asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he intends implementing any of the recommendations of the Commission on Social Welfare in the near future; and, if so, if he will specify the areas where he intends making changes.
35.
Written Answers. - Commission on Social Welfare Recommendations.
17.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the level and extent of poverty identified in the recent report of the Combat Poverty Agency, he intends to take any steps to increase the basic level of social welfare payments; if, in the light of the report, the Government intends to set a timetable for the implementation of the Report of the Commission on Social Welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 35 together.
There were four main recommendations in the Report of the Commission on Social Welfare and action has been taken on all of these. These are: 1, improvement in basic payments; 2, improved child income support; 3, broadening the insurance base; and 4, improvement in delivery of services.
The Programme for National Recovery which covers the period up to the end of 1990 includes a commitment that the overall value of social welfare benefits will be maintained and, within the resources available, special provision for greater increases for those receiving the lowest payments will be considered.
As the House will be aware, from July of this year there was a general 3 per cent increase in personal and adult dependant rates of social welfare payments. Those on the lowest payments, namely unemployment assistance and supplementary welfare allowance, received an increase of 11 per cent. In addition, there has been a streamlining of child dependant rates with a 6 per cent increase for child dependants in the case of persons on the lowest payments. The full year cost of these increases is £101 million, of which £30 million went to increase the level of the lowest payments.
Future increases in the level of payments will be considered in a budgetary context and will build on the improvements made this year, taking account of the findings of the recently published ESRI report on poverty, and the report of the Commission on Social Welfare.
Another major development which was in line with the Commission's recommendations was the extension with effect from April of this year of social insurance cover for pensions to the self-employed including farmers. I would also like to refer, in particular, to the measures I have taken to introduce greater flexibility in the unemployment payment schemes, and to review the operations of the family income supplement scheme.
These and other major policy developments which I have introduced are in line with the Commission's recommendations. In addition the major and ongoing improvements which are being made in the quality and delivery of social welfare services are in line with specific recommendations made by the Commission in this area.
The process of review of the social welfare system will be an on-going one and in formulating further proposals for reform and development of the system I will be taking fully into account the recommendations and views of the Commission and the recent ESRI report. I can assure the House that any measures which are required to fulfil the commitments in the Programme for National Recovery and any further measures which can be taken in reforming and developing the social welfare system within the financial constraints which exist will be provided for.