The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People – 27 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People on 27th January 1987.

    Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to make an inquiry under section 36 of the National Assistance Act 1948 of any local authorities which publish a nil budget estimate for any service for which they have a duty to assess the needs of disabled people under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; and if he will make a statement.
    Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1987]: Under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 local authorities have a duty to provide certain services for an individual disabled person if they are satisfied that such services are necessary in order to meet his or her needs. Section 36 of the National Assistance Act provides that where a local authority has failed to discharge its duties under section 2, the Secretary of State may, after such inquiry as he may think fit, make an order declaring the authority to be in default. The publication of a nil budget estimate cannot in itself indicate such a failure. Where, however, there is evidence that a local authority has failed actually to provide the services which are necessary to meet a disabled person’s needs, the necessary inquiries are made

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Climatic Variability – 27 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Climatic Variability on 27th January 1987.

    Mr. Wareing Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to implement the recommendations relating to his responsibilities in the report “Social and Economic Responses to Climatic Variability” in the United Kingdom.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Married Women Pensioners – 27 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Married Women Pensioners on 27th January 1987.

    Mr. Wigley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what work his Department has undertaken to make married women pensioners aware of the abolition of the half test rule, and of the tax allowance which they can now claim following its abolition.

    Mr. Major A total of 67,792 potential beneficiaries were identified in 1985 from computer records. Those women who might benefit in cash terms from the abolition of the rule were invited to claim their pension entitlement. The remaining women, who were already drawing pensions on their husband’s contributions which equalled or exceeded those to which they would be entitled on their own contributions, were informed of their entitlement and advised that it might be helpful to them for tax purposes. A publicity campaign was conducted in an attempt to reach those women who could not be identified individually. Advertisements were places in the national press, women’s magazines and specialist publications for the elderly, and leaflets inviting women to claim their pension entitlement were widely distributed. Both the advertisements and the leaflets included a coupon claim form. Consulates in countries overseas were also notified of the new arrangements.

    As a result of these measures a total of 35,254 married women have been awarded pension for the first time or have had their previous entitlement increased.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Death and Maternity Grants – 27 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Death and Maternity Grants on 27th January 1987.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he now proposes to take in the light of the discovery that under the regulatory powers governing the operation of the Social Fund in the Social Security Act 1986, no provision exists for him to determine the size of payments for death or maternity grant purposes.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to the statement that I made to the House on 22 January 1987 at column 1042.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Occupational Deafness – 27 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Occupational Deafness on 27th January 1987.

    Mr. Evans Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will amend the Social Security Industrial Injuries (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations to cover persons who have been employed in the glass industry and who suffer from occupational deafness;
    (2) if he will invite the standing working group of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to investigate the extent of industrial deafness in the glass industry.

    Mr. Major The Government are advised on the prescription of industrial diseases by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, whose standing working group is keeping the occupational deafness provisions under review. We have drawn the council’s attention to the hon. Member’s suggestion.

    Mr. Evans Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received any representations from employers’ organisations to extend the scope of the Social Security Industrial Injuries (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations to cover workers suffering from occupational deafness, in industries and occupations other than those currently listed in the regulations.

    Mr. Major We have received no representations to this effect from employers’ organisations.

    Mr. Evans Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received any representations from trade unions to extend the scope of the Social Security Industrial Injuries (Prescribed Diseases) Regulations to cover workers suffering from occupational deafness in industries and occupations other than those currently listed in the regulations.

    Mr. Major We have received a number of representations from trade unions. Their views have been passed to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council which is keeping the occupational deafness provisions under review.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on National Insurance Contributions – 27 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on National Insurance Contributions on 27th January 1987.

    Mr. Yeo Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the direct revenue effect in 1986-87 of changing the rates of class 1 national insurance contributions in all earnings bands by one percentage point; and whether he will show separately the effect on employers’ and employees’ contributions.

    Mr. Major It is estimated that such a change to all rates of employers’ and employees’ national insurance contributions in 1986-87 would have led to changes in receipts from employers and employees of £1,430 million and £1,290 million respectively.

    Mr. Neil Hamilton Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, what would be the cost of abolishing employers’ national insurance contributions in all assisted regions.

    Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1987]: I regret that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Social Fund – 26 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Social Fund on 26th January 1987.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on ministerial responsibility for the proposed social fund inspectors.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People – 26 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People on 26th January 1987.

    Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he has now undertaken with representatives of voluntary organisations and of the local authority associations on the implementation of sections 5 and 6 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation Act) 1986; if he will bring sections 5(1) and 5(2) into force immediately so that disabled people leaving further education in 1991 may be identified at the age of 14 years and not risk losing their rights under the Act; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major Officials from the Department met officers of the Association of County Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities on 19 December to discuss the implementation of the Act and, in particular, the possible resource implications of sections 5 and 6 (including sections 5(1) and 5(2).) I am hoping to meet the Associations myself at the earliest practicable date to continue these discussions. I have also agreed to meet representatives of the main voluntary organisations with an interest in the act at an appropriate stage to discuss its implementation. No decision can be taken on the timing of the implementation of sections 5 and 6, or any part of them, until the issue of the possible resource implications of these sections has been resolved.

    Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to make an inquiry under section 36 of the National Assistance Act 1948 of any local authorities which publish a nil budget estimate for any service for which they have a duty to assess the needs of disabled people under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; and if he will make a statement.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits – 26 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits on 26th January 1987.

    Mr. Pike Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate for the most recent possible date (a) the cost of extending long-term supplementary benefit to the long-term unemployed and (b) how many claimants would benefit.

    Mr. Major (a) £540 million; (b) 1.2 million claimants.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments – 26 January 1987

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments on 26th January 1987.

    Mr. Holt Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals the Government now have to amend the £500 saving limitation in connection with cold weather payments.

    Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) on 25 November 1986 at column 191.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for cold weather payments have been received by each local office of his Department in respect of the week commencing 12 January.

    Mr. Foulkes Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications have been received for the £5 severe weather payment for the week 12 to 18 January; how many had been paid by 20 January; and what is each figure as a percentage of the estimated number of people eligible.

    Mr. Major Information on the number of applications for exceptionally cold weather payments received in respect of week commencing 12 January and the number of payments made by 20 January is not yet available. It will be provided in due course.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why Tottenham Department of Health and Social security office has refused to accept a bulk claim for severe weather payments for the week 12 to 18 January inclusive from the Broadwater Farm neighbourhood office on behalf of pensioners over 65 years and families with children under the age of two years on supplementary benefit living within the London borough of Haringey; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Wigley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make it his policy that pensioners not normally in receipt of supplementary pensions should have their heating requirement assessed as £5 per week greater during exceptionally severe weather; and that if this additional cost puts them over the supplementary pension threshold they should receive the severe weather payment.

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