§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated percentage of manpower spent on administering exceptional needs payments in his Department's supplementary benefit local offices.
§ Dr. BoysonNo information is currently held that would enable us to make a reliable estimate of the percentage of manpower spent on administering exceptional needs payments — now called single payments. However, an exercise is due to begin in local offices in August 1984, during which the proportion of staff time spent on single payments work will be logged, enabling such an estimate to be made. The exercise is to span a full year and I anticipate that the results will be available late in 1985.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Harlesden as a result of the advertising campaign in March 1984; how many payments have resulted from these claims; and how many such 137W payments had been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonThree payments in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been made by the Department's Harlesden local office to former claimants following the advertising campaign in March. Neasden office made no payments. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded. One and 75 payments respectively resulted from the check of current files at Neasden and Harlesden offices. None were made following earlier publicity.
§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Stockport and Tameside as a result of the advertising campaign in March 1984; how many payments have resulted from these claims; and how many such payments had been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonOne payment in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment has been made by the Department's Stockport, South local office to a former claimant following the advertising campaign in March. No payments of this kind have been made by the Hyde, Ashton under Lyme, and Stockport, North offices. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded.
Nil, 12, 64, and 183 payments respectively resulted from the check of current files at Hyde, Stockport, South, Ashton under Lyme, and Stockport, North local offices. One payment was made, by Stockport, South local office, to a former claimant following earlier publicity.
§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Islington as a result of the advertising campaign in March 1984; how many payments have resulted from these claims; and how many such payments had been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonNo payments in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been made by the Department's Islington local offices to former claimants following the advertising campaign in March. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded.
Six, 82, and nil payments respectively resulted from the check of current files by Finsbury Park, Highgate, and Hoxton local offices. One payment was made by Hoxton local office to a former claimant following earlier publicity.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Walthamstow are receiving supplementary benefit; how many of these are pensioners, one-parent family heads and unemployed, respectively; and what are comparable figures for 1979.
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§ Dr. BoysonThe numbers of supplementary benefit claimants whose cases were handled by the Walthamstow local office in December 1979 and December 1983—the latest figures available—are as follows:
December 1979 thousands December 1983 (a) Total number of claimants 8.8 13.2 (b) One-parent family heads 1.0 1.3 (c) Pensioners 6.2 6.4 (d) Unemployed 0.9 4.2 Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by the Walthamstow office as a result of the recent advertising campaign; how many payments have resulted from such claims and how many such payments had been made before the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonOne payment in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment has been made by the Department's Walthamstow local office to a former claimant following the advertising campaign in March. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded. Seven payments resulted from the check of current files. None were made to former claimants following earlier publicity.
§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of families receiving supplementary benefit in Wales at the latest available date; and what proportion these are of the total number eligible.
§ Dr. BoysonI regret that the information cannot be given in the form requested as reliable estimates of take-up of benefit in Wales alone cannot be mde from the data available.
However, in August 1983 an estimated 256,000 persons in Wales were receiving supplementary benefit. In 1981, the latest date for which information is available, it is estimated that 71 per cent. of those entitled to supplementary benefit at any one time were claiming it.
§ Mr. Concannonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Mansfield as a result of the advertising campaign in March 1984; how many such payments have resulted from these claims; and how many such payments had been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonNo payments in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been made by the Department's Mansfield local office to former claimants following the advertising campaign in March or the earlier publicity. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded. Thirteen payments resulted from the check of current files.
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§ Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Burnley as a result of the advertising campaign in March 1984; how many payments have resulted from these claims; and how many such payments have been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonNo payments in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been made by the Department's Burnley local office to former claimants following the advertising campaign in March. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded. Forty-nine payments resulted from the check of current files. One payment was made to a former claimant following earlier publicity.
§ Dr. Brayasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Motherwell as a result of the advertising campaign in March; how many payments have resulted from these claims; and how many such payments had been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonNo payments in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been made by the Department's Motherwell local office to former claimants following the advertising campaign in March or the earlier publicity. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded. Thirty-four payments resulted from the check of current files.
§ Mr. Bennasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Chesterfield as a result of the advertising campaign in March; how many payments have resulted from these claims; and how many such payments had been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonNo payments in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been made by the Department's Chesterfield local office to former claimants following the advertising campaign in March or the earlier publicity. The number of unsuccessful inquiries made is not recorded. Two payments resulted from the check of current files.
§ Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for repayment of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefit on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been received by local offices of his Department in Deptford and Woolwich as a result of the advertising campaign in March 1984; how many payments have resulted from these claims; and how 140W many such payments had been made prior to the advertising campaign as a result of the check of current files and the publicity for dormant cases, respectively.
§ Dr. BoysonNo payments in respect of money wrongly deducted from supplementary benefits on grounds of voluntary unemployment have been made by the Department's Woolwich and Greenwich Park local offices to former claimants following the advertising campaign in March or the earlier publicity. The number of inquiries made is not recorded. Fifty-three and 41 payments respectively resulted from the check of current files at Woolwich and Greenwich Park offices.