§ Mr. Alex Carlileasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applicants have been refused supplementary benefit on the grounds of ownership of 10 acres of land or less; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. BoysonThe information requested is not available. I shall, however, shortly be writing to the hon. Member following his recent letter about the matter.
§ Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is his policy to continue repayments of mortgage interest, rent or any other payment in respect of a recipient of supplementary benefit who was previously receiving such payments but who has subsequently been received into prison; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. BoysonA prisoner is not entitled to supplementary benefit. A payment to cover arrears of housing costs such as mortgage interest can be given on discharge to a person who has been in prison for less than one year. This applies only where the person is chronically sick, disabled or over pension age or where the family is being reunited in the home. In addition there must be no other person who could reasonably be expected to pay the housing costs, and a single payment of supplementary benefit must be the only way of retaining the accommodation.
There is now no provision in the supplementary benefit scheme for rent and rates; instead assistance is given through housing benefits. A person who is detained in prison for less than a year may be entitled to housing benefit for that period.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total number of supplementary benefit claimants in the Stoke-on-Trent offices for the last month for which statistics are available and for the comparable month in the previous year;
(2) what was the total number of unemployed people claiming supplementary benefit in the Stoke-on-Trent offices during the last month for which statistics are available; and what were the figures for the comparable month in the previous year.
§ Dr. BoysonThe total numbers of cases in action at the Stoke-on-Trent local offices for December 1983, the latest available period, and the figures for the comparable month in the previous year were as follows:
103W
Thousands December 1982 December 1983 Local Office Stoke-on-Trent North Unemployed claimants 7.0 7.0 All claimants 18.1 18.4
December 1982 December 1983 Stoke-on-Trent South Unemployed claimants 4.3 4.1 All claimants 10.5 10.4 Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of supplementary benefit appeals registered through the Stoke-on-Trent offices during each of the last 12 months for which statistics are available.
§ Dr. BoysonThe numbers of appeals registered through the Stoke-on-Trent local offices during the last 12 months were as follows:
Local office Period ending Stoke North Stoke South 18 January 1983 25 17 15 February 1983 62 33 15 March 1983 50 38 12 April 1983 31 24 10 May 1983 37 31 7 June 1983 37 26 5 July 1983 45 20 2 August 1983 47 29 30 August 1983 45 26 27 September 1983 52 24 25 October 1983 48 27 22 November 1983 61 26 20 December 1983 61 26 Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of supplementary benefit appeals through the Stoke-on-Trent offices that were upheld during each of the last 12 months for which statistics are available.
§ Mr. NewtonThe figures requested cannot be obtained, except at disproportionate cost.
§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will state, for those offices covering the South Shields constituency, the total number of supplementary benefit appeals registered during the last month for which statistics are available;
(2) if he will state, for those offices covering the South Shields constituency, the total number of unemployed people claiming supplementary benefit during the last month for which statistics are available and the figures for the comparable month in the previous year;
(3) if he will state, for those offices covering the South Shields constituency, the total number of supplementary benefit claimants for the last month for which statistics are available and the figures for the comparable month in the previous year.
§ Dr. BoysonNine supplementary benefit appeals were registered at the South Shields local office during January 1984. The number of cases in action at that office in December 1983, the latest available period, and the comparable month in 1982 were as follows:104W
(thousands) Supplementary benefit 1983 1982 Unemployed claimants 4.8 4.6 All claimants 12.2 11.9 Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.
§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why local offices of his Department are advising students that they will lose their supplementary benefit entitlement if they study at home in addition to their 14½ hours weekly college studies.
§ Dr. BoysonYoung people under the age of 19 who are studying for 15 hours a week or more, inclusive of private study, are normally within the scope of child benefit. Unemployed people who wish to do some studying while they seek work may, however, be entitled to supplementary benefit if they satisfy all the conditions of the 21 hour rule, including having completed a qualifying period of three months spent unemployed and in receipt of supplementary benefit.
A young person seeking advice on the scope for study during the qualifying period would accordingly be advised that if his total hours of study — whatever the combination of classroom attendance and private study —approached 15, a question would arise as to whether child benefit or supplementary benefit should be payable.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases investigated by specialist claims control an employer has been found to be employing persons in receipt of supplementary benefit and registered as out of work; and whether there have been any prosecutions of employers as a result.
§ Dr. BoysonThe information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Andrew Bowden asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the pensioners with incomes below the needs allowance who will lose money as a result of changes arising from the autumn statement are either (a) receiving supplementary benefit or (b) not claiming supplementary benefit to which they are entitled.
§ Dr. BoysonPensioners on supplementary benefit can only be affected by the proposed changes in the non-dependant deductions and they need not lose money because non-dependants will be expected to contribute rather more towards their housing costs. Information about housing benefit recipients who are not claiming supplementary benefit to which they are entitled cannot be provided until more recent family expenditure survey data become available.