HC Deb 22 February 1990 vol 167 cc897-8W
Mr. Lester

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much of the April 1990 income support allowances for(a) single people and (b) married couples represents compensation for the 20 per cent. community charge contribution; and if he will consider increasing the community charge element within the allowances if the average community charge payable in 1990–91 is higher than anticipated.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 5 February at column524.

The level of income support is reviewed each year as part of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's obligations under section 63 of the Social Security Act 1986.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are in receipt of income support in(a) west Leeds, (b) Leeds, (c) west Yorkshire and (d) England as a whole; and what are the corresponding figures for those in receipt of supplementary benefit for each year since 1979.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The information requested is in the table:

Supplementary benefit/income support live load
Leeds West Leeds West Yorkshire England
1985–86 11,744 69,972 198,797 4,240,546
1986–87 11,939 71,146 200,432 4,308,787
1987–88 12,545 71,917 199,886 4,251,651
1988–89 11,054 63,634 177,182 3,651,273
11989–90 10,538 62,374 175,827 3,602,366
1 Data are provisional and subject to amendment.

Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action, which include a number where benefit payment has ceased but other action is continuing.

Note: Data for earlier years are unavailable.

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make it his policy, when considering claims for income support and family credit, that the same methods are used in respect of each benefit for calculating the number of hours worked by claimants;

(2) if he will set out in the Official Report the detailed methods used to calculate the numbers of hours worked by claimants when determining eligibility for (a) income support and (b) family credit;

(3) why different methods of calculation are used in determining the numbers of hours worked by claimants when considering claims for income support or family credit.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The method used to calculate the number of hours worked is the same in both income support and family credit. The rules are set out in regulation 5 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 and in regulation 4 of the Family Credit (General) Regulations 1987. The application of these rules in individual cases is a matter for the independent adjudicating authorities.