HC Deb 30 October 1985 vol 84 cc563-4W
Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out the numbers of staff employed on supplementary benefit work in his Department's Woolwich office over each of the past five years for which figures are available, together with the number of supplementary benefit cases handled during the same period.

Mr. Major

Returns of local office staff which subdivide those actually working on supplementary benefits from those on contributory benefits work have been kept only since May 1983.

Additionally, records of the work loads in Woolwich office are kept only for four years.

The average number of supplementary benefits claimants in July of each year from 1982 to 1985 and the number of staff allocated to supplementary benefits work in July in each year from 1983 to 1985 are as follows:

(2) if adult foster care funded by his Deprtment's board and lodging payments will be affected by the proposed new board and lodging regulations.

Mr. Newton

As my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House has told the House, my right hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General met the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments yesterday afternoon to discuss the meaning and effect of the draft board and lodging regulations. Further consideration is being given to points which have been raised, and in the circumstances the Government did not feel it right to ask the House to debate the regulations last night.