§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons have been subject to the four-week rule curtailing benefit entitlement each quarter since 1970.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe so-called four-week rule was suspended from 14 December 1973 and has not been reintroduced.
On 6 July 1973—[Vol. 859, c. 231–32]—the hon. Member was supplied with information about the number of persons who had been subject to limited awards of benefit for a period up to 15 May 1973. During the period from 16 May 1973 to 14 December 1973, 12,756 men received initial awards limited to four weeks, and a further 1,788 had the continuation of their benefit restricted to four weeks following review after receiving benefit for three months. It is not possible now to break these totals down into quarterly figures.