House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 21 Jan 1998 (pt 11)

IT Equipment

Mr. Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is her Department's policy regarding the recycling of information technology equipment within her Department and relevant agencies and to other Government departments or agencies; and what arrangements have been made in this respect. [23246]

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Mr. Keith Bradley: The policy regarding recycling of information technology equipment is that in all items of equipment which become surplus in one area are redeployed elsewhere in the Department, subject to being fully operational and Year 2000 compliant.

Invalid Care Allowance

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she intends to introduce a

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fast-track scheme for carers of terminally ill people to claim invalid care allowance; and if she will make a statement. [24138]

Mr. Denham: There is already a prompt turn-around time, averaging some 19 working days, on all claims for Invalid Care Allowance (ICA). If, whilst waiting for ICA, carers are in financial hardship, they may be entitled to income-related benefits.

Low Pay

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will estimate the numbers and distribution of workers earning less than the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions (a) by gender and (b) by region and nation. [24354]

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Mrs. Liddell: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 21 January 1998:

I have been asked to reply, as the Director of the Office for National Statistics, to your recent question on workers earning less than the lower earnings limit for National Insurance contributions.

Estimates from the Labour Force Survey are shown in the attached table. The average of the last four quarters have been used in order to provide a larger sample and therefore more reliable estimates than could be obtained from only one quarter. Earnings estimates for Northern Ireland are not available from the Labour Force Survey.

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Employees earning less than the lower limit for National Insurance contributions(15), average of four quarters, autumn 1996 to summer 1997

Thousands As a percentage of all employees

All Men Women All Men Women

Great Britain 2,494 562 1,932 11 5 18

England 2,156 489 1,667 11 5 18

North East 119 (16)-- 97 13 (16)-- 22

North West and Merseyside 297 64 233 11 5 18

North West 246 57 189 12 6 18

Merseyside 51 (16)-- 44 9 (16)-- 15

Yorkshire and Humberside 234 54 181 12 6 20

East Midlands 205 38 167 12 4 20

West Midlands 232 50 183 11 5 18

Eastern 261 51 209 12 4 20

London 194 63 131 8 5 11

South East 363 86 278 11 5 18

South West 250 61 189 13 6 21

Wales 147 31 116 15 6 24

Scotland 191 42 149 9 4 15

	Thousands	As a percentage of all employees
	All	Men	Women	All	Men	Women
Great Britain	2,494	562	1,932	11	5	18
England	2,156	489	1,667	11	5	18
North East	119	(16)--	97	13	(16)--	22
North West and Merseyside	297	64	233	11	5	18
North West	246	57	189	12	6	18
Merseyside	51	(16)--	44	9	(16)--	15
Yorkshire and Humberside	234	54	181	12	6	20
East Midlands	205	38	167	12	4	20
West Midlands	232	50	183	11	5	18
Eastern	261	51	209	12	4	20
London	194	63	131	8	5	11
South East	363	86	278	11	5	18
South West	250	61	189	13	6	21
Wales	147	31	116	15	6	24
Scotland	191	42	149	9	4	15

Notes:

(15) £61 per week for the 1996-97 tax year and £62 for 1997-98.

(16) Sample size too small to provide a reliable estimate.

Source:

ONS, Labour Force Survey.

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PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Visit

19. Mr. Baldry: To ask the Prime Minister when he next expects to visit Banbury. [22010]

The Prime Minister: I have no immediate plans to do so.

Departmental Staff

Mr. Hawkins: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) special advisers, (b) task force members and (c) review body members his Department employs; what is the total salary and benefits of (a) to (c); and what was the equivalent cost prior to 1 May. [19310]

The Prime Minister: My office employs 17 full-time and two part-time Special Advisers. It does not employ any Task Force or Review body members on a salaried basis, the same position as before 1 May.

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A direct comparison of costs is not sensible, as the roles that my Special Advisers undertake are different from those of the previous Administration. For example I do not employ an Efficiency Adviser in No. 10, nor is there a Head of the Policy Unit, and some Special Advisers in the Policy Unit deal with areas which in the past have been covered by civil servants. Similarly the figures include a Special Adviser in the Strategic Communications Unit which has been funded by savings across Government Departments.

The projected cost of the No. 10 Special Adviser paybill for 1997-98 is £849,894. The figure includes Special Advisers in the Strategic Communications Unit who like all members of the Unit are funded by contributions from all Departments. The cost of the 7-8 Special Advisers in 1996-97 was £434,249.

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Cabinet Committees

Mr. Healey: To ask the Prime Minister what new Ministerial Committees of the Cabinet have been established since 9 June 1997. [24434]

The Prime Minister: I have set out below the names and membership of the Cabinet Committees established since 9 June. In addition to the members listed, other Ministers are invited to attend meetings as necessary.

Ministerial Sub Committee on Energy Policy [EA(N)]

Composition:

Chancellor of the Exchequer (Chairman)

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions

President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

Paymaster General

Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth

Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry

Minister of State, Scottish Office

Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office

Minister without Portfolio

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Welsh Office

Terms of Reference: "To consider the principles and objectives which should underlie the United Kingdom's energy strategy; and make recommendations for an energy strategy to the Ministerial Committee on Economic Affairs."

Ministerial Sub-Committee on House of Lords Reform [CRP(HL)]

Composition:

Lord Chancellor (Chairman)

Secretary of State for the Home Department

President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Lord Privy Seal

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury

Captain of the Gentlemen at Arms

Minister without Portfolio

Terms of Reference: "To consider policy and other issues arising from the Government's plans for reform of the House of Lords and to make recommendations to the Ministerial Committee on Constitutional Reform policy."

Ministerial Sub-Committee on Freedom of Information [CRP (FOI)]

Composition:

Lord Chancellor (Chair)

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Secretary of State for the Home Department

Secretary of State for Education and Employment

President of the Board of Trade and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Secretary of State for Scotland

Secretary of State for Defence

Secretary of State for Health