HC Deb 24 November 1983 vol 49 cc281-2W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of people not required to be available for employment under the provisions of each paragraph of Regulation 6 of the Supplementary Benefit (Conditions of Entitlement) Regulations 1981 on the last date for which figures are available.

Dr. Boyson

Detailed records are not maintained to show all the reasons why persons are not regarded as available for employment. Persons receiving supplementary allowance and not required to be available are divided into broad groups as follows. These roughly equate with the paragraphs of Regulation 6 indicated.

Group Numbers at May 1983
One parent families (regulation 6(a)) 438,000
Required at home to care for aged or sick adult relatives (regulation 6(b)) 10,000
Incapable of work due to sickness or disability (regulation 6(c)) 206,000
Men over 60 entitled to long-term scale rate (regulation 6(p)) 60,000
Others 41,000

Source: Quarterly statistical enquiry.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of unemployed disabled people aged under 60 years (a) receiving the ordinary rate of supplementary benefit and (b) receiving the long-term rate of supplementary benefit.

Dr. Boyson

I regret that the information is not available.