Mr. J. Enoch Powellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pending legislation, he will authorise the extra-statutory concession, corresponding with Northern Ireland circular 522/86 and providing continuity of supplementary benefit at the long-term rate for beneficiaries who have removed from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
§ Mr. MajorMy right hon. Friend has already authorised extra-statutory payments. I refer the right hon. Member to circular S22/86, a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. McKelveyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun are now claiming supplementary benefit; if he will break these figures down into claimant groups such as pensioners, one-parent families and the unemployed; and how these figures compare with May 1979.
§ Mr. LyellInformation is not available in precisely the form requested. The constituency of Kilmarnock and Loudoun is covered by the Department's office at Kilmarnock but their boundaries are not coterminous.
532WThe number of people receiving supplementary benefit from that office on 13 August 1986, the latest available figures, and on 15 May 1979 were:
May 1979 August 1986 Unemployed 1,379 3,717 Over pension age 2,648 2,777 Others (including one parent families) 1,101 2,681 Total 5,128 9,175 Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.