HC Deb 14 February 1985 vol 73 c276W
Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services for those offices covering the Workington travel-to-work area, what was the total number of supplementary benefit appeals registered during the last month for which statistics are available.

Mr. Whitney

During the four weeks ending 15 January 1985 20 supplementary benefit appeals were registered by the two local offices (Workington and Carlisle), whose boundaries include the Workington travel-to-work area.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services for those offices covering the Workington travel-to-work area, what was the total number of unemployed people claiming supplementary benefit during the last month for which statistics are available and the figures for the comparable month in 1983.

Mr. Whitney

The numbers of unemployed people receiving supplementary benefit from the two local offices whose boundaries include the Workington travel-to-work area in December 1984 and December 1983 are as follows:

December 1984 December 1983
Workington 2,530 2,675
Carlisle 3,315 3,161

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services for those offices covering the Workington travel-to-work area, what was the total number of supplementary benefit claimants for the last month for which statistics are available and the figures for the comparable month in 1983.

Mr. Whitney

The numbers of people receiving supplementary benefit from the two offices whose boundaries include the Workington travel-to-work area in December 1984 and December 1983 are as follows:

December 1984 December 1983
Workington 6,398 6,258
Carlisle 8,293 8,122

Mr. Anderson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will amend the relevant statutory provisions to allow young people to continue to receive supplementary benefit whilst participating in international youth exchanges.

Mr. Newton

Under regulation 3 of the Supplementary Benefit (Conditions of Entitlement) Regulations a person who is required to be available for employment as a condition for receipt of benefit cannot receive supplementary benefit for any period spent abroad. This is because unemployed people are expected to make themselves readily available to take any suitable job, or attend promptly any interview about employment and people abroad cannot properly satisfy this condition. We have no plans to change the regulations.