§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of claimants of unemployment and supplementary benefits and pensions in the west midlands region in each year since 1979–80.
§ Mr. Whitney[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1985, c. 736]: Figures showing the number of claimants receiving unemployment and supplementary benefits and pensions in the west midlands region as at May each year from 1980 are as follows: 219W
220W
May 1980 May 1981* May 1982 May 1983 May 1984 Unemployment benefit only 47,200 114,200 85,200 78,200 ‡ Supplementary pensions 159,727 161,647 168,302 ≑158,900 164,075 Supplementary benefits to the unemployed† 64,988 126,579 190,145 223,384 216,911 Supplementary benefits to persons under pension age but not unemployed 65,418 70,495 87,783 104,530 128,783 * Unemployment benefit figures are for February 1981. Figures for May 1981 are not available. † These figures include those persons receiving unemployment benefit supplemented by supplementary allowance and those receiving supplementary benefit only through the unemployment benefit offices. ‡ Figures not yet available. ≑ First year of introduction of housing benefit.