HC Deb 02 December 1993 vol 233 cc714-5W
Mr. Davidson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of people are living in a household dependent upon income support in(a) the Govan constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Strathclyde region, (d) Scotland and (e) the United Kingdom.

Mr. Burt

The information requested is not available for the Govan constituency, Glasgow, Strathclyde region or Northern Ireland.

The latest available information for Scotland and Great Britain is in the table.

Beneficiaries as a percentage of population
Per cent.
Scotland 17.1
Great Britain 17.0

Notes:

  1. 1. Source—Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, November 1992. Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.
  2. 2. Percentages are correct to one decimal place.
  3. 3. Beneficiaries are the number of claimants plus partners and dependents.
  4. 4. The population figures used are estimates of the resident population in mid-1992.

Mr. Davidson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of children under 15 years are living in families in receipt of income support in(a) the Govan constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Strathclyde region,(d) Scotland and (e) the United Kingdom.

Mr. Burt

The information requested is not available for the Govan constituency, Glasgow, Strathclyde region or Northern Ireland.

The latest available information for Scotland and Great Britain is in the table.

Children under 15 as a percentage of population
per cent.
Scotland 24.5
Great Britain 25.6

Notes:

  1. 1. Source—Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, November 1992. Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.
  2. 2. Percentages are correct to one decimal place.
  3. 3. Children under 15 are the number of children aged under 15 of Income Support recipients.
  4. 4. The population figures used are estimates of the number of children aged under 15 resident in Scotland and Great Britain in mid-1992.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes will be made in the income support claim form B1 in the light of the comments made by the Social Security Commissioner in decision No. CIS/663/ 1992.

Mr. Burt

The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 1 December 1993: As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what changes will be made in the Income Support claim form B1 in light of the comments made by the Social Security Commissioner in decision No. CIS/663/1992. The Benefits Agency is currently reviewing the wording on the Income Support claim form B1 and other Income Support claim forms in light of the Commissioner's decision No. CIS/663/ 1992. Income Support claim forms are currently reviewed every 6 months and where necessary revised versions are issued. Any change required as a result of the Commissioner's decision will be incorporated into the current review. The amended forms resulting from this review will be available for use by customers from April 1994.

000s Lone mothers Lone mothers Lone fathers Total
Single Separated Divorced Widowed
1971 90 170 120 120 500 70 570
1980 140 190 300 140 770 100 870
1990 395 235 415 75 1,120 110 1,230
1991 430 240 420 80 1,170 100 1,270

Note: 1971–1990 figures are taken from the General Household Survey. 1991 figures are provisional based on a combination of GHS and census data. The figures may not sum due to rounding.

Per cent. on IS/SB Per cent. on FC/F1S Number on IS/SB(000s) Number on FC/FIS (000s)
1971 43 3 246 15
1980 39 6 336 50
1990 66 10 812 122
1991 70 10 895 132
1992 N/A N/A 985 162

Note: All data refer to May in each year apart from FIS in 1971 which refers to August. N/A=not available.