HC Deb 11 February 2000 vol 344 cc324-5W
Mr. Alasdair Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many parents in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland who are in receipt of lone parent premium receive payment of child benefit by way of order book; and of those how many are in receipt of income support; [109112]

(2) how many people in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland receive payment of child benefit by way of order book; and of those how many are in receipt of (i) job seeker's allowance, (ii) invalidity benefit and (iii) income support. [109113]

Angela Eagle

The administration of child benefit is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alasdair Morgan, dated 10 February 2000: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about how many parents in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland who are in receipt of lone parent premium receive payment of child benefit by way of order book; and of those how many are in receipt of income support, and how many people in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland receive payment of child benefit by way of order book; and of those how many are in receipt of (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) invalidity benefit and (c) income support. Due to the differing formats for storing data it is not possible to supply all the information as requested. I am able to advise that the number of people in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) who are in receipt of Child Benefit (Lone Parent) by way of order book totals 747,000 of which 81,000 live in Scotland. The number of people receiving Child Benefit (Lone Parent) who also receive Income Support is unknown. However, the number of people in receipt of Income Support as lone parents and are also in receipt of Child Benefit total 926,000 in Great Britain of which 87,000 live in Scotland. The number of people in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) who receive payment of Child Benefit by way of order book totals 4,489,000, of which 410,000 live in Scotland. Details of the number of those who are also in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Invalidity Benefit or Income Support are not available. Information on Incapacity Benefit assessments which include an increase for a child is not available by receipt of Child Benefit. However, the total number of Income Support recipients with Child Benefit in Great Britain, totals 1,217,000, of which 117,000 live in Scotland. The total number of Jobseeker's Allowance recipients with Child Benefit in Great Britain totals 138,000, of which 10,000 live in Scotland. I hope this is helpful.