HC Deb 17 March 1986 vol 94 cc52-3W
Ms. Harman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Dulwich are on supplementary benefit.

Mr. Major

Dulwich is covered, for social security purposes, by four offices of the Department but their boundaries are not conterminous with those of the constituency. The table shows the number of people receiving supplementary benefit on 11 February 1986—the latest figures available—from each of those offices.

Number
Brixton 12,072
Camberwell 12,420
Crystal Palace 11,687
Peckham 10,081
Total 46,260

Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.

Mr. Millan

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were (a) the total numbers of single payments and (b) the total amounts paid under the supplementary benefit regulations for each social security office in Scotland in 1985.

Mr. Major

I regret that no information is available about the total amount of supplementary benefit paid out by individual local offices. Such information could be obtained only by a special exercise which would be disproportionately expensive. Tables showing the numbers of single payments awarded, and the amounts paid out, by each of the Department's local offices during the year ended 9 April 1985 are in the Library.

Mr. Winnick

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people of working age in (a) the west midlands and (b) the Walsall area are now receiving supplementary benefit; what were the figures in May 1979; and if he will give the percentage change in the two areas, respectively.

Mr. Major

The table shows the number of people of working age in(a) the west midlands and (b) the Walsall area who were receiving supplementary benefit at 11 February 1986—the latest available figures—and 15 May 1979; and the percentage change in the two areas:

15 May 1979 11 February 1986 Percentage change
West Midlands 126,331 371,683 194
Walsall area 6,381 20,744 225

Number of complaints in respect of 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
Supplementary Benefits administration 20 30 55 50 27 42 44
Other Social Security Benefit matters 55 54 34 38 21 21 37
Total 75 84 89 88 48 63 81