§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit appeals have been heard in Scotland on the subject of furniture grants since 1980; and what was the outcome in each case.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information available is as follows:
Appeals relating to claims for single payments for household expenses* Year Number of appeals heard Number of successful appeals 1980† 2,966 941 1981 1,485 408 1982 1,152 253 1983 1,726 428 * The description "household expenses" includes items such as carpets, curtains and crockery. † Statistics for 1980 relate only to the total number of appeals about exceptional needs payments (now known as single payments.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update to the latest date for which figures are available his answer on 30 June 1983, Official Report, column 141, information on the total number of 385W single payments made; and if he will produce a table showing a breakdown of these figures by items covered and by type of claimant.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information given by my hon. Friend, the Member for Brent, North (Dr. Boyson) in his reply to the hon. Member for Barking (Ms. Richardson) on 30 June 1983 at column141–42 was obtained from the "Annual Statistical Enquiries" for 1981 and 1982. Comparable figures from the 1983 enquiry are not yet available. However, the final figures for 1982, including a breakdown of payments made by items covered and by type of claimant, are given in tables 19.2 and 19.3 of the "Annual Statistical Enquiry 1982", a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many single payments were made for clothes in the latest year for which figures are now available; and what was the average payment.
§ Mr. NewtonAccording to the "Annual Statistical Enquiry" conducted in December 1982, about 75,000 single payments of supplementary benefit were made for clothing and footwear in 1982 — the latest year for which figures are available. The average payment was about £39. Because the figures relate to single payments made during the 12 months preceding the date of the enquiry to people still in receipt of supplementary benefit at the time if the enquiry, they are an under estimate of the total number of single payments made during the year.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the annual savings in public spending in (a) benefit year 1983–84 and (b) benefit year 1984–85 if all claimants of supplementary benefit were on the short-term rate.
§ Mr. NewtonThe estimates requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.