§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number and percentage of claimants to whom voluntary unemployed deductions were made each year since 1945; and if he will give the average amount deducted for each of these years.
§ Mr. DeanIf the hon. Member is referring to the discretionary deductions previously made by the National Assistance Board and the Supplementary Benefits Commission in circumstances where a claimant for benefit is, or would be, disqualified for unemployment benefit and the deductions now made under paragraph 10A of Schedule 2 to the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966, following is the readily available information:
DEDUCTIONS IN CASES OF DISQUALIFICATION OR SUSPENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT Year Number Average amount of deduction £ 1952 3,960 Not known 1953 3,560 0.58 1954 2,680 0.56 1955 2,320 0.48 1956 3,000 0.63 1957 3,640 0.71 1958 6,880 0.70 1959 6,200 101 1960 5,240 0.94 1961 7,200 0.90 1962 9.800 1.10 1963 7,080 0.87 1964 4,880 1.15 1965 4,730 1.31 1966 No information available 1967 13,580 0.62 1968 14,591 0.63 1969 13,423 0.62 1970 14,583 0.63 1971 18,679 1.36 1972 18,601 2.15 No information is available before 1952.
If the hon. Member will let me know how he wishes the information to be
546Wexpressed in percentage terms, I will write to him as soon as possible.