§ Mr. Jack Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether, pursuant to the reply of 5 March, Official Report, c. 277–8, he will give further information about the method of calculation of the number of staff required to work in social security local offices, including the nature of the statistics which are analysed and the factors which are taken into account;
(2) pursuant to the reply of 5 March, Official Report, c. 277–8, when staff levels in social security local offices in the West Midlands and Stoke-on-Trent were last reviewed what was the result of the review; when the staffing levels were last raised; and what is the nature of the appropriate action which local office managers are taking when their offices come under particular pressure from time to time.
§ Mr. NewtonThe DHSS complementing system was considered by the Public Accounts Committee in a report published on 10 March. We propose, however, to prepare a short guide to the system and I shall send one to the right hon. Member and to other interested Members as soon as possible.