The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Education Maintenance Allowances – 27 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Education Maintenance Allowances on 27th November 1986.

    Mr. Andrew F. Bennett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the disregards were last set for young persons over the age of 16 years attending school, or attending colleges of further education as far as the treatment of education maintenance allowances for dependants in obtaining social security is concerned; and if he will make it his policy to raise them in line with inflation.

    Mr. Major The disregards for these allowances under the supplementary benefit scheme were established in 1978. We have no plans to increase them.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 27 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 27th November 1986.

    Mr. Gould Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what account has been taken in constructing the scales of supplementary benefit of the substantial increase in house insurance premiums.

    Mr. Major The supplementary benefit scale rates are intended to meet all normal day-to-day living expenses except housing costs, but including insurance of the contents of the home. Claimants who are owner-occupiers or who are otherwise liable for the maintenance and insurance of the structure of their homes receive a special addition of £1.85 a week, increasing to £1.95 a week from April 1987. Where the actual cost of insurance exceeds the standard allowance a higher allowance may be payable if, because of special circumstances (for example high fire risk) higher than average expenditure is justified.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Heating – 26 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Heating on 26th November 1986.

    Mr. Baldry Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when calculating the level of retirement pension, what specific consideration is given to heating costs; and how this is calculated.

    Mr. Major No separate consideration is given to heating costs in determining the annual level of retirement pension. Retirement pension and other linked benefits are statutorily uprated at least by changes in the general level of prices. The retail price index is used to measure price changes and the index takes account of changes in heating costs.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People – 26 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People on 26th November 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to issue regulations under section 1 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986; if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Disabled Persons Act 1986; which groups and organisations he has consulted about the implementation of the Disabled Persons Act 1986 since it received the Royal Assent; if he will estimate the full cost to local authorities of implementing the Disabled Persons Act 1986; and what representations he has received concerning the Disabled Persons Act 1986 since it received the Royal Assent.

    Mr. Wigley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his intentions concerning tabling commencement orders for each of the sections of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major The Department has been in consultation with the Association of County Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Association of Directors of Social Services and the National Association of Health Authorities about the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986. These consultations, which are continuing, are intended amongst other things to estimate as accurately as possible the cost to local authorities of the various provisions of the Act in the form in which it received Royal Assent, and the rate at which these costs would be likely to build up.

    The Government have consistently made it clear that it will only be possible to implement those provisions of the Act with significant resource implications (which include section 1) when the necessary resources can be made available. We want to press on with implementing other parts of the Act as quickly as possible, and I have told the local authority associations that I hope it will be possible to implement sections 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 by April 1987. Since the Act received Royal Assent, we have received written representations from 10 organisations or individuals seeking its implementation.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance – 26 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance on 26th November 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether the leaflet about retirement pension issued to people about to retire has yet been reprinted to include information about invalidity mobility allowance and the age limits;
    (2) whether he has any plans to review the publicity given at present to people approaching retirement age about their entitlement to mobility allowance.

    Mr. Major The publicity given to people approaching pension age about the qualifying age conditions for mobility allowance has already been extended. Information will be included from April 1987 in leaflet NP32, “Your Retirement Pension”. This leaflet is freely available in the Department’s local offices and elsewhere, and is sent automatically to anyone within four months of pension age for whom the Department has some record of pension entitlement.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will carry out a review of the publicity given to those potentially able to qualify for mobility allowance.

    Mr. Major The publicity arrangements for mobility allowance are kept under review. A new, revised edition of our explanatory leaflet is in the course of preparation.

    Mr. Wigley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the Government propose to take steps lo make mobility allowance available to all persons who cannot walk in a predetermined manner because of visual, sensory or mental disablement.

    Mr. Major We do not propose to make any significant change in the scope of mobility allowance in advance of the current major survey of disability and our subsequent comprehensive review of benefits for long-term sick and disabled people.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Child Benefit – 25 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Child Benefit on 25th November 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is proposed to cease issuing forms for claiming child benefit to all mothers on the birth of their child?

    Mr. Major No. The ending of non-contributory maternity grant will lead to revised arrangements for the issue of child benefit claim forms. They will be issued by local social security offices upon request.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled Persons – 25 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled Persons on 25th November 1986.

    Mr. Lilley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will publish the findings of his Department’s survey of disabled people.

    Mr. Major Publication of the full results is expected in 1988.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments – 25 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments on 25th November 1986.

    Mr. Andrew Bowden Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider his decision to include a £500 capital limit in the criteria of eligibility for exceptionally severe weather payments.

    Mr. Major No, the £500 capital rule is in line with that for other single payments.

    Mr. Flannery Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the new severe weather payments will be made to all on supplementary benefit.

    Mr. Major Those who will be eligible, subject to the normal £500 capital rule, will be householders where there is a member of the family as assessed for supplementary benefit purposes who is aged 65 or over, chronically sick or disabled, or aged under two.

    Mr. Madden Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the number of payments of severe weather allowance which would have been made in 1985–86 using the new criteria recently proposed by the Government.

    Mr. Major It is not possible with hindsight to make a valid estimate since amounts paid would depend on claimants’ capital holding and take-up in the affected area.

    Mr. McCrindle Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the new scheme for severe weather payments.

    Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro), on 20 November at columns 326-27.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Severe Disablement Premium – 25 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Severe Disablement Premium on 25th November 1986.

    Mr. Ashley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received regarding the adequacy of the provision for a severe disablement premium in the Social Security Act; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major Since Royal Assent we have received representations from the main organisations representing disabled people. I aim to meet them shortly to discuss our proposals for the severe disability premium.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Severe Disablement Allowance – 25 November 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Severe Disablement Allowance on 25th November 1986.

    Mr. Ashley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have been denied the severe disablement allowance because of the 10-in-20-years test; and how many of these were members of service families.

    Mr. Major I regret that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.