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Family Credit
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the annual cost of increasing the maintenance disregard for lone parents receiving family credit to (a) £20 per week, (b) £25 per week and (c) £30 per week and of the numbers who would gain in each case. [8870]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is set out in the table.
| Weekly maintenance disregard (£) | Additional net benefit costs (£ Million) | Number of gainers |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 5 | 50,000 |
| 25 | 10 | 50,000 |
| 30 | 15 | 50,000 |
Estimates are rounded to the nearest £5 million.
Income Support (Lone Parents)
Mr. Alan Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the annual cost of introducing a maintenance disregard for lone parents on income support and of the numbers who would gain, at a weekly disregard level of (a) £5, (b) £10, (c) £15 and (d) £20. [8869]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: It is estimated that the cost of introducing a £5 maintenance disregard for lone parents in 1997-98 would be around £60 million; the cost of a £10 disregard would be around £100 million; the cost of a £15 disregard would be around £135 million; and the cost of a £20 disregard would be around £165 million. Some 240,000 lone parents would gain.
The annual cost of a disregard and number of lone parents who gained would increase over time as the Child Support Agency's caseload increased. There would also be increases in costs and numbers if the disregard were extended to parents with care who had repartnered. The estimates apply the disregard to child support maintenance and other forms of child maintenance.
Legislation
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many items of legislation relating to his
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Department have been repealed since January 1994; how many statutory instruments were introduced during the same period; and how many of the latter were (a) deregulatory and (b) fee orders. [9369]
Mr. Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster today.
Water Bills
Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current amount for water bills allowed for in assessments of benefit entitlement; and by how much it has increased since 1994. [9181]
Mr. Burt: Social security benefits do not identify separate amounts for specific expenditure items. Benefit
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levels are considered for uprating each year and we seek to take account of all relevant factors including water costs as part of that exercise.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which weather stations are used for the purpose of cold weather payments in those areas covered by postcodes NE1 to NE49. [9606]
Mr. Roger Evans: The weather stations used for the postcodes NE1 to 49 inclusive are as follows:
- Boltshope Park: NE19, 44, 47-48
- Boulmer: NE22, 24
- Carlisle: NE49
- Newcastle: NE1-13, 15-18, 20-21, 23, 25-43, 45-46
- Note:
- Postcode NE14 does not exist.
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PRIME MINISTER
Libya (Sanctions)
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what action he is taking to enter into dialogue with Arab and African countries about sanctions against Libya; [8012]
- (2) what recent representations he has received from (a) France, (b) Arab states and (c) the USA on the reconsideration of UN sanctions against Libya. [9393]
The Prime Minister: When the need arises, we remind other Governments, including Arab and African Governments, that sanctions against Libya must remain in place until Libya complies fully with the requirements of the United Nations Security Council's resolutions. These requirements include the surrender of those accused of the Lockerbie bombing for trial in Scotland or the United States.
The Arab League and some Arab Governments have pressed for sanctions to be lifted and a compromise reached on Lockerbie.
The US and French Governments agree with us that sanctions against Libya must remain in place until Libya complies fully with the requirements of the UN Security Council's resolutions.
Sir Peter Tapsell:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 17 December. [8127]
The Prime Minister:
This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.
Sir Michael Shersby:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the composition of the United Kingdom delegation for the 1997 ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. [9742]
The Prime Minister:
The 1997 ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be opened in Strasbourg on 27 January 1997. The delegation from the United Kingdom for the Session will consist of 19 members of the Conservative party, 15 members of the Labour party and two members from the minority parties.
The appointments of representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the parties concerned in accordance with the resolution of the House on 22 May 1992, Official Report, column 682 and the House of Lords on 18 June 1992, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 290-92.
The same delegation will be representing the United Kingdom Parliament at the Assembly of the Western European Union.
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Representatives from the Government benches will be:
My hon. Friend, the Member for Reading, West, (Sir A. Durant) who will continue to act as leader of both delegations.
My right hon. and hon. Friends the Members for Northavon (Sir J. Cope) for Warwick and Leamington (Sir D. Smith), for Calder Valley (Sir D. Thompson), for Ashford (Sir K. Speed), for Medway (Dame P. Fenner), for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) for Ravensbourne (Sir J. Hunt), for Bridlington (Mr. Townend), and Lord Newall.
Representatives from the Labour party will be:
The hon. Members for: Wentworth (Mr. Hardy), for Tooting (Mr. Cox), for Wansbeck (Mr. Thompson), for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks), for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond), for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Davis), and Lord Kirkhill.
The representative from the minority parties will be the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir R. Johnston).
The following substitutes have been appointed to act as necessary on behalf of the delegates from the Government benches:
The hon. Members for Sheffield, Hallam (Sir I. Patnick), for Norfolk, North (Sir R. Howell), for Brighton, Kemptown (Sir W. Bowden), for Salisbury (Mr. Key), for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Dicks), for Chipping Barnet (Sir S. Chapman), for Newark (Mr. Alaxander), Baroness Hooper and Earl of Dundee.
From the Labour Party the hon. Members for Sunderland, North (Mr. Etherington), for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray), for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes), for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe), for Leigh (Mr. Cunliffe), for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall), for Manchester, Central (Mr. Litherland) and Baroness Gould of Potternewton.
From the minority parties: Lord Mackie of Benshie.
Sir Anthony Durant:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the latest information bulletin of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of the Western European Union. [9785]
The Prime Minister:
I have done so today.
Mr. Milburn:
To ask the Prime Minister how many of the individuals appointed by his Department to public positions in the last year were first identified by the public appointments unit. [8548]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 10 December 1996]: Eight of the individuals appointed by me in the last year were first identified by the public appointments unit.
Mr. Flynn:
To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to reduce the expenditure on the state opening of
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Parliament; and what is his latest calculation of the total cost of the last state opening. [8001]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 6 December 1996]: Expenditure on the state opening of Parliament properly reflects the nature of the occasion. The deployment of police officers to maintain public order on the route of the procession is an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
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