of claims to death grant received in the years from April 1980 to date is as follows; figures for the year commencing April 1979 are no longer available:

    Year | Highgate | Finsbury Park

    1980-81 | 1,327 | 947

    1981-82 | 938 | 882

    1982-83 | 1,256 | 1,108

    1983-84 | 1,109 | 1,028

    1984-85 | 1,116 | 883

    1985-86* | 1,311 | 716

    * To 14 January 1986.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 7 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 7th February 1986.

    Mr. Corbyn Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the total number of claimants of housing benefit at his Department’s offices at Highgate and Finsbury Park for each year since the scheme was introduced.

    Mr. Major Housing benefit is administered by local authorities and it is therefore not possible to relate the case load to this Department’s local offices. Tables showing each local authority’s estimate of its rent rebate, rent allowance and rate rebate case load, for each year since the introduction of housing benefit, were placed in the Library last July following a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, South (Mrs. Currie) on 19 July 1985, at column 305.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on War Pensions – 6 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on War Pensions on 6th 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 I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Social Security Bill (Actuary’s Report) – 6 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Social Security Bill (Actuary’s Report) on 6th February 1986.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in the Government Actuary’s report to the Social Security Bill 1986, Cmnd.9711, in table 5, page 14, what would be the estimated joint rates of contributions for each of the years stated if the assumptions included: (a) forecast growth of the economy of three per cent. per year, (b) growth in real earnings of three per cent. per year or (c) both these assumptions, whilst other assumptions in each case remained the same.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions and Benefits (Payment) – 6 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions and Benefits (Payment) on 6th February 1986.

    Mr. Crowther Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what areas recipients of pensions and other benefits have been offered financial inducements to change from payment through the Post Office network to payment through banks; and under what powers such offers are authorised.

    Mr. Major I understand that no such inducements have been offered.