§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of first-time claimants of national insurance benefits in 1980.
Year ended (a) Unemployment Benefit (†) (b) Supplementary Benefit (c) All other Categories Total *1977 3540 (18.80 per cent.) 12957 (68.82 per cent.) 2330 (12.38 per cent.) 18827 *1978 4194 (19.16 per cent.) 15119(69.08 per cent.) 2572 (11.76 per cent.) 21885 *1979 3367 (16.83 per cent.) 14166 (70.83 per cent.) 2469 (12.34 per cent.) 20002 Notes:
*Some of these data relate to a February-February period, but the differences are marginal.
†Prosecutions authorised by Department of Employment, but excluding those authorised by the police and Post Office which were included in the figures given by my right hon. Friend, the Member for Daventry (Mr. Prentice), the former Minister for Social Security, in his reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) on 15 January.