§ Mr. Parkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many, and what percentage of those unemployed in the Coventry travel-to-work area, are claiming supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. WhitneyAt November 1983 (the latest figures available) there were 21,400 unemployed claimants in the area covered by Coventry unemployment benefit offices, including the office in Leamington, in receipt of supplementary benefit. This was 67 per cent. of the total number of unemployment benefit claimants in the area.
§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a list showing, by social security regions, for each year since 1981 (a) the number of recipients of supplementary benefit and (b) the number of recipients of supplementary benefit on long-term scale rates.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe total number of recipients of supplementary benefit in each social security region in February of each year since 1981 was as follows:
1981 Northern 230,861 Yorkshire and Humberside 333,760 East Midlands and East Anglia 300,149 West Midlands 344,954 London North 322,660 London South 346,084 London West 267,129 Wales 200,690 South West 241,690 North West Manchester 246,297 Merseyside 253,292 Scotland 339,404
1982 Northern 275,368 Yorkshire and Humberside 399,527 East Midlands and East Anglia 355,284 West Midlands 434,949 London North 383,104 London South 404,732 London West 317,956 Wales 237,064 South West 282,375 North West Manchester 294,233 Merseyside 299,764 Scotland 405,178 209W
1983 North Eastern 732,576 Midlands 764,240 London North 727,051 London South 640,424 Wales and South West 573,951 North West Manchester 330,896 Merseyside 360,662 Scotland 454,828
1984 North Eastern 751,129 Midlands 798,673 London North 749,125 London South 660,117 Wales and South West 589,385 North Western 713,738 Scotland 480,685
1985 North Eastern 792,865 Midlands 835,656 London North 796,680 London South 701,642 Wales and South West 628,491 North Western 747,081 Scotland 506,680 Social security regions were reduced from a total of 12 in 1981 to eight in 1983 and to seven in 1984.
Figures for the number of recipients of supplementary benefit on long-term scale rates by social security regions could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.