Ms. Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of people benefiting from the 15 and 21-hour rules.
§ Dr. BoysonNeither this Department nor the Department of Education and Science keeps records which would indicate the total number of unemployed people engaged in part-time study while receiving supplementary benefit under these provisions. The research study carried out by Youthaid for the Department of Education and Science in 1981–82 identified some 5,000 people in receipt of supplementary benefit while studying under the 21 hour rule, although this was not thought to represent the full total.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will place in the Library the conclusions of the recent pilot study of postal claim forms for supplementary benefit.
§ Dr. BoysonWe have no plans to make internal management reports available outside the Department.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many people in Leyton and Leytonstone are currently receiving supplementary benefit; how many of these are pensioners, one-parent family heads and unemployed, respectively; and what are the comparable figures for 1979;
(2) what are the total figures for the number of people receiving supplementary benefit in the area of the London borough of Waltham Forest in 1979, 1983 and at the latest available date, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonThe London borough of Waltham Forest is served by four local offices, that is, Walthamstow, Leytonstone, Edmonton and Woodgrange park. The first28W two also serve Leyton and Leytonstone. Figures showing the number of people receiving supplementary benefit from these four offices in 1979, 1983 and 1984 are set out in the table.
Local office May 1984 thousands May 1983 thousands May 1979 thousands Wallhamstow Total number claiming supplementary benefits 12.9 12.8 8.9 Unemployed claiming supplementary benefits 4.0 4.1 1.1 One-parent family heads 1.3 1.2 0.9 Pensioners 6.3 6.5 6.1 Leytonstone Total number claiming supplementary benefits 9.2 8.3 5.9 Unemployed claiming supplementary benefits 4.0 3.4 1.0 One-parent family heads 1.3 1.0 0.7 Pensioners 3.3 3.1 3.6 Edmonton Total number claiming supplementary benefits 16.9 15.8 11.6 Woodgrange Park Total number claiming supplementary benefits 13.5 13.0 8.2 Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.
§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether in making regulation 19(2)(b) of the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1984, he intended to alter a supplementary benefit claimant's right to have a decision of a tribunal set aside if the claimant is unclear as to how the tribunal reached its decision.
§ Mr. NewtonRegulation 19(2)(b) of the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1984 consolidates Rule 7(2)(b) of the Supplementary Benefit and Family Income Supplements (Appeals) Rules 1980 and Regulation 12(2)(b) of the Social Security (Determination of Claims and Questions) Regulations 1975. Regulations 9, 10 and 11 of the Adjudication Regulations set out the procedure governing the correction and setting aside of decisions.
No change in either the law or tribunal practice is intended. If a claimant is unclear as to how the tribunal reached its decision, he may apply for leave to appeal to the commissioner.
§ Mr. Lesterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed claimants under 60 years of age have received supplementary benefit for at least one year; and how many (a) had children and (b) were in each age band under 20 years, 20 to 25 years, 25 to 30 years, 30 to 40 years and over 50 years.
§ Dr. BoysonAt December 1982, the latest date for which information is available, some 610,000 unemployed claimants under 60 had been in receipt of supplementary benefit for at least one year, of whom about 213,000 had dependent children. The number of claimants according to age is as follows:
29W
Number Under 20 71,000 20–24 106,000 25–29 87,000
Number 30–39 134,000 40–49 99,000 50–59 113,000