§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the total cost, including postage and stationery, of posting benefit cheques, as opposed to these cheques being collected by claimants.
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§ Mr. OrmeThe estimated cost of posting almost 100 million benefit cheques to recipients in 1975–76 was a little under £10 million. A significant proportion of the cheques were issued from locations other than the local office—for example, the Department's computer centre at Reading. It is estimated that if cheques had to be collected from local offices by beneficiaries, or their representatives, if necessary, the additional annual cost, including additional staff and accommodation requirements, but net of savings in postage, etc., would be at least £10 million.
Abortions performed in 1974 in: Home Region Another Region NHS Premises Elsewhere NHS Premises Elsewhere Women usually resident in: Birmingham Metropolitan District … 372 2,538 3 276 Leeds Metropolitan District … … 394 68 8 1,131 Manchester Metropolitan District … … 701 Nil 3 569 Coventry Metropolitan District … … 133 653 3 82 Liverpool Metropolitan District … … 411 687 1 232 I regret that the corresponding figures for 1975 will not beavailable for several months.