Hansard

Written Answers

Volume 394: debated on Wednesday 28 June 1978

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Written Answers

Solomon Islands Constitution

Lord O'HAGAN

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Constitution of the Solomon Islands will be published and placed in the Libraries of both houses of Parliament.

Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS

The Solomon Islands Constitution was published on 8th June and copies were placed in the Library of the House of Commons and in the Printed Paper Office of the House of Lords on that date.

National Insurance Pensions And Other Income

Lord VAIZEY

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list the number and percentage of pensioners who are in receipts of only National Insurance, occupational pensions and/or supplementary benefit and the number and percentage of pensioners with additional earned or unearned income of:

  • (a) Up to £5·00;
  • (b) More than £5·00 but less than £10·00;
  • (c) More than £10·00 but less than £15·00;
  • (d) More than £15·00 but less than £20·00;
  • (e) More than £20·00

    • Lord WELLS-PESTELL

    I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. However, the following information is relevant.In November 1976, the latest date for which the figures are available:—

  • 1. 6,843,000 people were in receipt of a National Insurance retirement pension, but not a supplementary pension. (This figure includes wives whose husbands were in receipt of a supplementary pension.)
  • 2. 95,000 people were in receipt of a supplementary pension but not a National Insurance retirement pension. Of these, 2,000 people were also in receipt of an occupational pension. (These figures include men whose wives may have been in receipt of a retirement pension and/or an occupational pension.)
  • 3. 1,573,000 people were in receipt of a national insurance retirement pension and a supplementary pension. Of these 160,000 people were also in receipt of an occupational pension. (These figures refer to claimants only. The wives of some of the men may have been in receipt of a retirement pension and/or an occupational pension).

    • Information about the number of people in receipt of a retirement pension and an occupational pension, but not a supplementary pension is not known. The requested details of the income of pensioners is also not available.

    School Dinners

    Lord VAIZEY

    asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the numbers and percentage of pupils taking school dinners, the number and proportion taking free school dinners together with an estimate of the take-up rate of free school dinners for January 1978; and whether they will also provide comparable figures for the October and January of each year since 1974.

    The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION and SCIENCE
    (Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge)

    In January 1978, 5·0 million pupils in maintained schools in England, 64·3 per cent. of those present, took school dinners. Of these, 1·1 million pupils, representing 14·2 per cent. of those present, received dinners free of charge. The latest available estimate of take-up is that in 1976 (December) about 80 per cent. of those entitled to free school meals were taking them. Comparable school meals census figures since 1974 are as follows (there being no January censuses before 1977):—

    Taking school dinnersReceiving free school dinners
    pupil numbers (millions)as % of those presentpupil numbers (millions)as % of those present
    October 1974…5·470·20.709·0
    October 1975…5·670·30·739·2
    October 1976…5·569·40·789·8
    January 1977…5·570·30·8010·1
    October 1977…4·961·70·9311·8
    House adjourned at ten minutes before six o'clock.