in the new Länder

107. In contrast to the old Länder unemployment is a particular problem of women in the new Länder.

139. In the new Länder the pay levels are gradually adjusted to the rates payable in the old Länder.

Insured persons in the new Länder are entitled to the same benefits as insured persons in the old Länder.

2. New Länder (including the eastern part of Berlin)

in the new Länder as from 1 January 1996

Because of the income disparities between the old and the new Länder the limit above which compulsory coverage starts was fixed at a lower level than in the old Länder (1996 DM 590 per month in the old Länder and DM 500 in the new Länder) it is gradually being raised to the level applicable in the old Länder.

106. As in the old Länder, a problem group of long term unemployed persons also exists in the new Länder.

Contrary to the situation in the old Länder, the number of long term unemployed persons has tended to decrease in the new Länder.

The average widow apos s pension amounts at present to DM 1,018 in the old Länder and to DM 796 in the new Länder.

109. Unemployment among foreigners is only of secondary importance in the new Länder.

112. In the new Länder, severely disabled persons account for a considerably lower share in the total number of unemployed persons than in the old Länder.

Assistance in special circumstances was given to a total of 1.9 million persons including 1.66 million in the old Länder and 254,618 persons in the new Länder.

285. Insufficient insurance and pension claims in the old Länder and insufficient income from work in the new Länder come second in the statistics of major causes.

2 3 partial pension DM 809.03, in the new Länder DM 635.78 per month.

It is not yet possible to provide such differentiated information for the new Länder.

In the new Länder the share of foreign recipients (just like the share of foreigners in the population as a whole) is considerably lower than in the old Länder.

The average amount (net per capita rate) of unemployment assistance according to the Federal budget 1994 was DM 1,030.49 for the old Länder and DM 810.39 for the new Länder.

102. Meanwhile, there are signs of recovery from the trough of unemployment in the new Länder.

Co payments on the part of the insured persons were gradually introduced in the new Länder.

The new Länder and the sickness funds will contribute to the financing in the same amount.

1 3 partial pension DM 1 618.05, in the new Länder DM 1 271.55 per month

1 7 of the monthly reference value (1995 DM 580, in the new Länder DM 470).

In this respect, there are differences between the population in the old and the new Länder.

357. The expenditures of the Länder and the local authorities on education as a whole (not including the admission stage and the promotion of research) amounted to DM 69,400 million in 1980 (old Länder) and to DM 112,800 million in 1993 (old and new Länder).

1. Old Länder

The net social assistance expenses in 1993 thus amounted to a total of DM 40.2 billion including DM 36.2 billion in the old Länder and DM 4 billion in the new Länder.

194. The average pension from an insurance of one apos s own amounts at present to DM 796 for women in the old Länder and to DM 1,059 for women in the new Länder.

In 1993, the income of the social assistance funds covered 17.9 per cent of the gross expenses in Germany, namely 16.0 per cent in the old Länder and 31.6 per cent in the new Länder.

In regional terms, all new Länder apart from the eastern part of Berlin have benefited from this positive development.

To this is added the considerably stronger willingness of women in the new Länder to engage in gainful employment.

182. To finance urgently needed hospital investments in the new Länder a joint programme of the Federal Government, the Länder and the statutory health insurance was launched on the basis of the Health Care Structure Act.

260. Depending on the age group (up until the completion of age 6 from age 7 up until the completion of age 12 from age 13 up until the completion of age 18) the standard rates in 1995 amounted to DM 291 353 418 in the old Länder and to DM 262 317 376 in the new Länder as from 1 January 1996, the standard rates in the old Länder have been raised to DM 349 424 502 and those in the new Länder to DM 314 380 451.

1 2 partial pension DM 1 213.54, in the new Länder DM 953.66 per month minimum additional earnings (second half of 1995)

At 13.0 per cent the unemployment rate of this age group is on the one hand lower than the overall unemployment rate in the new Länder but on the other hand, it is markedly higher than the relevant rate in the old Länder.

275. According to a first preliminary calculation of the Federal Statistical Office, the gross expenditures for social assistance will amount to DM 49.6 billion in 1994 including DM 43.0 billion in the old Länder and DM 6.5 billion in the new Länder.

The most recent collection of data (1992)The data used come from the National Health Survey of the German cardiovascular prevention study that was carried out in the old Länder in 1990 91, and from the National Health Survey New Länder (1991 92).

181. With effect from 1 January 1991 the statutory health insurance, including numerous transitional regulations, has also been introduced in the new Länder.

Full pension DM 580 per month (1 7 of the monthly reference figure, value 1995), in the new Länder DM 470 per month.

In the new Länder, the basic standard rate went up from DM 423 in 1991 to DM 504 in 1995 on an annual average.

For each child entitled to an orphan apos s pension this amount is raised by DM 258.89 per month resp. DM 203.45 in the new Länder.

In the new Länder, a total of 82.7 per cent of those questioned stated that they suffered or had suffered from one or several chronic diseases.

Moreover, the regional associations in eight of the Länder receive subsidies from the Länder governments which make it possible for them to finance full time staff members.

The increased expenses on unemployment assistance are largely due to the above average increase in the number of long term unemployed persons, especially in the new Länder.

279. The financing of social assistance is regulated by the Länder.