Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Benefits on 2nd March 1987.
Mr. Ralph Howell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the saving if no social security, housing, or welfare benefits other than child benefit were paid to any single person whose income was more than £65 per week and to couples married or otherwise whose income was more than £130 per week.
Mr. Major I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Disabled People (Discrimination) on 2nd March 1987.
Mr. Wareing Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what expenditure has been incurred by his Department since November 1983 in discouraging discrimination against disabled people.
Mr. Major It is not possible to isolate expenditure for this purpose from that on other aspects of disability.
The Government’s policy is to promote the integration of disabled people by increasing public awareness of their problems and abilities and by breaking down the barriers they often face. This is reflected in a whole range of activities carried out not only by Government Departments and other statutory authorities but also in the support the Government give to disability organisations in the voluntary sector.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Family Income Supplement on 27th February 1987.
Mr. Patrick Thompson Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when awards of family income supplement will terminate as a result of the introduction of the provisions of the Social Security Act 1986.
Mr. Major I have today laid regulations’ providing for awards of FIS to terminate not later than 11 April 1988, when it is proposed that the new Family Credit scheme should take effect under the Social Security Act 1986. Transitional arrangements for existing FIS recipients will be made under separate regulations to be made under that Act. A commencement order for the relevant provisions of the 1986 Act will be introduced in due course.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Maternity Payments on 27th February 1987.
Mr. Skinner Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for maternity allowance have been made in the county of Derbyshire at the latest available date.
Mr. Major In the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following number of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department’s offices which cover the county, although the boundaries are not conterminous:
Area |Number
Derby (London Road) | 1,551
Derby (Beckett Street) | 1,233
Derby (Heritage Gate) | 1,071
Chesterfield | 1,860
Ilkestone | 928
Mr. Garrett Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in North Tyneside received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested. But in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following number of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department’s offices which cover North Tyneside although the boundaries are not conterminous:
Area | Number
Newcastle (East) | 983
Wallsend | 624
North Shields | 807
Mr. Lofthouse Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested. But in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, the following numbers of claims to maternity allowance were made at the Department’s offices which cover Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley although the boundaries are not conterminous:
Area | Number
Pontefract | 658
Castleford | 784
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Single Payments on 27th February 1987.
Mr. Flannery Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many single payments for maternity items were made to women in Sheffield in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major I regret that the information requested is not collected by individual local offices and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Christmas Bonus on 26th February 1987.
Mr. Christopher Hawkins Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each year since its introduction (a) the value of the Christmas bonus for pensioners and (b) the cumulative increase in the retail price index.
Mr. Major The level of the Christmas bonus has been £10 in each year since its introduction in 1972, except in 1975 and 1976 when it was not paid. The cumulative percentage increase in the retail price index for each year since December 1972 is shown in the table.
December | %
1973 | 10.6
1974 | 31.7
1975 | 64.5
1976 | 89.3
1977 | 112.3
1978 | 130.1
1979 | 169.8
1980 | 210.6
1981 | 248.0
1982 | 266.8
1983 | 286.3
1984 | 304.0
1985 | 327.0
1986 | 342.9
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on the Social Fund on 26th February 1987.
Dr. Godman Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the change in expenditure by his Department from the introduction of the social fund in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde region and (c) Greenock and Port Glasgow; how many payments he estimates will be made from this fund in each of the three; and what is the estimated average amount of payment.
Mr. Major I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Deakins) 23 February at column 123.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Family Income Supplement on 26th February 1987.
Dr. Godman Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Greenock and Port Glasgow currently receive family income supplement; what is the average weekly sum received by each family; and how many children in these families are entitled to free school meals as a result.
Mr. Major I regret that information is not available relating to Strathclyde nor to Greenock and Port Glasgow. However, in Scotland at April 1986, the latest date for which information is available, there were a total of 24,000 families in receipt of family income supplement and the average weekly amount in payment was £13–50. The number of school age children, all those over five years, was 33,000 and they would be eligible for free school meals.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Family Credit on 26th February 1987.
Dr. Godman Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the number of families in (a) Scotland, (b) Strathclyde region and (c) Greenock and Port Glasgow who will be entitled to receive family credit; how many of them will be entitled to continue receiving free school meals; and what is the likely take-up of this award in each of the three above.
Mr. Major I regret that it is not possible to make reliable estimates on such a localised basis. Overall, family credit is expected to reach about double the number of families now helped by family income supplement. This is consistent with a take-up rate of 60 per cent. Only families receiving income support will be entitled to free school meals, but the rates of family credit will be set at a higher level so as to give extra cash help instead.
Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Maternity Payments on 25th February 1987.
Mr. Raynsford Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Fulham claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.
The Fulham constituency is covered by the Department’s offices at Chelsea and Kensington although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. Claims for these offices are dealt with at Aldershot out-station. A total of 3,085 maternity grant claims were dealt with at that office during the 1986 calendar year but this number includes claims proper to other offices.
Mr. Raynsford Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Hertfordshire, West received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,135 claims to maternity allowance were made at Hemel Hempstead, the Department’s office which covers the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.
Mr. Ray Powell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Ogmore constituency claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.
The Ogmore constituency is covered by the Department’s local offices at Bridgend and Rhondda West and their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The number of claims for maternity grant received at those local offices during the 1986 calendar year was as follows:
Office | Number
Bridgend | 1,787
Rhondda West | 860
Mr. Ray Powell Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Ogmore constituency received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,217 claims to maternity allowance were made at Bridgend and 434 claims at Rhondda West, the Department’s offices which cover the constituency, although the boundaries are not conterminous.
Mr. Flannery Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which of the items previously included as essential under the single payment regulations will not be included in the new maternity payment.
Mr. Major No items are specifically excluded. Recipients of the new maternity payment will be free to spend the money as they wish.
Mr. Ashton Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Bassetlaw constituency claimed maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the Social Fund after April 1987, assuming that the number of births remains constant.
Mr. Major Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.
The Bassetlaw constituency is covered by the Department’s local office at Worksop, although its boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The number of claims for maternity grant received at the Worksop local office during the 1986 calendar year was 1,476.
It is not possible to predict how many women will qualify for a maternity payment from the Social Fund after April 1987.
Mr. Ashton Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the Lincoln constituency claimed maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women are expected to qualify for maternity payment from the Social Fund after April 1987, assuming that the number of births remains constant.
Mr. Major Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.
The Lincoln constituency is covered by the Department’s local offices at Lincoln (Orchard Street) and Lincoln (Newland), although their boundaries are not conterminous with the constituency. The numbers of claims for maternity grant received at the 2 Lincoln local offices during the 1986 calendar year were as follows:
Office | Number
Lincoln (Orchard Street) | 2,004
Lincoln (Newland) | 1,254
It is not possible to predict how many women will qualify for a maternity payment from the Social Fund after April 1987.
Mr. Ashton Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Nottingham claimed maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available; and how many women are expected to qualify for a maternity payment from the Social Fund after April 1987, assuming that the number of births remains constant.
Mr. Major Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.
However, the number of claims for maternity grant received at the Department’s four Nottingham local offices during the 1986 calendar year were as follows:
Office | Number
Nottingham (Castle Gate) | 1,486
Nottingham (David Lane) | 1,749
Nottingham (Shakespeare Street) | 1,830
Nottingham (Station Street) | 2,340
It is not possible to predict now many women will qualify for a maternity payment from the Social Fund after April 1987.
Dr. Gilbert Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Dudley received maternity allowance in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information is not available in the form requested, but in the 12 months ending April 1986, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,593 claims to maternity allowance were made at Dudley North and 1,057 claims at Dudley South, the Department’s offices which cover Dudley, although the boundaries are not conterminous.
Dr. Gilbert Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in Dudley claimed the maternity grant in the last year for which figures are available.
Mr. Major Information on the number of claimants to maternity grant is not available in the precise form requested.
However, the number of claims for maternity grant received at the Department’s Dudley local offices during the 1986 calendar year was as follows:
Office | Number
Dudley North | 2,555
Dudley South | 1,616