§ Mr. Beggsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total number of additional benefit payments made by the Department of Health and Social Services to claimants in the last 12 months for which figures are available and the total expenditure incurred from each Department of Health and Social Services office in the Antrim, East constituency and the highest number and cost of such payments to an individual applicant.
§ Mr. Chris PattenDuring the period 13 April 1983 to 10 April 1984 the number and value of single payments under the supplementary benefit scheme were as follows:
Number £ All social security offices in Northern Ireland 153,323 17,300,918
Benefit Males Aged 65+ Females Aged 60+ Total Date of Information Retirement pension 68,716 130,064 198,780 30 November 1983 Non-contributoiy retirement pension 752 2,795 3,547 30 November 1983 Sickness benefit 45 25 70 31 May 1982 Invalidity pension 985 260 1,245 31 May 1982 Unemployment benefit 5 5 10 10 November 1983 Widow's benefit (excluding Widow's allowance) — 1,811 1,811 30 November 1983 Widow's allowance — 151 151 30 September 1982 Attendance allowance 3,192 7,670 10,862 5 January 1984 Invalid care allowance 6 19 25 23 February 1984 Mobility allowance* 449 1,102 1,551 31 March 1984 Non-contributoiy invalidity pension 305 885 1,190 31 May 1982 Injury benefit — 5 5 31 May 1982 Industrial death benefit — 366 366 31 December 1982 Supplementary pensions Breakdown not readily available 53,579 14 February 1984 With regard to housing benefits, precise figures are not available, but it is estimated that some 83,300 persons over pension age were receiving housing benefits at 29 March 1984. * Plus one male over 65 in receipt of a car.
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Northern Ireland's population is of retirement age.
§ Mr. Chris PattenOf the estimated population for 1983, 14.5 per cent. were of retirement age, this being taken as over 65 for men and over 60 for women.