Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what provisions they have made to support the surviving adult children of a parent who died as a result of contamination with infected blood.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Infected Blood Support Schemes in the United Kingdom offer certain discretionary payments following the death of a registered beneficiary, some of which may be available to support surviving adult children, for example, estates of the bereaved can apply for a £10,000 one-off bereavement payment to help with the immediate costs associated with the loss of a loved one.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Infected Blood Inquiry, how many people were infected by contaminated blood; how many of those died as a consequence; and how many are now eligible for interim compensation payments under the Infected Blood Support Scheme.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Infected Blood Inquiry’s terms of reference include the task to “ascertain, as far as practicable, the likely numbers of people who have been infected (directly or indirectly) in consequence of: a) the use of infected blood; and b) the use of infected blood products”.
To this end, the Inquiry’s Statistical Expert Group has published two reports. The first, published in September 2022, contains estimated numbers of people infected by blood and blood products as well as estimated numbers of those people who subsequently died; however, this excludes those with Hepatitis B and secondary infections. The second supplementary report, published in July 2023, updates the Committee’s estimates of the numbers of people who died because of their infection. Due to its size, a copy of the first report has been placed in the Library. A copy of the second report is attached.
In July, the Inquiry published a note on interim compensation payments made on behalf of the Government by the four national Infected Blood Support Schemes. The note shows the number of people registered and payments made as of July 2023; however, information on the numbers of eligible people is not available. A copy of the note is attached.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people who were infected with contaminated blood (1) are eligible for, and (2) have received, the £100,000 interim compensation payment under the Infected Blood Support Scheme.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Infected Blood Inquiry’s terms of reference include the task to “ascertain, as far as practicable, the likely numbers of people who have been infected (directly or indirectly) in consequence of: a) the use of infected blood; and b) the use of infected blood products”.
To this end, the Inquiry’s Statistical Expert Group has published two reports. The first, published in September 2022, contains estimated numbers of people infected by blood and blood products as well as estimated numbers of those people who subsequently died; however, this excludes those with Hepatitis B and secondary infections. The second supplementary report, published in July 2023, updates the Committee’s estimates of the numbers of people who died because of their infection. Due to its size, a copy of the first report has been placed in the Library. A copy of the second report is attached.
In July, the Inquiry published a note on interim compensation payments made on behalf of the Government by the four national Infected Blood Support Schemes. The note shows the number of people registered and payments made as of July 2023; however, information on the numbers of eligible people is not available. A copy of the note is attached.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals who died as a consequence of infection from contaminated blood were (1) refused compensation payments, and (2) awaiting compensation payments granted, under the Infected Blood Support Scheme.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The various Infected Blood Support Schemes in the United Kingdom have provided ex gratia support payments rather than compensation. Interim compensation payments were made by the Infected Blood Interim Compensation Payment Scheme administered on behalf of the Government by the administrators of the UK infected blood support schemes (and in Scotland by the Scottish Ministers in conjunction with the administrators of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme).
The information requested concerning support scheme payments is not available.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals have died as a consequence of infection from contaminated blood who were receiving compensation payments under the Infected Blood Support Scheme, and what was the range of such payments.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The various Infected Blood Support Schemes in the United Kingdom have provided ex gratia support payments rather than compensation. Interim compensation payments were made by the Infected Blood Interim Compensation Payment Scheme administered on behalf of the Government by the administrators of the UK infected blood support schemes (and in Scotland by the Scottish Ministers in conjunction with the administrators of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme).
The information requested concerning support scheme payments is not available.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals who are known to have been infected with contaminated blood have died without having received any compensation payment under the Infected Blood Support Scheme.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The various Infected Blood Support Schemes in the United Kingdom have provided ex gratia support payments rather than compensation. Interim compensation payments were made by the Infected Blood Interim Compensation Payment Scheme administered on behalf of the Government by the administrators of the UK infected blood support schemes (and in Scotland by the Scottish Ministers in conjunction with the administrators of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme).
The information requested concerning support scheme payments is not available.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the total amount of tax relief on all pensions was for the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
Information on estimates of Income Tax relief on pension contributions and investment income of pension funds can be found online in Table 6 of the Private pension statistics publication. Estimates for the tax years 2018 to 2019 to 2020 to 2021 have been reproduced in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Total pension Income Tax relief for tax years 2018 to 2019 to 2020 to 2021.
Tax year | Total pension Income Tax relief, £million |
2020 to 2021 | 44,100 |
2019 to 2020 | 41,700 |
2018 to 2019* | 38,200 |
*Improvements in the estimation methodology for the tax years 2019 to 2020 onwards mean that estimates for the tax year 2018 to 2019 are not directly comparable to those in later years.
Estimates for the 2021 to 2022 tax year will be published on 27th September 2023. Estimates for the 2022 to 2023 tax year will be published in Summer 2024.
HMRC does not hold complete information on whether contributions have been made to personal or occupational pension schemes.
Information on the National Employment Savings Trust is exempt from release by HMRC under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (CRCA).
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much tax revenue is foregone each year in supporting (1) company, (2) private, and (3) National Employment Savings Trust pensions.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
Information on estimates of Income Tax relief on pension contributions and investment income of pension funds can be found online in Table 6 of the Private pension statistics publication. Estimates for the tax years 2018 to 2019 to 2020 to 2021 have been reproduced in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Total pension Income Tax relief for tax years 2018 to 2019 to 2020 to 2021.
Tax year | Total pension Income Tax relief, £million |
2020 to 2021 | 44,100 |
2019 to 2020 | 41,700 |
2018 to 2019* | 38,200 |
*Improvements in the estimation methodology for the tax years 2019 to 2020 onwards mean that estimates for the tax year 2018 to 2019 are not directly comparable to those in later years.
Estimates for the 2021 to 2022 tax year will be published on 27th September 2023. Estimates for the 2022 to 2023 tax year will be published in Summer 2024.
HMRC does not hold complete information on whether contributions have been made to personal or occupational pension schemes.
Information on the National Employment Savings Trust is exempt from release by HMRC under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (CRCA).
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the annual cost to the exchequer of expenditure on all pensioner benefits, including a breakdown of (1) basic state pension, (2) additional pensions, (3) new state pension, (4) pension credit, (5) housing benefit, (6) winter fuel payments, (7) Christmas bonus, (8) age addition, (9) deferred pensions, (10) free prescriptions, (11) free travel, (12) eye tests, and (13) dental care.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The territorial extent, age requirements, and availability of latest data vary by policy area. Pensioner benefit spending is devolved to Northern Ireland, whereas transport and healthcare spending is devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Noting these points, the UK Government spends around £150bn per year on pensioner benefits.
The forecast of 2023-24 expenditure on all pensioner benefits in Great Britain can be found in the table below. Deferred pension figures are captured in the basic State Pension, new State Pension, and Lump Sum Payment figures.
£ million | 2023-24 Forecast |
Basic State Pension | 66,617 |
of which Lump Sum Payments | 186 |
Additional Pensions | 19,163 |
New State Pension | 36,234 |
Pension Credit | 5,437 |
Housing Benefit | 5,938 |
Winter Fuel Payments | 2,037 |
Christmas Bonus | 128 |
Age Addition (Category D State Pension) | 195 |
Attendance Allowance | 6,686 |
Other | 9,170 |
Total | 151,604 |
Source: Spring 2023 Benefit Expenditure Outturn and Forecast Tables on GOV.UK
The latest available data on dental care for pensioners in England is from 2022-23 and can be found below. However, there is no published 2022-23 data on prescription or eye test expenditure as any information provided would be based on internal DHSC analysis and modelling, which could change.
£ million | 2022-23 |
Free Dental Care | 56 |
Source: NHS Dental Statistics: 2022-23
The latest available data on free travel for pensioners in England is from 2021-22 can be found below. This figure also includes spend on travel for individuals with disabilities.
£ million | 2021-22 |
Free Travel | 803 |
Source: Concessionary Travel data from the Bus Statistics data tables on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Field of Birkenhead (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what impact strikes in the (1) public, and (2) private, sector have had on gross domestic product growth in each of the past three years.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
As the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have noted, it is not possible to precisely isolate the impact of strike action on GDP from other factors across the wider economy.