§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of people adversely affected and the amounts in benefits lost as a result of the change in the linking period from 13 weeks to eight weeks, following the coming into force of the Social Security (No. 2) Act 1980.
§ Mrs. Chalker:It is estimated that some 900,000 claims a year to incapacity benefits, from about 600,000 claimants have been adversely affected by the change in the linking period. The incapacity benefits saving is of the order of £30 million a year.