The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Category: 1983-1987 Parliament

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Rent Rebates and Allowances – 3 June 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Rent Rebates and Allowances on 3rd June 1986.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the answer of 12 May, Official Report, columns 363-6, he will present the information about rent rebate and rent allowance payments, taking into account the payment of rent under the supplementary benefit scheme.

    Mr. Major I have been asked to reply.

    I shall let the hon. Member have the information that is available as soon as possible.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Prisoners of War (Compensation) – 23 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Prisoners of War (Compensation) on 23rd May 1986.

    Mr. Parry Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much compensation has been paid to ex-prisoners of war by the Japanese Government to date; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major Under articles 14 and 16 of the treaty of peace with Japan, just over £4.6 million was received from Japan and about £175,000 from Thailand. During the early 1950s about £4.25 million of the total was distributed to some 59,000 former prisoners of war and civilian internees through the then Ministry of Pensions and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Apart from £3,000 held to meet possible future claims, the remainder is now held in a trust fund administered by the Far East (Prisoners of War and Internees) Fund.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Data Protection – 22 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Data Protection on 22nd May 1986.

    Mr. Ashdown Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department correctly completed and submitted its applications for data protection registration on time; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Major All uses of personal data within DHSS were registered with the Data Protection Registrar on 8 May.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 22 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 22nd May 1986.

    Mr. Dewar Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many statutory single payments were made to pensioners in Scotland under the supplementary benefit rules in each of the last five years for which records are available.

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

    Mr. Dewar Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners in Scotland are currently in receipt of supplementary benefit.

    Mr. Major The figure was 148,000 at February 1985, the latest date for which information is available.
    Source: Quarterly Statistical Enquiry.

    Mrs. Peacock Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in the Batley and Spen constituency received assistance through supplementary benefit with mortgage repayments in each of the last 12 months.

    Mr. Newton I regret that this information is not available.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Claimants (Support Agencies) – 22 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Claimant (Support Agencies) on 22nd May 1986.

    Mr. Janner Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what expenditure his Department incurs in supporting agencies providing advice and assistance for claimants at his Department’s local offices.

    Mr. Major The Department has no powers under social security legislation to make grants to agencies specifically for the provision of advice and assistance to claimants. Agencies which provide a range of services including the provision of such advice and assistance may receive support from the Department under other legislation, but it is not possible to put a figure on the sum involved.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Claimant Couples – 22 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Claimant Couples on 22nd May 1986.

    Mr. Redmond Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of claimant couples with children in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit only, (b) supplementary benefit only and (c) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for the latest available year in Doncaster, Wath-on-Dearne and Mexborough Department of Health and Social Security offices.

    Mr. Major I regret that this information is not available centrally. Statistics are not kept routinely so that the information requested could be obtained only by a special exercise which would be disproportionately expensive.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits – 20 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits on 20th May 1986.

    Mr. Evans Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the amount of money saved by his Department each year by the failure of people to claim benefits for which they would be eligible.

    Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 19 May 1986]: No estimates are available for unemployment benefit. For supplementary benefit payable to the unemployed (including appropriate housing costs) it is estimated, on 1981 family expenditure survey data, that £410 million was unclaimed throughout the year.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on National Insurance Contributions – 20 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on National Insurance Contributions on 20th May 1986.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the gain to the National Insurance Fund or the Exchequer of removing the upper earnings limit from national insurance payments for the self-employed (a) with present tax relief and (b) without it.

    Mr. Major [pursuant to his reply, 6 May 1986, c. 78]: If the upper profits limit for class 4 national insurance contributions for the self-employed were removed from 6 April 1986 the full year effect on the national insurance fund including treasury supplement and interest, is estimated to be a gain of £205 million. (This figure is calculated on the same basis as the Report by the Government Actuary on the draft of the Social Security (Contributions, Re-rating) Order 1985, (Cmnd 9672).).

    The hon. Gentleman’s question contains alternative assumptions about tax relief on the additional class 4 contributions that would be raised if the upper profits limit were abolished. Tax relief has no effect on the class 4 receipts to the national insurance fund, but does, of course, affect the tax receipts to the Exchequer. If, on the one assumption, tax relief was available on 50 per cent. of the additional class 4 contributions collected above the upper profit limit, the tax forgone would be in the order of £40 million. If, on the other assumption, tax relief was removed entirely, the extra tax collected in respect of 50 per cent. of class 4 contributions below the upper profit limit (currently eligible for relief) would be about £60 million.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Local Authority Finance – 20 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Local Authority Finance on 20th May 1986.

    Mr. Favell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what increase there has been in the total sum received by local authorities from the Exchequer in the form of rent and rate rebates and housing benefit between the years 1982-83 and 1985-86.

    Mr. Major The total sum received by local authorities from the Exchequer in respect of expenditure on rent and rate rebates, rent allowance and housing benefit, either in the form of direct subsidy or taken into account in calculating entitlement to block grant, was for 1982-83 £1,523 million and for 1985-86 £4,521 million.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Age Concern England – 20 May 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Age Concern England on 20th May 1986.

    Mr. Andrew Bowden Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the work of Age Concern England to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

    Mr. Major I understand that under procedures agreed by the Services Committee arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 16 June to Friday 20 June 1986.