The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Tag: 1986

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Mr. Kevin McHugh – 14 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Mr. Kevin McHugh on 14th February 1986.

    Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make the ex gratia payment requested on behalf of Mr. Kevin McHugh, of 39 Harland Road, Tranmere, Birkenhead, on the ground that the local office, although aware of his children’s enemesis, had failed to consider or arrange for extra help with laundry costs and so on, which request was made in January 1984 and referred to his headquarters in December 1984.

    Mr. Major Mr. McHugh has received substantial arrears of supplementary benefit for additional requirements in respect of his children. The arrears were limited by the independent adjudication authorities to 52 weeks before the date of request for a review in accordance with the law. This is in line with the provisions for national insurance benefits. The relevant law was then regulation 4 of the Supplementary Benefit (Determination of Questions) Regulations 1980 and is now regulation 87 of the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1984.

    I regret that the referral of Mr. McHugh’s subsequent request for an ex-gratia payment for arrears beyond 52 weeks was overlooked. An ex-gratia payment, however, cannot be given because to do so in this and similar cases would undermine the decisions of the adjudication authorities and circumvent the intention of the law. However, I understand Mr. McHugh has now appealed to a social security appeal tribunal. Whether such an appeal is heard is a matter of discretion for the appeal tribunal chairman. Mr. McHugh is however entitled to compensation of over £25 on the arrears which have been paid and this will be paid to him shortly.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Pensions on 13th February 1986.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be (i) the gross and (ii) the net cost of paying to retirement pensioners currently in receipt of basic or supplementary pension an additional weekly pension of (a) £5, (b) £10 or (c) £15, less the sum of any additional pension, earnings or investment income accruing; and how many pensioners would no longer be entitled to supplementary pension as a result.

    Mr. Major I regret that the information requested is not available. Details are not held centrally about pensioners’ earnings below the appropriate earnings limit, or about their investment income.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments on 13th February 1986.

    Mr. Michie Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the number and value of single payments of supplementary benefit in the four social security offices serving Sheffield taken together in each year since November 1980, showing separately figures for maternity expenses, funeral expenses and other single payments.

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

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Girocheques (Delay) – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Girocheques (Delay) on 13th February 1986.

    Mr. Millan Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the reason for recent delays in issuing girocheques from his Department’s computer centre at Livingston; and what steps are being taken to prevent further delays.

    Mr. Major The computer system at Livingston which deals with the assessment and payment of unemployment benefit (and the payment of supplementary benefit to unemployed claimants) is both large and complex. It deals with the payment of benefit in respect of just under 1.5 million unemployed people, issuing around 750,000 girocheques per week. The system has been in operation since 1977 and has provided a consistent and reliable service since that time.

    During the week commencing 27 January there was an unprecedented fault in the system. This was detected immediately and, whilst no incorrect payments were issued, the time needed to restore the situation resulted in the delayed delivery of some 20,000 girocheques by two days, and 65,000 girocheques by one day. The balance of 658,000 girocheques due that week were delivered on time.

    The particular fault has now been corrected and recurrence is not to be expected. I am bound to say, however, that some problems are inevitable in an undertaking of this dimension. When any fault does occur, all effort is then directed towards minimising the impact on claimants.

    I am grateful for the wholehearted effort demonstrated by the computer centre staff to restore the service as quickly as possible and the patience and co-operation of local office staff.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on National Insurance Contributions – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on National Insurance Contributions on 13th February 1986.

    Dr. McDonald Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the revenue effect of abolishing the upper ceiling on payments to the National Insurance Fund for employee contributions.

    Mr. Major If the upper earnings limit for employee’s class 1 national insurance contributions were to be abolished in 1986-87, but the ceiling retained for the contracted-out rebate, the additional receipts to the national insurance fund that year would be £610 million. This would attract an extra £55 million of Treasury supplement.

    These figures are based on the same assumptions as Cmnd. 9672 – the report by the Government Actuary on the draft of the Social Security (Contributions, Re-rating) Order 1985.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Striking Miners (Benefits) – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Striking Miners (Benefits) on 13th February 1986.

    Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many miners who were on strike during the period March 1984 to March 1985 were refused benefit in each week after 6 March 1985, when they sought to claim unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit, on the grounds that the strike was not yet over; and how many miners’ families continued each week since 6 March 1985 to suffer a deduction of £16 a week from benefits for their wives and children.

    Mr. Major Information is not available about the number of miners who claimed unemployment or supplementary benefit after 6 March 1985 and who were refused benefit because the stoppage of work due to the trade dispute at their place of employment had not yet ended.

    The following table shows the numbers of payments made each week from 6 March 1985 to 30 April 1985 (when weekly returns ceased) to miners for their dependants, and in which the £16 statutory deduction was made.

    Week Ending | Number of Payments Made

    12 March 1985 | 4,665

    19 March 1985 | 519

    26 March 1985 | 169

    2 April 1985 | 94

    9 April 1985 | 23

    16 April 1985 | 39

    23 April 1985 | 19

    30 April 1985 | 11

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Income Support – 13 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Income Support on 13th February 1986.

    Mr. Ralph Howell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what income support or other benefits a British citizen receives if he is without any form of income in (i) Eire, (ii) France, (iii) West Germany and (iv) Italy if he has been in the country (a) less than three months, (b) less than 6 months and (c) less than 12 months.

    Mr. Major I refer my hon. Friend to the Department’s publication, “Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the Member States of the European Communities. Portugal and Spain (position at 1 January 1985)”, a copy of which is in the Library. Section IX contains information on social assistance schemes in the European Community member states.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Occupational Pensions – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Occupational Pensions on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Powley Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to inform members of occupational pension schemes of their new rights under the Social Security Act 1985.

    Mr. Major Advertisements advising employees who are changing jobs that they now have the right to transfer their accrued pension benefits to a new employer’s scheme, or to use them to buy an insurance policy or annuity to provide themselves with a pension, were placed in the national press from 12 January. An information sheet providing employees with further information which is available from my Department has attracted considerable interest and we have so far issued some 12,000 copies. I am placing a copy of this information sheet in the Library.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many couples there are without dependent children where the husband is in receipt of supplementary benefit and the wife is employed 24 or more hours per week; and how many couples there are without dependent children where the wife is in receipt of supplementary benefit and the husband is employed 24 or more hours per week.

    Mr. Major It is regretted that the information is not available.

  • Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit – 12 February 1986

    Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Unemployment Benefit on 12th February 1986.

    Mr. Kirkwood Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services according to the most recent available figures how many claimants are in receipt of unemployment benefit at less than the full rate (a) by sex and martial status and (b) where married, by sex and employment status of spouse.

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