The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits on 23rd July 1986.

    Mr. Austin Mitchell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the cost of paying unemployment benefit to persons between the ages of 60 and 65 years whose benefit is exhausted or who are currently disqualified because their contribution record is inadequate, but excluding females who are entitled to a state pension, and the saving in other benefits and additional yield of tax; and what adjustment should be made to these figures if those with an occupational pension but no state pension were to be excluded from drawing unemployment benefit.

    Mr. Major I regret that the information requested is not available. No records are kept of the number of unemployed persons over 60 years who are not receiving benefits and who are not required to sign at the unemployment benefit office for credits.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Students (Benefits) – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Students (Benefits) on 23rd July 1986.

    Mr. Andrew F. Bennett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what welfare benefits students are eligible to claim in connection with illness; and what is the cost to public funds.

    Mr. Major A student who is ill may qualify for sickness benefit or supplementary benefit, subject to the normal rules. No separate records are kept of claims from sick students.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Means Tested Benefits – 23 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Means Tested Benefits on 23rd July 1986.

    Mr. Knox Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the benefits in cash or in kind for which his Department is wholly or partly responsible which are means-tested.

    Mr. Major Supplementary benefit and family income supplement are the principal income-related benefits administered by the Department of Health and Social Security. Receipt can also give passported entitlement to other benefits such as free school meals. The Department also administers low-income schemes which provide help with National Health Service charges, travelling expenses and welfare foods, and has policy responsibility for housing benefit, which is administered by local authorities.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mrs. Enid Singer – 22 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mrs. Enid Singer on 22nd July 1986.

    Mr. Steen Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he hopes to answer the letter from the hon. Member for South Hams of 1 July about Mrs. Enid Singer, a constituent of the hon. Member.

    Mr. Major We are making inquiries into the points raised and I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Retirement Pensions – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Retirement Pensions on 21st July 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were receiving retirement pensions at the latest date for which information is available.

    Mr. Major The latest date for which information is available is September 1985, when the number of people receiving retirement pensions was in excess of 9,561,000.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Invalidity Benefit – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Invalidity Benefit on 21st July 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people at the latest date for which information is available were receiving invalidity benefit: (i) with the higher rate invalidity allowance, (ii) with the middle rate invalidity allowance, (iii) with the lower rate invalidity allowance and (iv) with the additional component.

    Mr. Major As at 30 March 1985, the latest date for which the information is available, the numbers of recipients were:

    Number
    (i) 211,000
    (ii) 176,000
    (iii) 321,000
    (iv) 528,000

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Invalidity Pension and Allowance – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Invalidity Pension and Allowance on 21st July 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was spent on (i) invalidity pension, (ii) invalidity allowance and (iii) the additional component to invalidity pension in the latest year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Major The information requested is as follows:

    £ million
    (i) 1,892
    (ii) 161
    (iii) 100

    All figures relate to 198485, the latest year for which information is available.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Family Income Supplement – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Family Income Supplement on 21st July 1986.

    Mr. Knox Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of families now in receipt of family income supplement; and what is the average amount of benefit received by these families.

    Mr. Major At the end of March 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, 201,000 families were receiving family income supplement and the average amount of benefit received was £13.30 weekly.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Attendance Allowance – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Attendance Allowance on 21st July 1986.

    Mrs. Beckett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was spent on attendance allowance in the latest year for which figures are available.

    Mr. Major The information requested is given in table 3.15 of the Government’s Expenditure Plans 1986-87 to 1988-89 (Cmnd. 9702-II), a copy of which is in the Library.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits – 21 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits on 21st July 1986.

    Mr. Frank Cook Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has given local offices any guidance or instructions on co-operating with local authority run benefits take-up campaigns.

    Mr. Major Local offices are encouraged to discuss with local authorities any plans which they may have to run benefits take-up campaigns. Officials are considering whether more detailed guidance can usefully be provided.