§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of current benefit claimants at each of his Department's benefit offices covering the Doncaster and Mexborough area; and what the figure was 12 months ago. [39483]
§ Mr. Roger EvansThe administration of social security benefits is a matter for Mr. Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 6 November 1995:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what is the number of current benefit claimants at each of his Department's benefit offices covering the Doncaster Mexborough area; and what was the comparable figure 12 months ago.The latest information for locally administered benefits (ie those benefits calculated and paid at the Benefit Agency's local offices) is provided in the enclosed Appendix A and includes the comparable figure for 12 months ago. You should note that more than one benefit can be payable to a customer at the same time.Information is usually collated at District level. On this occasion, however, I am able to give you details about incapacity benefits for Doncaster East, Doncaster West and Mexborough offices and details about Income Support for Doncaster East and Doncaster West. The Rother and Dearne District includes Mexborough, Goldthorpe, Rotherham South and Rotherham North offices. Information about Income Support is only available at District Level for Rother and Dearne.I hope you find this reply helpful.The latest available statistics for locally administered incapacity benefits are as follows:
Appendix A—incapacity benefits Doncaster West BO Doncaster East BO Mexborough BO September 1994 Invalidity Benefit 7,457 6,018 4,025 Sickness Benefit 1,909 1,354 308 Maternity Allowance 24 24 11 Severe Disablement Allowance 1,095 788 577 September 1995 Incapacity Benefit1 8,323 7,000 4,239 Maternity Allowance 41 27 11 Severe Disablement Allowance 1,231 839 597 1From 13 April 1995 Invalidity Benefit and Sickness Benefit were replaced by Incapacity Benefit.
Income Support August 1994 August 1995 Doncaster East BO 13,039 13,054 Doncaster West BO 17,397 17,664 Rother & Dearne District Office 38,431 38,686 Note:
More than one benefit can be payable to a customer at the same time.