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Bereavement Allowance
Mr. Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number those who will lose the bereavement allowance after six months who will have savings of (a) between £3,000 and £8,000 and (b) over £8,000. [73523]
Angela Eagle: The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is set out.
The information provides figures on the proportion of capital holdings among existing Widow's Pension recipients which might be indicative of the position of future Bereavement Allowance recipients. The information is subject to a wide margin of error.
Mr. Rendel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings he has estimated as a result of his proposal measures to reduce under-occupation of social housing; and on what assumptions his estimate is based. [73524]
Angela Eagle:
Under the Housing Benefit under-occupation pilot scheme, tenants living in social housing, who move to smaller accommodation may be entitled to a payment equal to approximately half the Housing Benefit saving in respect of the next three years.
This Department has worked with a number of local authorities to devise the scheme and identify the cost factors. We propose to operate the scheme initially as a pilot in order to evaluate its housing and financial effects.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of
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people claiming social security benefits while receiving a wage paid in cash; and what measures he plans to take to reduce the number. [71098]
Mr. Timms:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will publish a fraud strategy document which will outline this Department's approach for creating a secure benefit system.
The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for its Chief Executive, Peter Mathison. I have asked him to write to the right hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. David Maclean, dated 25 February 1999:
Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many mixed sex wards there were in hospitals in Wales in each of the last five years. [71395]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The information requested is not collected centrally.
Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Mr. Barry Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost over the last year of the Over-Thirty-Month scheme in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [72034]
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Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The total cost over the last year of the Over-Thirty-Month Scheme in Wales was £26,770,716
Dr. Starkey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) in how many health authorities in Wales, and in which ones, the rate of caesarean section exceeds the World Health Organisation recommended rate; [72535]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones:
The following table shows the number of caesarean sections performed in NHS hospitals in Wales in each of the last five years for which data are available. Two percentage figures are shown: (a) as a percentage of births which took place in those hospitals which perform caesareans (home births, births to Welsh residents outside Wales and births at other hospitals where caesareans are not undertaken are not included in the denominator) and (b) as a percentage of all live births to residents of Wales (some of which may have taken place outside Wales).
Around 13 per cent. report between £3,000 and £8,000
Around 26 per cent. report more than £8,000
Note:
Figures are derived from the 1996-97 Family Resources Survey and are presented in 1996-97 prices.
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate he had made of the number of people claiming social security benefits while receiving a wage paid in cash; and what measures he plans to take to reduce the number.
The information is not available in the format requested as it is not possible to identify how many claimants of any benefit are receiving a wage paid in cash.
For 'in-work' benefits, for example Family Credit, the claimant may be entitled to work and, should they so wish, receive their wage in cash.
The Benefits Agency employs investigators specially trained in the investigation of employers who are suspected of colluding with people committing benefit fraud. The investigations encompass all benefits with the majority of them involving an element of wages being paid in cash. A significant number of employers are prosecuted each year.
In the current financial year to date (at 31/01/99) there have been 356 collusive employer prosecutions and achieved estimated savings of £27.05 million.
As regards individual customer fraud, so far this year out of a total of 852,216 cases investigated by the Benefit Fraud Investigation Service 434,247 (or 50.9%) related to undisclosed earnings. No doubt many of these involved wages being paid in cash.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
(2) how many caesarean sections took place in Wales in each of the last five years; and what they were in each year as a percentage of all deliveries. [72536]
| Year | Number of caesarean sections | Percentage (a)(b) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 5,508 | 16.0 | 15.1 |
| 1994 | 5,591 | 16.6 | 15.8 |
| 1995 | 5,601 | 17.1 | 16.2 |
| 1996 | 6,062 | 18.1 | 17.4 |
| 1997 | 6,239 | 18.9 | 18.1 |
Source:
All Wales Perinatal Survey and Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy
Office for National Statistics (live births to residents of Wales)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) does not make specific recommendations about rates of caesarean delivery which will inevitably vary from place to place and will reflect health, nutritional status of pregnant women and the level of maternity care provision. Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Organic Aid Scheme
Mr. Maclennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what payments he has proposed under the Organic Aid Scheme for (a) Arable Area Payments Scheme eligible land, (b) ineligible land and (c) unimproved grassland or rough grazing. [72619]
Mr. Jon Owen Jones
[holding answer 24 February 1999]: Subject to approval by the European Commission, the new payments rates available under the Organic Aid Scheme will be as follows:
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| £ per hectare | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total | |
| (a) AAPS eligible land | 225 | 135 | 50 | 20 | 20 | 450 |
| (b) ineligible land | 175 | 105 | 40 | 15 | 15 | 350 |
| (c) unimproved grassland/rough grazing | 25 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 50 |
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Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.
Ministerial Visit
Mr. Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he decided to visit the United States of America. [73008]
Mr. Michael:
In January I agreed to undertake an inward investment mission to North America fulfilling a promise given by my predecessor. Dates in March were decided upon following advice from officials and from the Welsh Development Agency. I took the decision to do so in January.
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Departmental Reviews
Mr. Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what (a) reviews, (b) task forces and (c) advisory groups have been established by his Department since 1 May 1997; what costs they have incurred to date; and what reports they have published. [71511]
Mr. Byers:
Details of the reviews and task forces established by my Department since 1 May 1997, and of the reports published to date, are set out in the table. Expenditure on these reviews and task forces is not separately recorded, and could not be calculated without incurring disproportionate cost.
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| Title | Reports published to date |
|---|---|
| Reviews | |
| Audit of the Foresight programme | "The Report on the Whitehall Audit of the Foresight Programme"; published 22 October 1997 |
| Review of the Utilities regulation | "A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework for Utility Regulation". A Green Paper, published 25 March 1998 |
| "A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework for Utility Regulation--The Response to Consultation". A White Paper, published 27 July 1998 | |
| "A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework for Utility Regulation--Public Consultation Paper on Consumer Councils", published 30 September 1998 | |
| "A Fair Deal for Consumers: Modernising the Framework for Utility Regulation--Public Consultation Paper on the Future of Gas and Electricity Regulation", published 21 October 1998 | |
| Review of energy sources for power regeneration | The outcome of the review was reflected in the White Paper, "Conclusions of the review of energy sources for power generation and the Government's response to the Fourth and Fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee" (Cm 4071), published on 8 October 1998 |
| Review of electricity trading arrangements | "Review of electricity trading arrangements: Proposals"; published on 29 July 1998 |
| Review of the Post Office | No published reports, but the outcome of the review was summarised in a Parliamentary statement on 7 December 1998, Official Report, columns 21-39 |
| Review of clean coal technology | The outcome of the review was reflected in the White Paper, "Conclusions of the review of energy sources for power generation and the Government's response to the Fourth and Fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee" (Cm 4071); published on 8 October 1998 |
| Review of the Technical Help for Exporters Scheme | None |
| Review of company law | None |
| Review of new and renewable energy | None |
| Joint DTI/Treasury review on company resuce mechanisms | None |
| Review of the effect of insolvency law on enterprise | None |
| Review of Assisted Areas | None |
| Review of the framework for overseeing developments in biotechnology (joint review by the Cabinet Office and the Office of Science and Technology) | None |
| Review of metrication | None |
| Review of UK weights and measures legislation | None |
| Task forces and advisory groups | |
| President's Advisory Group | None |
| Competitiveness Working Parties | None |
| Interdepartmental Task Force on Competitiveness in Europe | None |
| Tech Stars Steering Group | None |
| Oil and Gas Industry Task Force | None |
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