§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he intends to reply to the letters sent to him on(a) 2 August by the hon. Member for Oldham, West regarding (i) households below average incomes and (ii) invalidity benefit claims in the north-west region, (b) 13 August regarding private residential and nursing home costs and (c) 16 October asking why he has not replied to these two earlier letters; and what are the reasons for the delay in replying;
(2) if he will now give an immediate reply to the letters of the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 2 August regarding details of the households below average incomes tables and invalidity benefit claims in the north-west region and nationally, of 13 August regarding income support levels for residential and nursing homes and 16 October asking him why he had not replied to these two earlier letters; what are the reasons for the delay in replying to these letters; and what percentage of the letters to him he does not answer within four months.
§ Mr. NewtonI wrote to the hon. Member on 7 December with the information he had requested on invalidity benefit figures, and also in response to a large number of queries concerning residential care and nursing homes, insofar as the relevant information was available. At the same time, I indicated that I would be writing to him separately about the other more complex information he had requested about changes in incomes. I expect to do so this week. I regret that it has not been possible to respond to all his requests as quickly as I would have wished.