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SOCIAL SECURITY
Pensioner Incomes
Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the (a) mean, and (b) median income for (i) single male pensioners who are aged (1) 65 to 69, (2) 70 to 74, (3) 75 to 79 and (4) 80 years and over, (ii) single female pensioners in groups 1 to 4, (iii) pensioner couples who are in groups 1 to 4, (iv) all pensioners who are (5) aged 60/65 years to 74 years and (6) aged 75 years and over and (v) all pensioners. [12155]
Mr. Heald: The available information is in the tables:
| Age | 65 to 74 | 75+ |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | 169.80 | 143.50 |
| Median | 108.30 | 103.00 |
| Age | 65 to 69 | 70 to 74 | 75 to 79 | 80+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 150.70 | 111.50 | 108.30 | 108.10 |
| Median | 105.10 | 96.30 | 94.70 | 97.50 |
| Age | 65 to 69 | 70 to 74 | 75 to 79 | 80+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | 274.40 | 233.40 | 214.10 | 189.70 |
| Median | 207.80 | 178.30 | 161.90 | 160.00 |
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 52
| Age | Mean | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 60-65 to 74 | 192.50 | 139.50 |
| 75+ | 139.70 | 106.40 |
| 60-65+ | 170.20 | 123.80 |
Source:
Family Expenditure Survey 1993.
Notes:
1. Income figures are gross income before housing costs.
2. A pensioner unit is defined as a single person over State Pension Age (SPA) or a couple where the husband, or head, is over SPA.
3. Due to insufficient sample sizes reliable estimates of further age breakdowns for single male pensioners are not available at Table 1.
Child Rearing Costs
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 23 January, Official Report, column 213, if he will list the specific evidence evaluated by his Department which supported his conclusion concerning the relative costs of bringing up children by lone parents and by couples. [13398]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30 January, Official Report, columns 745-46.
There is a wide range of research on the costs of a child. There is no consistent evidence of a difference in these costs for lone parents and couples, other than a potentially greater need for child care for working lone parents.
Severe Weather Payments
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the locations which provide the temperature information upon which decisions on severe weather payments are based. [13300]
Mr. Roger Evans: All weather stations and the areas they cover are listed in the schedules to the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments Regulations, a copy of which is in the Library. The weather station at Whithorn, which is listed in the regulations, has closed. The weather station at Dumfries has been used to cover the postcode areas specified for Whithorn.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of staff employed by his Department or related agencies in each of the travel-to-work areas of Carmarthen, South Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Cardigan on (a) 31 March 1979, (b) 31 March 1990, (c) 31 March 1992, (d) 31 March 1995, (e) the latest available figure and (f) the estimate for 31 March 1997. [13293]
Mr. Burt: The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 53
Source:
Personnel data from individual agencies.
Notes:
(13) Launched April 1991.
(14) Launched April 1991.
(15) Launched April 1993.
(16) Estimate.
1. Resettlement Agency (RA) Information Technology Services Agency (ITSA) and War Pensions Agency (WPA) have no staff in these areas at the specified dates.
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 53
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 53
Mr. Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the class 1A national insurance contributions collected though (a) the Contributions Agency and (b) the Inland Revenue for (i) 1993-94 and (ii) 1994-95. [13744]
| Estimated total of class 1A collection | Actual contributions agency (APM) collection | Estimated inland revenue portion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | 419 | 246 | 173 |
| 1994-95 | 476 | 283 | 193 |
1. Figures shown for Contributions Agency class 1A collection via the alternative payment method--APM--for both financial years are actual collection totals.
2. Figures shown for total class 1A collection and the Inland Revenue portion are based on provisional estimates provided by the Government Actuary's Department and are subject to change.
Mr. Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library the report undertaken by the Contributions Agency of a random sample of employers to provide information on error rates in the collection of national insurance mentioned in the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the national insurance fund 1993-94. [13746]
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 54
Mr. Heald:
The report, referred to in the 1993-94 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the national insurance fund report, was produced by the Department's analytical services division in August 1994. I have today arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.
Upper Waiting Hall Exhibitions
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to timeshare to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [13376]
Mr. Michael J. Martin: I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 18 March to Friday 22 March 1996.
Lobby Journalists
Mr. Parry: To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to require lobby journalists to declare their salaries, employers' pension contributions, allowances and other forms of income as a condition of their retaining lobby passes. [13701]
Mr. Newton:
I have no such plans.
5 Feb 1996 : Column: 55
Public Transport
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives his Department is pursuing to encourage the use of public transport in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [10705]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: County councils have been given powers to promote the use of public transport in their areas. Grant assistance is available to them from the Welsh Office in the form of transport grant for major projects; revenue support grant and non-domestic rate income; and grants for public transport operators in the rural areas under the rural transport innovation scheme. Other support can be given under the strategic development scheme and the bus priority scheme, the most recent examples of which I announced on 4 January. They include:
£6.8 million over three years to help Rhondda Cynon Taff and Cardiff councils to improve rail links between the valleys and Cardiff;
£1.3 million to complete rail signalling between Pontypridd and Taffs Well;
£150,000 for a traffic signalling project to improve bus journey times between Pontypridd and Caerphilly; and
£52,000 for a bus-only route at Swansea.
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