The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Pensioners (Food Allocations) – 23 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Pensioners (Food Allocations) on 23rd March 1987.

    Mr. Lawrence Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider an additional page in the state pension book to enable an entry to be made to register that the pensioner has received his or her allocation of free European Community butter, cheese, meat, and so on.

    Mr. Major It is desirable to restrict entries in state pension order books to those necessary for the operation of the pension payment system. Entries in order books by other bodies could lead to confusion and difficulty. For this reason, it would not be appropriate to include an additional page to record receipt of food from the current Economic Community distribution scheme. Moreover, release of stocks of butter etc. from the short-term assistance scheme will terminate on 31 March.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Maternity and Funeral Payments – 20 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Maternity and Funeral Payments on 20th March 1987.

    Mr. Wood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce the arrangements for the introduction of maternity and funeral payments under the social fund following enactment on 17 March of the Social Fund (Maternity and Funeral Expenses) Act 1987.

    Mr. Major Regulations were laid before Parliament for this purpose yesterday.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions – 20 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions on 20th March 1987.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to increase pensions in the light of the £6 million windfall in Government revenue.

    Mr. Major My right hon. Friend announced on 22 October 1986 that pensions would be increased by 2.1 per cent. from 6 April 1987, in line with the rise in prices over the appropriate period.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will have been the fall in the real value of the basic retirement pension rate to be paid from 6 April as a result of pensions and other long-term benefits, including the long-term rate of supplementary benefit, not having been increased in line with the percentage rise in average earnings since November 1978; and what would be the cost in 1987-88 of using the rise in average earnings as the yardstick for pension increases rather than the retail price index.

    Mr. Major If the basic retirement pension and linked long-term benefits had been increased in line with the movement in average earnings (whole economy, seasonally adjusted) between November 1978 and September 1986, the end of the calculation period for the uprating taking place in April 1987, the pension at April would be £43.70 for a single person and £69.90 for a married couple. It is not possible to calculate changes in the real value at April until April retail price index figures are available. Prior to 1980, the long-term rate of supplementary benefit was not increased in relation to earnings, but by the same cash amount as the increase in retirement pension.

    If pensions and linked long-term benefits were increased to these amounts in April 1987, and if supplementary pensions and the long-term rate of supplementary allowance for recipients of long-term contributory benefits were increased by the same cash amount, the additional cost in 1987-88 would be about £2 billion above that already provided for. No change in the level of housing benefit needs allowances has been assumed.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments – 20 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments on 20th March 1987.

    Mr. Gordon Brown Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the numbers in Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy district social security offices who have received exceptionally severe weather allowances in the current year.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Board and Lodging Charges – 20 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Board and Lodging Charges on 20th March 1987.

    Mr. Ray Powell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether special consideration is being given, in connection with proposed changes in legislation for helping people on low incomes with board and lodging charges, to the position of women and children who because of violence in the family home are forced to seek accommodation at women’s aid refuges.

    Mr. Major A wide range of interested organisations have responded to the consultative paper on proposals for help with board and lodging charges under the reformed social security scheme. We are giving close consideration to the points that have been raised, including the position of people living in women’s aid refuges.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Attendance Allowance – 19 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Attendance Allowance on 19th March 1987.

    Mr. Wareing Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes in the payment of the higher rate of attendance allowance he plans in view of the Court of Appeal judgment in the case of Mrs. Dorothy Moran; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major The wider application of the Appeal Court judgment in Mrs. Moran’s case, and in particular the court’s interpretation of the “continual supervision” test, is a matter for the Independent Attendance Allowance Board. We shall be considering the judgment in the light of advice from the board.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Tricycles – 18 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Tricycles on 18th March 1987.

    Mr. Carter-Jones Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) new and (b) good condition second-hand tricycles are available in his Department; what plans his Department has for their disposal; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major There are no new invalid three-wheelers available in England. The last contract for the purchase of these vehicles was completed in April 1978.

    On 1 March 1987 there were 1,023 invalid three-wheelers in good condition available for re-issue. The Department also has some 1,100 vehicles around the country which are kept in reserve for the use of three-wheeler drivers when those they have on permanent loan are off the road.

    The future of these vehicles is a matter which we shall be considering over coming months.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Audiological Centres – 18 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Audiological Centres on 18th March 1987.

    Mr. Ashley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many specialised audiological centres providing the full range of hearing tests there are in the United Kingdom; and what is the waiting time for a first appointment at each.

    Mr. Major I regret that this information is not held centrally.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 18 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 18th March 1987.

    Mr. Wareing Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many recipients of supplementary benefit on Merseyside have had their payments suspended for not attending job training scheme interviews; how much in benefit has been withheld; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major The new job training scheme will not begin in Merseyside until April 1987. The scheme is entirely voluntary and no benefit sanctions will apply if someone does not wish to take up training or leaves prematurely.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Christmas Bonus – 17 March 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Christmas Bonus on 17th March 1987.

    Mr. Nellist Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each year since its introduction the value of the Christmas bonus for pensioners at (a) 1973 and (b) 1987 prices.

    Mr. Major As the Christmas bonus was introduced in December 1972, its value expressed at 1972 prices in December of each year is shown in column 1 of the table. Column 2 shows the value in December 1986 prices.

    Value of Christmas Bonus in (£)

    Year | 1972 prices | 1986 prices

    1972 | 10.00 | 44.29
    1973 | 9.04 | 40.05
    1974 | 7.59 | 33.62
    1975 | Not paid
    1976 | Not paid
    1977 | 4.71 | 20.86
    1978 | 4.35 | 19.25
    1979 | 3.71 | 16.42
    1980 | 3.22 | 14.26
    1981 | 2.87 | 12.73
    1982 | 2.73 | 12.07
    1983 | 2.59 | 11.46
    1984 | 2.48 | 10.96
    1985 | 2.34 | 10.37
    1986 | 2.26 | 10.00