Supplementary Allowance (Hansard, 8 June 1972)

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list those supplementary benefit offices in England and Wales where the four-week rule restricting supplementary allowance is currently applied; at what date this standard control procedure was re-adopted in each administrative area following its suspension during the miners' strike; and, in each of these areas, what was the cumulative total of withdrawals of supplementary benefit entitlement after respectively, four-week and three-month 154W warnings up to suspension and to date following re-adoption.

§ Mr. Dean
I regret the precise information requested is not available and could not be obtained without undue use of resources. As to the offices now operating the four-week rule and the date from which it was reapplied, information is as follows:
Date Rule Re-applied and Office London West Region
10th April, 1972—Harlesden, Hounslow, Twickenham, Aldershot (excluding the Alton and Liphook areas).
19th April 1972—Newport Pagnell, Uxbridge, Wembley, Reading, Slough (Slough/Windsor areas only).
24th April, 1972—Southall.
1st May, 1972—Fareham, Newbury, High Wycombe.
8th May, 1972—Harrow.
9th May, 1972—Newport, Isle of Wight.
31st May, 1972—Bournemouth.
London South Region
5th May, 1972—Bognor, Brighton (2 offices), Bromley, Crawley, Croydon, Crystal Palace, Guildford, Hove, Kingston, Lewes, Morden, Orpington, Redhill, Surbiton, Sutton, Thornton Heath, Wimbledon, Woking, Worthing.
South Western Region
12th May, 1972—Barnstaple, Bridgewater, Exeter (excluding Oakhampton Employment Exchange area), Gloucester, Launceston (excluding Camelford Employment Exchange area), Newton Abbot, Penzance, Poole, St. Austell (excluding St. Austell Employment Exchange area), Salisbury, Stroud, Swindon, Taunton, Torquay, Trowbridge, Truro (excluding Falmouth Employment Exchange area), Weston-super-Mars, Weymouth, Yeovil.
West Midlands Region
8th May, 1972—Kidderminster.
16th May, 1972—Dudley.
North Western (Merseyside) Region
15th May, 1972—Blackpool (2 offices).

§ Mr. Meacher
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services for each month since 14th December, 1971, how many unemployed persons have had their entitlement to a supplementary allowance terminated after, respectively, four weeks and three months; how many have had their application for a renewal of their allowance accepted and how many have had it refused during each of these months; how many have appealed successfully and how many unsuccessfully; and what is the cumulative total to date 155W since July 1968 in each of these categories.

TABLE A—SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES ISSUED INITIALLY FOR A LIMITED PERIOD SINCE 14TH DECEMBER, 1971

Statistical period Allowances limited initially to maximum of four weeks Number of allowances renewed at end of four weeks All refusals Appeals to Claimant successful Tribunal Claimant unsuccessful

15th December, 1971 to 18th January, 1972 (5 weeks) … 2,848 596 48 8 44

19th January, 1972 to 22nd February, 1972 (5 weeks) … 1,772 411 40 4 30

23rd February, 1972 to 21st March,1972 (4 weeks) … … … Nil 3 Nil 2 9

22nd March, 1972 to 18th April,1972 (4 weeks) … … … 87 4 2 Nil Nil

19th April, 1972 to 16th May, 1972 (4 weeks) … … … 349 11 3 Nil Nil

TABLE B—SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES REVIEWED AFTER THREE MONTHS

Statistical period^* Allowances on which a limit of a further four weeks benefit was imposed Appeals against cessation of benefit

Claimant successful Claimant unsuccessful

15th December, 1971 to 21st March, 1972 197 2 6

^* Quarterly Returns.

†The total number of cases reviewed after three months is not recorded. The figures in this column include cases where claims terminated before the end of the four weeks or were renewed.

TABLE C—CUMULATIVE TOTALS OF SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES ISSUED FOR LIMITED PERIODS OCTOBER, 1968 TO MAY, 1972

Awards made initially for four weeks at outset of claim … … … … … 246,374

Awards reviewed after three months and at that point limited to a further four weeks (to 21st March, 1972) … … … … … … … … … … … 14,501

Allowances extended at end of four weeks without appeal … … … … … 10,674

Appeals against curtailment of allowances:

Claimant successful … … … … … … … … … … 409

Claimant unsuccessful … … … … … … … … … … 2,464

TABLE A—SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES ISSUED INITIALLY FOR A LIMITED PERIOD SINCE 14TH DECEMBER, 1971
Statistical period	Allowances limited initially to maximum of four weeks	Number of allowances renewed at end of four weeks	All refusals	Appeals to Claimant successful	Tribunal Claimant unsuccessful
15th December, 1971 to 18th January, 1972 (5 weeks)	…	2,848	596	48	8	44
19th January, 1972 to 22nd February, 1972 (5 weeks)	…	1,772	411	40	4	30
23rd February, 1972 to 21st March,1972 (4 weeks)	…	…	…	Nil	3	Nil	2	9
22nd March, 1972 to 18th April,1972 (4 weeks)	…	…	…	87	4	2	Nil	Nil
19th April, 1972 to 16th May, 1972 (4 weeks)	…	…	…	349	11	3	Nil	Nil

TABLE B—SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES REVIEWED AFTER THREE MONTHS
Statistical period^*	Allowances on which a limit of a further four weeks benefit was imposed	Appeals against cessation of benefit
Claimant successful	Claimant unsuccessful
15th December, 1971 to 21st March, 1972	197	2	6
^* Quarterly Returns.
†The total number of cases reviewed after three months is not recorded. The figures in this column include cases where claims terminated before the end of the four weeks or were renewed.