§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many single payments for funeral expenses under supplementary benefits regulations have been made in each of the past five years and the first half of the current year in Northern Ireland;
(2) how many single payments for maternity expenses under supplementary benefits regulations have been made in each of the past five years and the first half of the current year in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Chris PattenInformation is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, figures derived from the annual statistical inquiry show that the numbers of single payments made during the preceding 12 months to persons on supplementary benefit at the time of the inquiry were as follows:
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Numbers Funeral expenses Maternity expenses November 1979 372 † December 1980 558 †
Numbers Funeral expenses Maternity expenses December 1981 729 3,035 December 1982 957 7,418 December 1983* 1,120 11,009 * The latest year for which figures are held. † Not available. Source: 5 per cent. sample.
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many single payments have been made under supplementary benefit regulations in each social security office in Northern Ireland in the first half of the current year.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe numbers of single payments made under supplementary benefit legislation in each social security office in Northern Ireland during the period from 15 January 1985 to 4 June 1985 are as follows:
Office Number Andersonstown 7,203 Antrim 5,565 Armagh 2,733 Ballymena 2,654 Ballymoney 2,724 Ballynahinch 313 Banbridge 1,554 Bangor 1,297 Carrickfergus 2,072 Coleraine 3,756 Cookstown 2,615 140W
Office 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985‡ Andersonstown * * * * * 301,241 731,085 Antrim 43,917 59,467 106,217 312,811 606,829 976,867 615,739 Armagh 39,965 34,369 45,955 116,833 221,067 446,018 321,252 Ballymena 42,637 51,264 77,235 186,358 289,346 422,885 222,774 Ballymoney 19,108 17,090 30,218 73,037 204,339 359,090 237,118 Ballynahinch 3,820 3,788 6,328 14,747 31,055 44,947 32,183 Banbridge 12,621 11,073 20,678 56,887 116,912 191,351 134,664 Bangor 9,533 11,586 14,338 50,782 134,719 220,760 139,403 Carrickfergus 34,896 39,948 26,831 88,229 211,659 402,890 222,631 Coleraine 46,118 49,243 65,442 159,900 422,513 736,496 370,956 Cookstown 38,402 34,289 84,802 148,837 294,692 733,689 392,022 Corporation Street 68,563 102,019 †69,355 303,285 738,164 1,466,891 970,966 Downpatrick 8,897 14,791 20,654 58,373 132,220 217,704 144,198 Dungannon 64,682 86,751 186,848 378,221 979,249 1,325,356 616,173 Enniskillen 59,562 80,903 101,161 201,686 368,698 610,812 291,649 Falls Road 84,166 129,944 †86,401 443,579 1,457,903 1,937,958 760,905 Holywood Road 21,700 25,296 30,050 150,993 423,319 686,499 526,661 Kilkeel 5,591 3,854 8,700 23,959 51,449 92,377 50,557 Knockbreda 28,816 39,873 †47,294 147,447 220,221 339,653 193,124 Larne 25,155 31,044 †35,629 66,991 152,180 245,094 164,823 Limavady 17,758 25,070 51,624 80,288 173,668 272,613 175,433 Lisburn 65,469 79,534 78,849 269,252 895,573 1,723,169 700,166 Londonderry 253,888 388,068 †378,864 1,073,917 1,550,847 2,016,634 1,197,361 Lurgan 74,641 95,872 †144,093 267,617 445,201 907,953 654,226 Magherafelt 33,883 34,110 †51,907 100,970 203,618 465,689 329,749 Newcastle 9,282 6,842 †10,729 36,040 58,508 116,673 103,816 Newry 50,456 86,236 †102,171 299,699 743,592 1,282,790 653,570 Newtownabbey 59,833 42,531 †89,282 248,579 432,391 877,040 489,179 Newtownards 19,545 27,620 34,130 92,682 152,839 305,872 149,194 Omagh 38,654 53,699 75,799 202,507 368,591 608,315 466,657 Portadown 28,935 34,954 34,623 72,109 172,371 326,730 221,459 Shaftesbury Square 38,189 56,607 77,357 211,781 383,434 587,097 381,665 Shankill 65,322 77,384 †39,657 211,746 398,090 601,249 320,122 Strabane 74,523 120,299 †161,099 544,429 1,247,680 1,669,815 753,417 * Andersonstown Social Security Office opened in October 1984. † Incomplete returns due to industrial action. ‡To 4 June 1985.
Office Number Corporation Street 7,774 Downpatrick 1,567 Dungannon 4,085 Enniskillen 3,670 Falls Road 8,654 Hollywood Road 4,412 Kilkeel 597 Knockbreda 1,921 Larne 1,956 Limavady 2,027 Lisburn 6,024 Londonderry 8,741 Lurgan 4,616 Magherafelt 2,243 Newcastle 974 Newry 5,701 Newtownabbey 5,897 Newtownards 1,335 Omagh 4,143 Portadown 2,226 Shaftesbury Square 2,602 Shankill 3,524 Strabane 5,186 Total 122,361
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount of money spent on single payments made under supplementary benefit in each of the past five years and the first half of the current year by each social security office in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe information is given in the table:
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§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many urgent needs payments under supplementary benefit regulations have been made in each of the past five years and the first half of the current year by each social security office in Northern Ireland; and what was the total amount of money so paid by each office in each year.
§ Mr. Chris PattenI regret that the information requested is not available
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many single payments have been made under supplementary benefit regulations for furniture and household equipment in each social security office in Northern Ireland in the first half of the current year and in each of the past five years; and what was the total amount so paid in each office in each year;
(2) how many single payments have been made under supplementary benefit regulations for clothing and footwear in each social security office in Northern Ireland in the first half of the current year and each of the past five years; and what was the total amount so paid in each office in each year.
§ Mr. Chris PattenI regret that the information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Humeasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what figures are available to indicate the numbers of supplementary benefit claimants in Northern Ireland who receive additional requirement payments for some heating costs;
(2) what figures are available to indicate the numbers of supplementary benefit claimants in Northern Ireland who receive additional requirement payments for excessive laundry costs;
(3) what figures are available to indicate the number of supplementary benefit claimants in Northern Ireland who receive additional requirement payments for extra dietary costs;
(4) what figures are available to indicate the number of suplementary benefit claimants in Northern Ireland who receive additional requirement payments for special clothing and footwear or heavy wear and tear on clothing.
§ Mr. Chris PattenAt 7 December 1983, the latest date for which figures are available, the estimated numbers of supplemenary benefit recipients whose additional requirements included the cost of heating, laundry, diets, clothing and footwear were as follows:
Number Heating 104,300 Laundry 1,300 Diets 21,100 Clothing and footwear 350 Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry.
The amounts payable for such requirements is reduced in certain long-term cases by £1 a week.