HC Deb 16 October 2001 vol 372 c1209W
Mr. Webb

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of non-take-up of Income Support among the over-60s, for(a)those under 75 and (b)those over 75. [8049]

Mr. McCartney

The latest available figures on the number of people entitled to the Minimum Income Guarantee are included in the publication "Take-Up of Income Related Benefits: Statistics for 1999–2000", copies of which are available in the Library.

Annabelle Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the uptake was in(a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98, (iii) 1998–99, (iv) 1999–2000 and (v) 2001–01 of (A) Child Benefit, (B) Housing Benefit, (C) Council Tax Benefit, (D) Family Credit and (E) the Working Families Tax Credit expressed as a percentage of those eligible; and if he will make a statement. [6734]

Malcolm Wicks

The available information is published in the annual statistics on "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up", copies of which are in the Library. These estimates are for Great Britain.

It is not possible to produce reliable estimates for different parts of Great Britain. Information on benefit take-up is derived from the Family Resources Survey (FRS).

No statistics are published for Child Benefit; however it is believed that on average 98 per cent. of families take up their entitlement to Child Benefit.

Annabelle Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what representations he has received regarding the impact of the proposed incapacity benefits reforms on the Scottish Executive's anti-poverty initiative; [7068]

(2) what representations he has received from the Scottish Executive about increasing levels of benefit take-up. [7069]

Malcolm Wicks

We are in regular contact with the Scottish Executive on a wide range of issues. Both the Government and the Scottish Executive are committed to reducing poverty and we work in close partnership in this area. Changes to social security legislation are, of course, a reserved matter for the UK Parliament.