§ Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current work load of contributory and non-contributory benefit claims and payments at his Department's Burnley offices; and how this compares with one year ago.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe number of incapacity benefit, retirement pension, widow's benefit and child benefit356W claims handled and the total number of payments made (excluding supplementary benefit payments) by the Burnley local office in October 1983 and October 1984 were as follows:
October 1983 October 1984 Claims 1,876 1,319 Payments 9,787 16,049 The basis of these counts has changed since 1983 and the figures are not, therefore, directly comparable.