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Fixed Penalty Speeding Fines
Sir Robert Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been raised by fixed
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penalty speeding fines; and what was the annual cost of administering them in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [69020]
Mr. McLeish:
Information on the amount raised by fixed penalty speeding fines and on the administration costs is not available in the form requested. However, £3.2 million was received by district courts in Scotland in 1997-98 for fixed penalty notices for endorsable traffic offences, which included speeding offences.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Russell Brown:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the Government's National Strategy for Carers. [70302]
Mr. Dewar:
The Government's National Strategy for Carers is being published today. It describes what the Government have done so far to support carers and how we can improve the quality of life for the many carers in our society by ensuring that the needs are identified and met. It focuses on how carers can be informed, involved and empowered, and how employers can help carers combine paid work with their caring responsibilities. It sets out what carers should be entitled to expect from service providers and how they can be helped by services in the neighbourhood in which they live. The strategy details proposals to support young carers.
The report is the result of a consultative process, involving a large number of Government departments, carers organisations, individual carers, representatives of the National Health Service and local authorities, other voluntary organisations which help to support carers and the business sector.
The National Health Service and local authorities need to provide carers with information about services which can support them in their caring role. They also need to involve carers in the planning and provision of services so that carers' needs are met better than they have been in the past.
Local authorities in Scotland have been allocated over £1 billion for social work this year, of which £5.1 million is specifically to provide respite and assist carers. Authorities will have an additional £51.3 million in 1999-2000 to meet their social work responsibilities and are expected to use some of these resources to improve services to carers; £5 million will be available to local authorities implementing the recommendations of the Action Plan to modernise community care, a key element of which is supporting carers.
The Government will also be consulting on proposals that time spent caring will entitles carers to a second pension (by 2050, up to an extra £50 per week in today's terms).
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We intend to trial a new question on carers for the 2001 Census. This should provide better information about the distribution of carers between local authority ares and on the numbers of young carers and those from minority ethnic groups.
Consideration will be given to extending New Deal to help carers return to work and special help for disabled children, technology to help carers and housing and transport.
Legislation reducing council tax for disabled people will be introduced. The Government also intend to introduce legislation in England to allow local authorities to address carers' needs more directly than is possible at present, as the Minister of State, Home Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng), has announced today. We would hope such legislation will be introduced in Scotland.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
It is our intention to continue work to support carers and to monitor implementation of these new initiatives.
Mr. David Stewart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will assist salmon farmers in the Highlands and Islands to meet the costs of eradicating Infectious Salmon Anaemia; and if he will make a statement. [70303]
Mr. Dewar:
Infectious Salmon Anaemia is potentially a very serious disease and the Government remain determined to eradicate this present outbreak in Scotland. That is the best outcome we can achieve, both for the salmon farmers and for wild salmon stocks. The salmon farming industry must recognise its responsibilities to deal effectively with this outbreak.
The Government have put in place various measures to eradicate ISA, and further measures will be announced shortly when an interim report by a joint Scottish Office/Industry Working Group is completed. I welcome the co-operation of the industry.
I recognise that this eradication programme is imposing significant costs on the industry, particularly for farms where ISA is confirmed. The Government continue to take the view that, in principle, it is for the fish farming industry to meet costs arising from measures taken to control the spread of serious fish diseases. Salmon farming, however, provides very valuable employment in the Highlands and Islands, and the continuing uncertainty, which is undermining confidence in the industry and among investors, presents a serious threat to the economic well-being of the region. In these circumstances I have agreed to enable financial aid to be provided through Highlands and Islands Enterprise to the industry. Up to £9 million will be available over 3 years, on a pound for pound matching basis for contributions from industry funds, to help individual farmers meet costs arising under the ISA eradication programme from new outbreaks of ISA. The detailed terms for such assistance will need to be settled. That offer of assistance is subject to approval by the European Commission under the usual state aid rules. No aid will be paid without the Commission's approval.
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The assistance will be limited to a period of 3 years, and within that time salmon farmers will need to put in place alternative financial arrangements. We shall keep the eradication programme under regular review.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Mr. Ruffley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the London barristers' chambers and (b) the London solicitors' firms that have performed services for his Department (i) since 1 May 1997 and (ii) in the equivalent period preceding that date, indicating the remuneration paid in each particular case. [70035]
Mr. McLeish:
No such services were provided.
From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
15. Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many complaints he has received about the CSA since 1 January. [68020]
Angela Eagle:
Last month the Child Support Agency received around 2,500 complaints from individuals and hon. Members. My Ministerial colleagues and I have also received 106 letters from hon. Members, over the same period, though not all of these relate to operational issues.
18. Ms Blears:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what training will be provided to personal advisers working for the new deal for the disabled. [68023]
Mr. Bayley:
The Personal Adviser Service is currently being piloted in six areas, with a further six planned to start in April. All Personal Advisers in the first six areas are trained to provide advice, guidance and counselling to disabled people to help identify and overcome their barriers to employment.
20. Mr. Quinn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the difficulties faced by those on low and modest incomes in providing for their retirement. [68025]
Mr. Timms:
Our Green Paper "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions" recognised the difficulties in saving for retirement faced by those on low and modest incomes.
This is why we are proposing a new State Second Pension which will give more help to those with low earnings (up to £9,000), as well as carers and the long-term disabled with broken work records due to long-term disability.
From April 1999, the new minimum income guarantee will ensure a decent income in retirement for all.
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23. Mr. Goggins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to ensure that all eligible pensioners claim the minimum income guarantee. [80288]
Mr. Timms:
We are planning action to invite claims to the Minimum Income Guarantee at key points when entitlement may arise because a higher amount becomes payable--when a pensioner reaches the age of 75 and 80, or when he or she is awarded Attendance Allowance.
Later in the year, we plan to run a national publicity campaign which will be designed to get the message over to as wide an audience as possible that the Minimum Income Guarantee is an entitlement.
24. Mr. Pike:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families in the north-west at present receive family credit. [68029]
Angela Eagle:
The latest information available is for August 1998 when there were 118,900 families in the North West receiving Family Credit.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of families who are currently in receipt of (a) £0-£4.99, (b) £5-£9.99, (c) £10-£19.99, (d) £20-£29.99, (e) £30-£39.99, (f) £40-£49.99, and (g) £50 or above a week in family credit; and if he will provide corresponding estimates for the proposed working families tax credit. [69493]
Notes:
1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample of Family Credit awards and as such are subject to a degree of sampling error.
2. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and may not sum due to totals.
Source:
Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards.
| Thousand | |
|---|---|
| £ per week | All families |
| All cases | 782.5 |
| Under £5 | 11.7 |
| £5-£9.99 | 15.7 |
| £10-£19.99 | 44.0 |
| £20-£29.99 | 55.1 |
| £30-£39.99 | 68.3 |
| £40-£49.99 | 75.5 |
| £50 and over | 512.2 |
Note:
Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand and may not sum to the total.
Source:
Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards
Notes:
1. Estimates are based on a combination of the Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards and the 1995-96 Family Resources Survey. They are consistent with Pre-Budget Report forecasts.
2. Estimates do not include any behavioural changes arising from the introduction of the credit.
3. Estimates have assumed that any future increases in the credits or threshold are exactly offset by an increase in earnings of WFTC recipients.
4. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 5,000.
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