HC Deb 21 November 1984 vol 68 cc196-7W
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when his Policy Inspectorate's report on single payments for furniture will be published;

(2) when his Policy Inspectorate's report on single payments for furniture was made available to the Social Security Advisory Committee;

(3) when his Policy Inspectorate's report on single payments for furniture was completed.

Mr. Whitney

I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 30 October, at column965. The report has not yet been given to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what change is to be made after the uprating on 26 November in the amount that is deemed to be paid by a trade union to its members on strike in the course of a dispute, which is then deducted from any supplementary benefit paid to such families.

Mr. Newton

[pursuant to the reply, 12 November 1984, c. 141]: As in previous years the specified sum deducted from benefit in a trade dispute will increase from the uprating date in accordance with the formula set out in section 6(2) of the Social Security (No. 2) Act 1980. The figure produced by that formula this year is £16, and my right hon. Friend has accordingly today made an order stating that sum, as he is required to do by the same section. The deduction does not depend on the payment of strike pay. The increase from £15 to £16 will, of course, take place at the same time as supplementary benefit rates

1979–1984 Growth
Non-Metropolitan County District (ranked by percentage growth) Electorate 1979 Register 1984 Register Increase in Electorate Percentage Increase
Milton Keynes 75,229 98,496 23,267 30.9
Redditch 42,756 51,193 8,437 19.7
Bracknell 53,822 63,241 9,419 17.5
Wokingham 78,061 91,052 12,991 16.6
Crawley 54,924 63,917 8,993 16.4
Tamworth 40,561 47,179 6,618 16.3
Eastleigh 65,269 74,481 9,212 14.1
Peterborough 88,648 101,065 12,417 14.0
Wimborne 51,923 58,751 6,828 13.2
Thamesdown 103,842 117,232 13,390 12.9
Cherwell 69,723 78,461 8,738 12.5
Basingstoke & Deane 88,897 99,964 11,067 12.4
East Hampshire 63,104 70,942 7,838 12.4
Huntingdon 80,131 89,911 9,780 12.2
Basildon 105,217 117,819 12,602 12.0
Northampton 109,748 122,833 13,085 11.9
Hart 50,675 56,652 5,977 11.8
Aylesbury Vale 89,163 99,375 10,212 11.5
South Staffordshire 68,219 75,823 7,604 11.1
The Wrekin 83,532 92,819 9,287 11.1
Chelmsford 98,607 109,549 10,942 11.1
Fare ham 62,441 69,328 6,887 11.0
Caradon 48,967 54,173 5,206 10.6
Uttlesford 43,096 47,655 4,559 10.6
Warrington 118,915 131,465 12,550 10.6
South Cambridgeshire 75,269 83,128 7,859 10.4
New Forest 108,466 119,673 11,207 10.3
Selby 57,393 63,305 5,912 10.3
Woodspring 117,893 130,037 12,144 10.3
Horsham 72,285 79,717 7,433 10.3