HC Deb 27 October 1987 vol 121 cc247-8W
57. Mr. Colvin

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the discontinuation of the single payment for mothers on supplementary benefit.

For four week period ending 22 September 1987 Hackney office Stoke Newington London north region London south region
1. Claims to Supplementary Benefit
Average Clearance Times 7 days 21 days 7 days 8 days
2. Non-caller Claims
A. Number Received 885 673 63,229 60,415
B. Outstanding 329 629 25,113 24,781
C. B as a percentage of all non-caller claims outstanding 28 per cent. 49 per cent. 28 per cent. 30 per cent.
3. Single Payments Claims No information is available on number received.
A. Decisions Made 396 265 26,621 23,468
B. Cases Outstanding (may involve more than one decision) 323 116 5,231 5,889
C. Average Clearance time No information is available

Mr. Portillo

During the last 12 months we have received approximately 500 letters about the new maternity benefit arrangements. Some of these letters have referred to the discontinuation of supplementary benefit single payments for maternity expenses and their replacement by flat rate payments of £80 from the social fund.

Ms. Abbott

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give the average waiting time for a decision on supplementary benefit claims for (1) his Department's Hackney office, (2) his Department's Stoke newington office, (3) London north region and (4) London south region;

(2) if he will list in the Official Report the number of non-caller claims for supplementary benefit received in the last four week period for which records are available, the percentage of non-caller claims awaiting a decision at the end of that four-week period; and if he will supply this information in respect of (1) his Department, Hackney office, (2) his Department, Stoke Newington office, (3) London north region as a whole and (4) London south region as a whole;

(3) if he will list in the Official Report the number of supplementary payment claims received by his Department in the last four week period, the total number of single payment claims which are awaiting a decision and the average waiting time between receipt of claims and a decision; and if he will supply this information in respect of (1) his Department, Hackney office, (2) his Department, Stoke Newington office, (3) London north region. and (4) London south region.

Mr. Portillo

The table sets out the information requested, where it is available, for the four-week period up to 22 September 1987.

Where the information is not available in the precise form requested the most relevant figures available have been quoted.