The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Dental Charges – 30 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Dental Charges on 30th June 1986.

    Mr. Wainwright Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to make available to social security officers and dental surgeries leaflets P11 (Prescriptions) and D11 (Dental Treatment) stating the current charges for these services as uprated on 1 April; if he will give the reasons for the delay in making these leaflets available; and whether he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major Dental charges have not been increased since April 1985. Leaflet D11 (Dental Treatment) has current prices and has been widely available since then. It will be replaced in July.

    The new edition of P11 (Prescription Charges) will be available in July. A poster announcing the new prescription charges has been widely available since they were introduced in April.

    The new P11 will give details of the new charges and of the qualifying income levels for exemption from charges. These new exemption levels come into effect with the social security benefit up-rating in July. It would not have been economic to have produced a leaflet only for the period April to July 1986.

    The reform of social security benefits will align social security up-ratings with other budgetary change.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments – 30 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments on 30th June 1986.

    Mr. Corbett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state (a) how many single payments have been made under regulation 28 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations for each year since November 1981 to the following categories of claimants: (i) pensioners, (ii) unemployed, (iii) sick and disabled, (iv) single parents and (v) others, (b) the cost by year and on average for each category, (c) how many of these payments have been made to the long-term unemployed, (d) how much it is expected to save by its abolition and (e) how much under or overestimation should be taken into account in the figures.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefit Statistics – 30 June 1986

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

    Mr. MacKenzie Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total sum of money paid, in the form of unemployment benefit to male, female and young claimants in the last 12 months for which figures are available in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively.

    Mr. Major The total estimated expenditure on unemployment benefit in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the financial year 1985-86 was £1,640 million.

    A breakdown of this figure is available as follows:

    Country | £ million

    Scotland | 189
    England | 1,314
    Wales | 88
    Northern Ireland | 49

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments – 30 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Severe Weather Payments on 30th June 1986.

    Mr. Pike Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for severe weather payments have been made in the current year at his Department’s offices in Burnley; and how many were successful.

    Mr. Major Separate information on the number of claims for exceptionally severe weather payments is not collected. Information on the number of payments made this year is not yet available. When the period during which payments are likely to be made is over, local offices will be asked to make a return, so that the total number of payments can be calculated.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on EC Nationals (Social Security) – 27 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on EC Nationals (Social Security) on 27th June 1986.

    Mr. John Mark Taylor Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the social security entitlements of European Economic Community visitors to the United Kingdom looking for work.

    Mr. Major European Community (EC) nationals looking for work in the United Kingdom may, if they have been receiving unemployment benefit in another EC country, continue to receive that benefit for up to 13 weeks here, subject to certain conditions laid down in EC rules. They may also claim means-tested social assistance benefits, such as supplementary benefit, under the same conditions as United Kingdom nationals. However, in these circumstances they may be asked to leave the United Kingdom on the ground that they have become a charge on public funds.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Departmental Publications (Welsh Language) – 27 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Departmental Publications (Welsh Language) on 27th June 1986.

    Mr. Wigley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his answer of 13 June to the hon. Member for Caernarfon, Official Report, column 365, he will state what constitutes economic viability in the context of decisions on whether to print bilingual Welsh/English forms, leaflets, posters and other printed matter produced by his Department in Wales.

    Mr. Major The decision on the economic viability of translating Department of Health and Social Security forms, leaflets and posters into the Welsh language depends on the frequency of demand. If the Department receives or anticipates, regular requests for a particular item it would, as a general rule, consider this as justifying the expense of translation, reproduction and distribution to local offices. This judgment is made by local and regional management.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit – 26th June 1986

    Below is the text of the Written Parliamentary Answer on Housing Benefit from 26 June 1986.

    Mr. Hargreaves asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount of resources committed by his Department to Hyndburn in the form of a housing benefit for the years 1984–85 and 1985–86.

    Mr. Major Subsidy payments to Hyndburn borough council for benefits granted under the housing benefits scheme amounted to about £3,890,000 in 1984–85 and £4,360,000 in 1985–86. The figures for 1985–86 is based on the council’s estimated expenditure and is subject to revision.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments – 26 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments on 26th June 1986.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (a) how many single payments have been made under regulation 28 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations for each year since November 1981 to the following categories of claimants: (i) pensioners, (ii) unemployed, (iii) sick and disabled, (iv) single parents and (v) others, (b) the cost by year and on average for each category, (c) how many of these payments have been made to the long-term unemployed, (d) how much the Government expect to save by their abolitions and (e) what is the margin of error which should be taken into account in the figures.

    Mr. Nellist Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state (a) how many single payments have been made under regulation 28 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations for each year since November 1981 to the following categories of claimants: (i) pensioners, (ii) unemployed, (iii) sick and disabled, (iv) single parents and (v) others, (b) what was the cost, by year and on average for each category, (c) how many of these payments have been made to the long-term unemployed, (d) how much Her Majesty’s Government expect to save by the abolition and (e) what is the margin of error in the figures.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mortgage Interest – 26 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mortgage Interest on 26th June 1986.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on assistance with mortgage interest payments provided for persons on supplementary benefit, or the equivalent, in EEC and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

    Mr. Major We have no detailed comprehensive information about the assistance with mortgage interest payments given to persons receiving social assistance in all European Community and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. From the information we do have we understand the following countries provide some direct cash assistance with housing costs to home buyers (and tenants) subject to specified conditions:

    Australia
    France
    Germany
    Ireland
    New Zealand

    and the following countries provide help for tenants only:

    Denmark
    Netherlands
    Sweden.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Rent and Rates (Rebates and Allowances) – 25 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Rent and Rates (Rebates and Allowances) on 25th June 1986.

    Mr. John Fraser Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Lambeth are now receiving rent and rate rebates and rent allowances and as to how many are certificated claims.

    Mr. Major On the basis of estimates supplied by Lambeth Borough Council, in connection with their latest housing benefit subsidy claim the number of people receiving rent rebates, rent allowances and rate rebates is:

    Type | Certificated | Standard
    Rent rebates | 17,500 | 4,600
    Rent allowance | 7,784 | 3,860
    Rate rebates | 26,498 | 9,880