§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which personal data files on (a) the unemployment benefit computer system at Reading and (b) his Department's computer system at Newcastle have reference to or are indexes to manual files; and whether he will describe the broad categories or details that can be found on those manual files.
§ Mr. MajorThe unemployment benefit computer systems at Reading and Livingstone and the computer systems in Newcastle central office both have reference to supporting clerically held records containing, for example, evidence of entitlement to benefit. Where taxable benefits are concerned there may also be references to income tax records held by the Inland Revenue, some of which are clerical. The pensions, national insurance contributions and child benefit systems in Newcastle central office include references which could lead to other files held in DHSS central offices and local offices relating to entitlement to various social security benefits. Some
154Wcomparisons between individual programmes. They are derived from the Department's programme budget analyses which have been provided to the Social Services Committee each year since 1980 and have been published in minutes of evidence associated with the Committee's reports. The latest analysis at constant prices, together with notes of caution on the limits of its accuracy, are given in the Committee's Sixth Report (HC 339) which was published in June of this year.
personal data files in these systems may also include references to files held outside the Department, such as bank or building society accounts or occupational pensions schemes, but the details contained in those files are not available to the Department.