§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals were claiming incapacity benefit in(a) each region and nation of the United Kingdom and (b) in each county, metropolitan or unitary authority in the Government Office-North East Region on 31 May (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998. [76124]
§ Mr. BayleyThe available information is set out in the tables.
Incapacity benefit recipients in the United Kingdom 31 May 1996 31 May 1997 31 May 1998 All cases 1,872,328 1,810,908 1,720,655 England 1,376,060 133,220 1,270,720 North East 140,600 133,000 124,080 North West 258,540 235,040 221,020 Merseyside 81,600 76,540 72,560 Yorkshire and Humber 162,020 167,380 157,640 East Midlands 111,780 109,660 107,980 West Midlands 155,740 151,060 144,880 South West 100,240 99,890 102,420 Eastern 111,820 110,220 105,220 London 98,680 98,060 100,840 South East 155,040 152,280 134,080 Scotland 234,220 225,240 211,000 Wales 175,440 165,760 154,920 Overseas 8,740 8,520 8,000 Northern Ireland 77,868 78,168 76,015 Notes:
1. Great Britain figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample of the computer and exclude a small number of cases held clerically.
2. Northern Ireland figures are taken from a 100 per cent. sample of the computer and exclude a small number of cases held clerically.
Incapacity benefit recipients in the North East region 31 May 1996 31 May 1997 31 May 1998 Gateshead 12,038 11,960 10,728 Newcastle upon Tyne 12,424 11,649 11,032 North Tyneside 9,175 8,606 7,991 South Tyneside 8,303 7,976 7,664 Sunderland 18,534 17,678 16,246 Chester-le-Street 2,903 2,760 2,698 Darlington 3,694 3,552 3,366 Derwentside 5,278 5,054 4,746 Durham 4,141 3,937 3,449 Easington 11,145 10,371 9,515 Sedgefield 6,131 5,622 5,355 Teesdale 771 731 710 Wear Valley 3,938 3,714 3,429 Alnwick 1,015 1,035 1,013 Berwick-upon-Tweed 873 731 689 Blyth Valley 3,918 3,714 3,448 Castle Morpeth 1,705 1,766 1,622 Tynedale 1,746 1,624 1,722 Wansbeck 3,918 3,613 3,327 Hartlepool UA 5,989 5,683 5,171 Middlesborough UA 7,085 6,312 6,044 Redcar and Cleveland UA 8,080 7,713 7,181 Stockton-on-Tees UA 7,796 7,469 6,935 Notes:
1. Figures are derived from available information about postcodes