HC Deb 05 July 1993 vol 228 cc39-40W
12. Mr. Hain

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the adult male population receives(a) invalidity benefit and (b) sickness benefit.

Mr. Scott

In March 1991, the latest date for which these figures are available, about 4.5 per cent. of the adult male population received invalidity benefit, and about 0.4 per cent. received sickness benefit.

Available information is in the table.

Males in receipt of benefit on 30 March 19911 As a percentage of the adult male population2per cent.
Sickness benefit 85,000 0.4
Invalidity benefit 976,000 4.5
1 Based on a 1 per cent, sample of claimants, rounded to the nearest thousand.
2 Provisional estimate for mid-1991 of 21,542,000 males in Great Britain aged 16 and over; based on early 1991 census results.

16. Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any proposals for changing entitlement to sickness and invalidity benefits.

Mr. Scott

I refer to the reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mrs. Jackson) earlier today.