HC Deb 18 May 1989 vol 153 cc270-1W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff are(a) on the establishment and (b) in post, together with relevant gradings, at the transitional housing benefit unit, Glasgow.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The staff in post on 15 May were as follows:

Number
Grade 6 1
Grade 7 1
SEO 1
HEO 12
EO 59
AO 169
AA 155
Personal secretary 1
Typist 4
Messenger 4
Total 407

A detailed complement for the transitional protection unit—TPU—has not been laid down, but a budget of 160 man-years has been agreed for 1989–90 and reductions in staff during the year will ensure that the allocation is not exceeded.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications have been(a) received, (b) processed and (c) outstanding for each month of transitional housing benefit.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The information requested is given in the table showing the cumulative position on the last working day of each month:

Month Applications received Applications processed Applications outstanding
July 1988 135,433 8,434 126,999
August 1988 267,009 69,498 197,511
September 1988 316,473 117,638 198,835
October 1988 359,866 235,753 124,113
November 1988 390,942 296,931 94,011
December 1988 400,584 333,254 67,330
January 1989 415,065 372,844 42,221
February 1989 436,681 397,669 39,012
March 1989 463,751 416,194 47,557
April 1989 472,243 433,002 39,241

NOTE: The majority of cases outstanding are where the TPU is awaiting the return of inquiry forms about housing benefit details from local authorities.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases transitional housing benefit was sent to the wrong local authority by the transitional housing benefit payments unit.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I regret that the information requested is not available.