§ 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 the number of visits made by local officers to supplementary benefit claimants and the number of such visits made other than in respect of a new claim.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe numbers of effective visits made to supplementary benefit claimants in each Region for each year since 1981 are set out in the tables. The number of regions was reduced from nine to seven in 1982.
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Region All effective visits Effective visits other than in respect of a claim 1981 North East 555,509 343,294 East Midlands and East Anglia 282,620 164,843 West Midlands 311,993 185,994 London North 267,418 157,274 London South 295,190 169,403 London West 214,211 116,102 Wales/S. West 502,793 309,931 North West 490,217 321,924 Scotland 405,200 271,427 1982 North East 632,273 434,823 Midlands 518,207 340,265 London North 452,953 275,447 London South 454,668 267,788 Wales/S. West 501,064 318,636 North West 530,540 373,262 Scotland 441,561 312,282 1983 North East 579,321 377,276 Midlands 479,901 276,289 London North 464,113 277,858 London South 421,368 236,896 Wales/S. West 474,845 293,813 North West 505,430 323,582 Scotland 456,996 317,925 1984 North East 491,626 319,804 Midlands 475,174 286,814 London North 438,716 257,266 London South 408,878 230,565 Wales/S. West 431,080 258,724 North West 446,719 290,344 Scotland 464,662 326,627 1985 (to 12 March) North East 117,884 77,896 Midlands 105,971 64,611
Region All effective visits Effective visits other than in respect of a claim London North 93,534 55,148 London South 89,769 52,102 Wales/S. West 95,933 57,743 North West 97,897 64,303 Scotland 110,353 79,524