Vol. 542 No. 2
406 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if persons in receipt of unemployment benefit will be given a Christmas bonus; if not, the reason therefor; and the reason such people would not be given the same concession as those on other allowances and benefits. [23800/01]
408 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if persons who are in receipt of disability benefit on a long-term basis will be eligible for the Christmas bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23809/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 408 together.
The Christmas bonus has been paid at a rate equivalent to 70% of a person's normal weekly payment, subject to a minimum payment of £20 – 25.39 – since 1989. In 2000, it was increased to 100% or double the person's normal weekly payment, again subject to a minimum payment of £20 – 25.39 – and will be paid on a similar basis in 2001. The cost of this measure is estimated to be £79.1 million – 100.4 million. Payment will be made in early December and it is estimated that it will benefit some 1.2 million persons comprising some 780,000 recipients and an estimated 400,000 dependants.
The bonus will be paid to recipients of long-term payments including disablement pension, death benefit by way of pension, old age contributory and non-contributory pensions, retirement pension, invalidity pension, widow's and widower's non-contributory pension, widow's and widower's contributory pension, orphan's contributory and non-contributory pensions, pre-retirement allowance, blind pension, carer's allowance, one parent family payment, payments to people formerly in receipt of deserted wife's benefit and allowance and prisoner's wife's allowance, unemployment assistance at the long-term rate, farm assist and disability allowance.
407 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the proposals he has to extend qualification for clothing and footwear allowance to children on behalf of whom orphan's allowance is being paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23807/01]
The back to school clothing and footwear – BSCF – allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards in parallel with the supplementary welfare allowance – SWA – scheme. The scheme is designed to assist certain recipients of social welfare and health board payments with the cost of children's school uniforms and footwear. The scheme operates from the beginning of June to the end of September each year.
An allowance of £63 – 79.99 – is payable in respect of qualified children from two to 11 years and an allowance of £78 – 99.04 – is payable in respect of qualified children from 12 to 22 years. A person may qualify for payment of the BSCF allowance if they are in receipt of a social welfare or health board payment or participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education and training course and have household income at or below certain prescribed levels.
Orphan's pension is not considered to be a qualifying payment under the terms of the BSCF scheme. The orphan's pension, which is a basic social welfare payment, is payable to the guardian and is intended to cover the child's cost of living, including food and clothing. Eligible applicants will receive either a contributory or non-contributory orphan's pension of up to £63.60 – 80.76 – per week. In comparison, the allowance paid in respect of dependant children with other social welfare or health board payments is either £13.20 – 16.76 – or £15.20 – 19.30 – per week. The higher rate of orphan's pension as compared with the child dependant allowance rate means that the guardian may receive an additional income of up to £2,500 – 3,174.35 – per annum in respect of the orphaned child.
412 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider awarding the free fuel allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24228/01]
Under the rules of the fuel allowance scheme, a person is precluded from entitlement to an allowance where his or her fuel needs are being met separately. An application for the allowance from the person concerned was previously refused on the basis that her fuel needs were provided for under the terms of a deed of transfer of the family property.
In the light of the Deputy's representations a local officer of the Department will review the application of the terms of the deed of transfer. Her eligibility for fuel allowance will be reassessed in the light of that review and she will be advised of the outcome as quickly as possible.
413 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a one parent family allowance will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24237/01]
The person concerned applied for one parent family payment in April 2001. In July 2001 the Department sought further information from her in relation to a number of relevant issues concerning her application. To date she has not supplied the information requested. On receipt of this information, a decision will be made on her claim and she will be notified of the outcome.
Under social welfare legislation decisions on claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in making such decisions.
