Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 21 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 3

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

320 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the qualified adult allowance rate to 70% of the personal rate in 2001, and to 80%, 90% and 100% of the personal rate at current rates of payment. [26488/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The information requested by the deputy is set out in the following table.

Full-year cost of increasing qualified adult allowances to 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% of the personal rate, at current payment rates.

	£
70%	37.79 million
80%	92.08 million
90%	146.37 million
100%	200.66 million

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

321 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional cost to the Exchequer for each additional £1 per week increase in the following social assistance payments in 2001: (i) the living alone allowance and (ii) the over 80 allowance. [26489/00]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

322 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional cost to the Exchequer for each additional £1 per week increase in the following social assistance payments in 2001: (i) blind person's pension (ii) orphan's pension and (iii) one parent family payment. [26490/00]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

323 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional cost to the Exchequer for each additional £1 per week increase in the following social assistance payments in 2001: (i) non-contributory old age pensions (ii) non-contributory widows'/widowers' pensions and (iii) pre-retirement pensions. [26491/00]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

324 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional cost to the Exchequer for each additional £1 per week increase in the following social assistance payments in 2001: (i) unemployment assistance - short-term (ii) unemployment assistance - long-term (iii) disability allowance and (iv) carer's allowance. [26492/00]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

325 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional cost to the Exchequer for each additional £1 per week increase in the following social insurance payments in 2001: (i) maternity/adoptive benefit and (ii) health and safety benefit. [26493/00]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

326 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional cost to the Exchequer for each additional £1 increase per week in the following social insurance payments in 2001: (i) contributory old age pensions (ii) contributory widows'/widowers' pensions and (iii) retirement pension. [26494/00]

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

327 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the additional cost to the Exchequer for each additional £1 increase per week in each of the following social insurance payments in 2001: (i) unemployment benefit (ii) disability benefit (iii) invalidity benefit and (iv) carer's benefit. [26495/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 to 327, inclusive, together.

The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table.

Estimated full year cost of increasing the personal rate of certain social welfare payments by £1 per week.

Cost (See Note 1) of £1

	Per WeekIncrease
Living Alone Allowance	£5.83 million
Over 80 Allowance	£4.40 million
Blind Person's Pension	£0.12 million
Orphan's (Contributory) Allowance	£0.06 million
Orphan's (Non Contributory) Pension	£0.04 million
One Parent Family Payment	£4.14 million
Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension	£4.66 million
Widow/er's (Non Contributory) Pension	£0.98 million
Pre-Retirement Allowance	£0.66 million
Unemployment Assistance (Short term)	£1.41 million
Unemployment Assistance (Long term)	£2.80 million
Disability Allowance	£2.87 million
Carer's Allowance	£0.93 million
Maternity/Adoptive Benefit	Note 2
Health and Safety Benefit	Note 3
Old Age (Contributory) Pension	£3.96 million
Widow/er's (Contributory) Pension	£5.19 million
Retirement Pension	£4.03 million
Unemployment Benefit	£2.66 million
Disability Benefit	£2.36 million
Invalidity Pension	£2.58 million
Carer's Benefit	£0.05 million

Notes:

1. In the case of contributory benefits and pensions, including living alone allowances and over 80 allowances payable with these pensions, the cost of any increases in payment rates is borne by the social insurance fund. In the case of all other payments the cost is borne by the Exchequer.

2. Maternity/adoptive benefit payment is calculated as a percentage of the claimants reckonable weekly earnings in the relevant tax year. A £1 increase in the upper limit would not necessarily mean an increase in payment for all claimants.

3. As there are only an average of 28 health and safety benefit recipients, a £1 per week increase would have a negligible cost.