The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People – 10 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People on 10th December 1986.

    Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further representations his Department has received from the chairman of the Social Services Committee of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities about implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major I received a letter dated 24 November from the chairman of the social services committee of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities asking for an early meeting to discuss the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986. I have replied today agreeing that such a meeting would be useful when officials from the Department have met officials from the local authority associations to clarify some outstanding issues on the costing of the various provisions of the Act, and indicating that I would be asking my office to make the necessary arrangements.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on “Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain” – 9 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on “Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain” on 9th December 1986.

    Mr. Gareth Wardell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has any plans to update the 1968-69 survey carried out by Amelia Harris, “Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain”.

    Mr. Major My right hon. Friend announced on 2 April 1984 that there was to be a new survey of the extent of disablement in the population of Great Britain. As in 1968-69, this is being carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. The survey forms part of the Government’s strategy on the reform of social security benefits as illustrated by the references to benefits for disabled people, in volumes 1 to 3 of the Green Paper “Reform of Social Security” (Cmnd. 5917-9).

    Interviews in relation to a nationally representative sample of children and adults with significant disabilities living in private households were completed last year. Interviews in relation to a representative sample of adults in communal establishments are almost complete and the possibility of extending this to disabled children permanently resident in institutions is under consideration. Publication of the full results of the survey is expected in 1988.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance – 9 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance on 9th December 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will extend the eligibility rules for mobility allowance to enable those over 75 years of age to qualify on the grounds that payment would enable them to continue living in their own home.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 25 November at column 288.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Low Income Families – 8 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Low Income Families on 8th December 1986.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will retabulate the data on low-income families given in the answer of 25 July on a male-female basis according to the following age groups: under pension age, less than 20, 20 to 29, 30 to 44 and 45 plus years; and over pension age, 60 to 64, 65 to 69, 70 to 79 and 80 plus years.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Invalid Care Allowance – 8 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Invalid Care Allowance on 8th December 1986.

    Mr. Wareing Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to extend the deadline for the submission of applications by married women for invalid care allowance; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 4 December at column 735.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments – 8 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments on 8th December 1986.

    Mr. Cohen Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people received severe weather additions in Leyton and Leytonstone last winter; and how many people will be eligible for such payments at the appropriate temperature under the new arrangements.

    Mr. Major The London boroughs of Leyton and Leytonstone are dealt with by the Department’s office at Lemna Road, Leytonstone. This office made a total of 432 payments for extra fuel consumed during the period of exceptionally severe weather last winter.

    Information about the number of people in the area who would be eligible under the proposed new criteria is not available, since it would depend, among other things, on claimants’ capital holdings at the date of claim.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Invalid Care Allowance – 5 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Invalid Care Allowance on 5th December 1986.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much claims are being backdated following the change in the rules for invalid care allowance after the European Court ruling.

    Mr. Major Claims may be backdated for up to 12 months before the date on which the claim is actually made, subject to the statutory authorities being satisfied that the conditions were met throughout the period and that there is good cause for delay in claiming. Claims from married and cohabiting women may be backdated to 22 December 1984 subject to the conditions being satisfied. This will apply to claims from married and cohabiting women received by 31 December 1986. After that date the 12-month limitation on backdating will apply to all claimants. Statistics are not available of the amount of backdating in individual cases.
    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to have completed the review of all claims for invalid care allowance currently pending, following the decision in the European Court.

    Mr. Major Experience with cases so far processed – and particularly the extended time needed to obtain replies to inquiries about backdated claims – indicates that all claims currently pending will be proceed by March.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for invalid care allowance are currently awaiting a decision.

    Mr. Major At 21 November 1986, the latest date for which information is available, 65,767 from married women; 10,380 from men and single women.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for back payment of invalid care allowance, following the European Court decision, have now been processed and are being paid.

    Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 3 December at column 701.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the number of telephone inquiries to the Preston office received for each week since he announced his revision of eligibility for the invalid care allowance; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major Records of the number of telephone inquiries received are not kept routinely. The available information relates to the period from 19 November to 2 December only. During this period, a total of 1,969 telephone calls were received by the ICA unit at Preston, Lancs.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Cold Weather Payments – 5 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Cold Weather Payments on 5th December 1986.

    Mr. Aspinwall Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many exceptionally cold weather payments have been made in each year since 1980 to applicants at offices in the Bath district.

    Mr. Major Payments were made in the winters of 1981-82, 1984-85 and 1985-86. Information on the number of payments for the winter of 1981-82 is not available, but for the other two winters is 252 and 1,200 respectively.

    Mr. Aspinwall Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many exceptionally cold weather payments have been made in each year since 1980 to applicants at offices in the Bristol district.

    Mr. Major Payments were made in the winters of 1981-82, 1984-85 and 1985-86. Information on the number of payments for the winter of 1981-82 is not available, but for the other two winters is 1,090 and 5,355 respectively.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions – 5 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions on 5th December 1986.

    Mr. Wigley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce a system to enable pensioners who reach their 65th birthday several days before their first pension pay day to be able to receive a once-off Giro from his Department’s local office to pay to them the pension appropriate to that number of days for which they currently lose their pension.

    Mr. Major Retirement pension is paid to people who have both attained a minimum age and retired from regular work. People approaching pension age are already advised in leaflet NP32, sent automatically before age 60-65 to all those for whom the Department holds a contribution record, that any gap between the date of retirement and the first pension pay day can be avoided by making the pay day the retirement date where this is possible for them. The pension is in law a weekly benefit, and at present no powers exist either to pay retirement pension for odd days between the date of retirement and the pension pay day, or, indeed, to recover it for days after a pensioner’s death included in a weekly payment already cashed.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Winter Fuel Payments – 5 December 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Winter Fuel Payments on 5th December 1986.

    Mr. Tom Cox Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will outline his policy for targeting special winter fuel payments to elderly people and disabled people.

    Mr. Major Help with heating costs is available each week to supplementary benefit claimants through the weekly scale rates and heating additions. Extra help through the exceptionally cold weather provision has been targeted on vulnerable groups; the elderly, the very young and the sick and disabled.