The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 16 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 16th July 1986.

    Mr. Faulds Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit in the Warley, East constituency in (a) 1979 and (b) 1985; what percentage change that represents; and what was the percentage change in (i) staff handling supplementary benefit and (ii) all staff at the local offices of his Department over the same period.

    Dr. McDonald Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people claimed supplementary benefit in Thurrock in (a) 1979 and (b) 1985; and what percentage change that represents;
    (2) what was the percentage change in (a) staff handling supplementary benefit and (b) all staff at the local offices of his Department in Thurrock over the same period.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Fraud – 16 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Fraud on 16th July 1986.

    Mr. Gordon Brown Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff are currently involved in fraud work in Scotland.

    Mr. Major 417 staff have been allocated to undertake fraud work in Scotland in 1986-87.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployed Claimants – 16 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployed Claimants on 16th July 1986.

    Mr. Deakins Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed claimants in Brighton and Leicester, respectively, received help with mortgage interest payments in each year from 1979.

    Mr. Major Information in the form requested is not available.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments – 16 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments on 16th July 1986.

    Mr. Clelland Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what methods are adopted by assessment officers in his Department to comply with the requirements of paragraph 5(3) of single payments circular S36/85.

    Mr. Major It is usually the practice for local offices to make inquiries about the prices at which items of reasonable quality are available at shops in the areas in which their claimants are likely to shop. A list of guide prices based on these enquiries is compiled in accordance with circular S36/85 which offices are advised to keep under regular review: the prices of individual items should be reviewed if at any time it becomes apparent that suitable items are no longer available at the guide price. Adjudication officers are also advised that the guide price should not automatically be used as the maximum for any item and that they should carefully consider reasons put forward by the claimant as to why a higher amount may be appropriate in an individual case.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Family Income Supplement – 16 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Family Income Supplement on 16th July 1986.

    Dr. McDonald Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average family income supplement payment made to (a) couples, (b) single parents and (c) other family income recipients.

    Mr. Major At the end of March 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, the average weekly payments made to families receiving family income supplement were:

    Family Size | Average weekly payment (in £)

    2-parent families | 12.60
    1-parent families | 14.20
    All families | 13.30

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Captain Balnave – 15 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Captain Balnave on 15th July 1986.

    Mr. Hancock Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department will expedite the payment to Captain Balnave of 23 Malvern Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, awarded to him on appeal.

    Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 9 July 1986, c. 171]: Captain Balnave’s appeal was successful in establishing entitlement to a war pension for an additional disablement. A medical board is being arranged to advise on the assessment of the level of disability so that payment can be made at the appropriate rate as quickly as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 15 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 15th July 1986.

    Mr. Barry Jones Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit in Alyn and Deeside constituency in (a) 1979 and (b) 1985; what percentage change that represents; and what was the percentage change in (i) staff handling supplementary benefit and (ii) all staff at the local offices of his Department over the same period.

    Mr. Millan Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give the figures for the number of claimants of supplementary benefit in the Govan constituency at the most recent date for which figures are available and comparable figures for 1979; and what percentage change the latest figures represent;
    (2) what were the numbers of staff employed on supplementary benefit work in his Department’s local offices in the south-west of Glasgow at the latest available date; and if he will give comparative figures for 1979.

    Mr. Nellist Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit at the latest available date in 1986 and the comparable month in 1979 at each of the Coventry offices of his Department; what percentage change that represents; and what was the change in numbers and in percentage terms in the staff handling supplementary benefit and in all staff at those offices for the same period.

    Mr. Bermingham Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit in the St. Helens, South constituency in (a) 1979, and (b) 1985; what percentage change this represents; and what was the percentage change in (i) staff handling supplementary benefit and (ii) all staff at the local offices of his Department for the same period.

    Mr. Lambie Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit in Cunninghame, South constituency in (a) 1979 and (b) 1985; what percentage change this represents; and what was the percentage change in (i) staff handling supplementary benefit and (ii) all staff at the local offices of his Department for the same period.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on the Gaelic Language – 15 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Gaelic Language on 15th July 1986.

    Mr. Donald Stewart Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the leaflets and forms which his Department prints in Gaelic or in a bilingual English/Gaelic format.

    Mr. Major A version of the combined explanatory leaflet and claim form for supplementary benefit (SB1) is available in Gaelic.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 15 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit on 15th July 1986.

    Mr. Raynsford Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made by his Department in its consultations with representatives of local authorities on the detailed arrangements for the new housing benefit scheme; and when he expects to be able to publish firm proposals in respect of (a) certification and liaison between authorities and his Department, (b) service charges, (c) amenity charges, (d) recovery of overpayments, (e) net income assessments and (f) subsidies.

    Mr. Major Substantial progress has been made in discussion on future subsidy arrangements, and exploratory discussions are nearing completion on assessment of net income and liaison arrangements between local authorities and local social security offices.

    Our firm proposals on liaison arrangements, service and amenity charges, recovery of overpayments and net income assessment will be set out in regulations. We will consult the local authority associations on these in the usual way, before laying the regulations in draft before Parliament early next year. Firm proposals on subsidy will be set out in an order early in 1988.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Age Allowances – 14 July 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Age Allowances on 14th July 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to enable age allowances paid to war widows to be increased and to enable age allowances to be awarded to pensioners whose disablements are assessed at below 40 per cent.

    Mr. Major Age allowances paid to war widows will be increased on 28 July in line with price increases. We have no plans to award age allowances to war disablement pensioners whose disablement is assessed at below 40 per cent.