§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in Northern Ireland are having deductions made from unemployment benefit by the benefit allocation branch of his Department.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 765], gave the following answer:
At 5 March 1979 approximately 235 people were having deductions made from unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in receipt of social security benefits are having deductions made by the benefit allocation branch of his Department for the payment of rent arrears, gas arrears and electricity arrears, respectively.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 765], gave the following answer:
533WAt 5 March 1979 approximately 2,485 people were having deductions made from social security benefits to pay rent arrears. At present no benefit is being allocated to pay gas or electricity arrears.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in receipt of invalidity benefit are having deductions made by the benefit allocations branch of his Department for the payment of arrears in respect of rent, gas and electricity, respectively.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 165], gave the following answer:
At 5 March 1979 approximately 282 people were having invalidity benefit allocated to pay rent arrears. At present no benefit is being allocated to pay gas or electricity arrears.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount collected by the benefit allocation branch of his Department from social security benefits in the last six months of 1978.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 165], gave the following answer:
The total amount collected from social security benefit during this period was £552,677.66.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in receipt of family income supplement are having deductions made by the benefit allocations branch of his Department in respect of gas arrears, rent arrears and electricity arrears, respectively.
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 165], gave the following answer:
None.
§ Mr. Fittasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the maximum amount at present being taken from a claimant's social security benefit by the benefit allocation branch of his Department for the payment of arrears of gas bills, electricity bills and rent, respectively.
534W
§ Mr. Carter,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 27 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 166], gave the following answer:
The maximum amount taken from a claimant's social security benefit by benefit allocation branch for the payment of rent arrears varies from £4.35 in the case of a one-parent family receiving short term benefits to £6.50 for a two-parent family on long term benefits. At present no benefit is being allocated to pay gas or electricity arrears.