The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on JE Hanger & Co – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on JE Hanger & Co on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Dobson Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list and give the dates of approaches made by Ministers and officials respectively, to J. E. Hanger and Co. since 16 September about the current lock-out, together with the company’s response in each case.

    Mr. Major Under my direction officials in the Department’s headquarters and in the Department’s artificial limb and appliance centres have been in daily contact with J. E. Hanger and Co. Ltd. centrally and locally since the dispute at the Roehampton works began. Oral and written requests have been put to the management of the company from the first week enquiring what action the company were taking to maintain supply. Hanger management has not been prepared to go further than to make general assurances that they were making strenuous efforts to maintain the service.

    As far as patients are concerned, however, co-operation between the Department’s artificial limb and appliance centre staff and local Hanger branch management is very good. All urgent cases drawn to the attention of the company have been and are being dealt with expeditiously.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Family Income Supplement – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Family Income Supplement on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Clay Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish from the 1983 family expenditure survey (a) the number of those eligible claiming family income supplement, (b) the total amount of benefit unclaimed and (c) the average weekly amount of benefit unclaimed broken down into one and two parent families.

    Mr. Major An analysis of the data derived from the 1983 and 1984 family expenditure surveys in relation to take-up of family income supplement is almost complete. I hope to announce the results very shortly.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Clay Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish from the 1983 family expenditure survey (a) the number and percentage of those eligible claiming certificated, and standard housing benefit and housing benefit supplement, (b) the total amount of benefit unclaimed and (c) the average weekly amount of benefit unclaimed broken down according to the different groups of beneficiaries.

    Mr. Major The 1983 family expenditure survey data are not regarded as reliable in respect of estimates of the take-up of housing benefit, as the survey was carried out in the same year as the changeover to the new scheme. The first take-up estimates of housing benefit are expected shortly, however, based on analysis of data from the 1984 family expenditure survey.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the rent and rate increase each year since 1982; by how much the housing benefits needs allowance has been increased in each of these years, taking account of his statement of 22nd October; how many persons have lost each year that the the former has exceeded the latter; what was the total saving; what was the average individual loss and how many lost more than: (a) £1, (b) £2, and (c) £3 per week.

    Mr. Major I think there may be a misunderstanding underlying the hon. Member’s question. Increases in rent and rate levels are reflected in standard housing benefit entitlement in two ways. 60 per cent. of the claimant’s actual rent and rates are reflected automatically in the benefit calculation, and this has never been altered. In addition, 40 per cent. of the national average rents and rates were reflected in the needs allowances under the traditional uprating formula which was used each year from November 1982 to November 1985 inclusive. For last July’s interim uprating it was not possible to use the traditional formula, as was explained at the time, because the measurement period for the uprating did not include the month of April when rents and rates normally increase. The approach used for next April’s uprating, together with details of the effects, were explained fully in my right hon. Friend’s statement to the House, and subsequent exchanges, on 22 October.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on BCODP – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on BCODP on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Wareing Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assistance his Department gives to the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People; what his plans are for any future assistance; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major The British Council of Organisations of Disabled People is currently in receipt of a two year grant from the Department for the years 1985-86 and 1986-87 of £9,000 and £10,000 respectively towards their central costs in establishing a development worker post. We have received an application from BCODP for a grant towards their international activities and towards a proposed meeting of the World Council of the Disabled People’s International in the United Kingdom in 1987. These applications are currently being considered.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Invalid Care Allowance – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Invalid Care Allowance on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Wareing Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many married women have now claimed invalid care allowance following his decision to extend it to them; what steps he is taking to ensure that all married women entitled to this benefit will have entered their claim before the end of the year; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major A total of around 75,000 married and cohabiting women have claimed invalid care allowance, 60,000 of these claims have been made since my right hon. Friend’s announcement on 23 June at column 21. We have sent individual letters to some 400,000 attendance allowance beneficiaries, asking them to pass on details of the extension to their carer. In addition there has been a national press campaign in newspapers and journals, including women’s magazines. All the publicity has explained the ability to claim back to 22 December 1984 if the claim is received in the Department by 31 December 1986.

    Mr. Foulkes Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the level of the earnings limit for the invalid care allowance at April 1987 had it risen in line with changes to the retail price index since it was last increased in November 1982.

    Mr. Major £14.27.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Mobility Allowance on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will be introducing legislation to allow recipients of the mobility allowance to retain it beyond the age of 75 years.

    Mr. Major We have no present plans to do so.

    Mr. Dewar Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for mobility allowance were made in Scotland in 1985; of these how many were (i) granted and (ii) refused; of the claimants whose applications were refused how many subsequently appealed to the medical boards; in how many of these cases the original refusal was overturned; and in how many cases a refusal by a medical board was subsequently overturned by the Medical Appeals Tribunal.

    Mr. Major I regret that this information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Industrial Diseases – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Industrial Diseases on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Government were last advised on the prescription of industrial diseases by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major We last received advice from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council earlier this year when it submitted its report on occupational lung cancer. Arrangements are being made to publish this report before the end of the year.

    Mr. McTaggart Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the number and percentage of households and persons in Scotland below, at, or up to 40 per cent. above supplementary benefit level in 1979, 1981 and 1983.

    Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 6 May 1986, c. 73]: Estimates are provided in the tables. All of these estimates are subject to sampling error, but the Scottish estimates of low income assessment units that are not receiving supplementary benefit are particularly prone to this statistical problem. This is because of the small number of sample cases available in the Family Expenditure Survey.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 30 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 30th October 1986.

    Mr. Clay Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were living in families below supplementary benefit level, on supplementary benefit, with incomes up to 140 per cent. of supplementary benefit, classified by both employment status and family type in 1983 on the latest basis and on a basis comparable with 1981 and 1979; and, in each case, what proportion of the total population in each category they represent.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the McColl Report – 29 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the McColl Report on 29th October 1986.

    Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action has so far been taken in regard to the recommendations of the McColl report; when he will be taking any further action; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major On publication of the McColl report in January, we asked the National Health Service management board to oversee the programme of action to develop the artificial limb and appliance centre services, and for advice on some of the major issues raised in the report. We also invited interested organisations and individuals to comment. To ensure that action was carried forward quickly, we appointed as an interim measure a general manager to head the Department’s new disablement services division.

    Under the direction of the National Health Service management board and the general manager, a programme of action to improve standards of service where possible immediately is being vigorously pursued. For example, initiatives are being taken to improve transport and appointment arrangements; to ensure the availability of the full range of limb systems at each centre and to reduce delivery times; to introduce more attractive, coloured wheelchairs and a new basic wheelchair for occasional use; to improve management information and financial control systems, including the wider installation of computers; and to develop closer links with other related services for disabled people.

    We have not yet completed our consideration of future organisational arrangements and certain other policy issues raised by the McColl report. I shall inform the House as soon as conclusions are reached.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled Persons – 29 October 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled Persons on 29th October 1986.

    Mr. Alfred Morris Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from the chairman of the social services committee of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities concerning his observations on the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act at the Cardiff social services conference; what reply he is sending; if he will be meeting the association to discuss the Act’s implementation; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major The chairman of the social services committee of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities wrote to my right hon. Friend on 9 October, and I hope to reply shortly.