Vol. 473 No. 5
152 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of the 1996 budget increases for social insurance payments for 1996 and the full year; and the cost of the 1997 budget increases for social insurance payments for 1997 and the full year. [1836/97]
153 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost of the 1996 budget increases for social assistance payments for 1996 and the full year; and the cost of the 1997 budget increases for social assistance payments for 1997 and the full year. [1837/97]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together.
The cost of the 1996 and 1997 budget increases in social welfare payments is set out in the following table:
Cost of increases in the year of their introduction
|
Social Insurance |
Social Assistance |
Total |
|
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
1996 |
28.38 |
31.43 |
59.81 |
|
1997 |
38.64 |
42.71 |
81.35 |
|
Social Insurance |
Social Assistance |
Total |
|
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
1996 |
50.90 |
56.37 |
107.27 |
|
1997 |
69.29 |
76.58 |
132.95 |
154 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of recipients and adult dependants benefiting from the 1997 budget increases. [1838/97]
It is expected that an average of 862,500 recipients and 145,200 adult dependants will benefit from the 1997 budget increases in weekly social welfare payment rates.
155 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the 1985, 1995 and 1997 personal rates of payment as a percentage of the Commission on Social Welfare's main rate; and the additional cost in 1997, and in a full year of bringing all payments to the rate recommended by the Commission at today's prices. [1839/97]
The Commission on Social Welfare (CSW) recommended a main rate of £50 to £60 per week in 1985 terms. The personal rates of payment as a percentage of the lower range of this main rate, £69.20 in 1997, are outlined in the following table:
|
Payment Type |
1985 |
1995 |
1997 (Post Budget) |
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
Old Age Contributory and Retirement Pensions |
103 |
109 |
113 |
|
Widow's-Widower's Contributory Pension and Deserted Wife's Benefit |
93 |
99 |
103 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
91 |
96 |
100 |
|
Old Age Non-Contributory Pension and Blind Person's Pension |
88 |
94 |
98 |
|
Injury Benefit |
109 |
94 |
98 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
86 |
94 |
98 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
121 |
129 |
132 |
|
Disability Allowance (previously disabled person's maintenance allowance) |
83 |
94 |
98 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
— |
94 |
102 |
|
Death Benefit |
117 |
126 |
129 |
|
Widow's Non-Contributory Pension |
86 |
94 |
98 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance and Prisoner's Wife's Allowance |
86 |
94 |
98 |
|
Unemployment Benefit and Disability Benefit |
79 |
94 |
98 |
|
Long-term Unemployment Assistance, Smallholders, and Pre-Retirement Allowance |
70 |
94 |
98 |
|
Short-term Unemployment Assistance |
66 |
91 |
95 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
64 |
91 |
95 |
156 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of recipients with child dependant by scheme. [1842/97]
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table:
|
Payment Type |
Total Number of Recipients |
Number of Recipients with Child Dependants |
Number of Children |
|
Old Age Pension (Contributory) |
67,988 |
847 |
1,141 |
|
Retirement Pension |
69,740 |
1,765 |
2,342 |
|
Old Age Pension (Non-Contributory) |
101,624 |
1,121 |
1,606 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance* |
14,319 |
2,200 |
3,892 |
|
Invalidity Pension* |
42,970 |
12,907 |
25,623 |
|
Disability Benefit* |
42,983 |
19,403 |
40,343 |
|
Interim Disability Benefit |
1,010 |
404 |
881 |
|
Injury Benefit* |
792 |
337 |
753 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
9,364 |
350 |
769 |
|
Death Benefit |
502 |
143 |
272 |
|
Widow/er's Pension (Contributory) |
96,107 |
9,257 |
16,849 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
14,738 |
10,060 |
21,874 |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
50,557 |
50,557 |
81,187 |
|
Health & Safety Benefit |
19 |
10 |
12 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance† |
18,000 |
n.a. |
16,000 |
|
Family Income Supplement |
11,847 |
11,847 |
32,299 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
82,298 |
2,906 |
6,597 |
|
Blind Person's Pension |
2,450 |
251 |
569 |
|
Unemployment Benefit |
62,751 |
27,111 |
64,189 |
|
Unemployment Assistance |
184,031 |
52,878 |
136,417 |
|
Smallholder's Assistance |
8,756 |
4,763 |
14,124 |
|
Total |
808,846 |
209,117 |
467,739 |
|
Payment Type |
Number of Recipients |
|
Widow's Pension (Non-Contributory) |
19,046 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
2,138 |
|
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance |
6 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
4,592 |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
10 |
|
Rent Allowance |
699 |
|
Orphan's Contributory Allowance |
808 |
|
Orphan's Non-Contributory Pension |
340 |
|
Total |
27,639 |
157 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the annual change in the consumer price index predicted at budget time for 1997, and each of the past ten years; and the percentage increase in social assistance, and social insurance payments, together with any other special increases in rates for each year. [1843/97]
The increase in the consumer price index for 1997 estimated for budget purposes is 2.2 per cent. The percentage changes in the CPI between 1987 and 1997 and the corresponding changes in the weekly social welfare insurance and assistance schemes, together with special increases in rates, are contained in the following table.
|
Year |
% Change |
||||||||||
|
1987 |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
|
|
Consumer Price Index |
3.2 |
2.1 |
4.0 |
3.4 |
3.2 |
3.0 |
1.5 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.25 |
2.2 |
|
Social Insurance Scheme |
|||||||||||
|
Old Age Contributory Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
|
Retirement Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
|
Disability Benefit |
3 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
6 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
|
Injury Benefit |
3 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
-18 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Death Benefit |
3 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
Widow's/Widower's Contributory Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
3 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Maternity Benefit (minimum) |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
-21 |
8 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
|
Health & Safety Benefit |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
3 |
5 |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
0 |
9 |
|
Orphan's Contributory Allowance |
3 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
|
Unemployment Benefit |
3 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
4 |
6 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Death Grant (full rate) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Social Assistance Scheme |
|||||||||||
|
Old Age Non-Contributory Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Blind Person's Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Widow's Non-Contributory Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Orphan's Non-Contributory Pension |
3 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
21 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
|
Widower's Non-Contributory Pension |
— |
— |
— |
8 |
4 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
3 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance |
3 |
3 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Unmarried Mother's Allowance |
3 |
4 |
3 |
7 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Lone Parent's Allowance |
— |
— |
— |
— |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
3 |
11 |
11 |
7 |
11 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
|
Carer's Allowance (int. 1990) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
11 |
6 |
12 |
3 |
2 |
8 |
4 |
|
Single Woman's Allowance |
3 |
4 |
12 |
11 |
6 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance (int. 1990) |
— |
— |
— |
— |
6 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Unemployment Assistance (long-term) |
3 |
11 |
12 |
11 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Child Benefit |
|||||||||||
|
1st child |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
35 |
7 |
3 |
|
2nd child |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
35 |
7 |
3 |
|
3rd child |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
45 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
28 |
6 |
15 |
|
4th child |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
45 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
29 |
6 |
15 |
158 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the estimated cost in 1997 and in a full year of extending all supplementary benefits to recipients of the survivor's pension and the lone parent's allowance/widow's pension. [1937/97]
At present, all recipients of the widow'swidower's contributory pension, widow's non-contributory pension and one-parent family payment who are aged 66 or over are entitled to free travel, and may qualify (subject to satisfying certain living alone conditions) for free electricity and or natural gas or bottled gas refill allowance, free telephone allowance and television licence.
The estimated annual cost of extending free travel to all recipients of the schemes in question would be over £6 million.
