§ 43. Mr. Fatchettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many full-time equivalent staff of his Department there were per claimant in the Leeds metropolitan district council area in May 1979 and at the latest available date.
§ Dr. BoysonThe number of staff allocated to the six offices serving the Leeds metropolitan council area (Leeds north, north-west, south and west ILOs; Leeds, south-East, AO and Leeds, central, NIO) was 825 on 1 May 1979 and 790 on 1 February 1984. The number of claimants was:
157W
15 May 1979 14 February 1984 Supplementary Benefit (cases in action) 46,858 68,107 Contributory Benefits (Claims received during previous 4 weeks) 13,859 4,284 The work involved in dealing with benefit claims is not a simple function of the number of claimants or claims, but takes account of the type and duration of claims and of efficiency in dealing with them. I draw the hon. Member's attention to the Department's guide to the complementing system, a copy of which is in the Library.