HC Deb 10 February 1986 vol 91 cc372-4W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the number of claimants in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit, (b) supplementary benefit and (c) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit excluding lone parents, couples with children and pensioners for the latest available year in Scotland;

(2) what was the number of claimant couples with children in receipt of (a) family income supplement, (b) unemployment benefit (c) supplementary benefit and (d) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for the latest available year in Scotland;

(3) what was the number of lone parent claimants in receipt of (a) family income supplement, (b) unemployment benefit, (c) supplementary benefit and (d) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for the latest available year in Wales;

(4) what was the number of claimants in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit, (b) supplementary benefit and (c) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit excluding lone parents, couples with children and pensioners for the latest available year in Wales;

(5) what is the number of lone parent claimants in receipt of (a) family income supplement, (b) unemployment benefit, (c) supplementary benefit and (d) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for the latest available year in Scotland;

(6) what was the number of claimant couples with children in receipt of (a) family income supplement, (b) unemployment benefit, (c) supplementary benefit and (d) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for the latest available year in Wales;

(7) what was the number of claimants in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit (b) supplementary benefit and (c) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit, excluding lone parents, couples with children and pensioners for the latest available year;

(8) what was the number of claimant couples with children in receipt of (a) family income supplement, (b) unemployment benefit, (c) supplementary benefit and (d) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for the latest available year;

(9) what was the number of lone parent claimants in receipt of (a) family income supplement, (b) unemployment benefit, (c) supplementary benefit and (d) unemployment benefit and supplementary benefit for the latest available year.

Mr. Major

I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.

Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the number of claimants in receipt of (a) sickness benefit, (b) invalidity benefit pension, (c) industrial disablement benefit and (d) non-contributory invalidity pension and housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension or (e) severe disablement allowance for the latest available year in Wales;

(2) what was the number of claimants in receipt of (a) sickness benefit, (b) invalidity benefit pension, (c) industrial disablement benefit and (d) non-contributory invalidity pension and housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension or (e) severe disablement allowance for the latest available year in Scotland;

(3) what was the number of claimants in receipt of (a) sickness benefit, (b) invalidity benefit pension, (c) industrial disablement benefit and (d) non-contributory invalidity pension and housewives' non-conributory invalidity pension or (e) severe disablement allowance for the latest available year in England and Wales.

Mr. Major

The information for the latest years for which annual statistics are available is set out in the following table. The figures derive from a computer analysis of statistical returns. Those for severe disablement allowance indicate that the figure given in the reply by my hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and the Disabled to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Mr. Douglas) on 29 November 1985 at columns714–15, for October 1985, which was based on a clerical count, was under-estimated.

England and Wales Wales Scotland
Sickness benefit* 295,000 26,000 43,000
Invalidity benefit* 630,000 88,000 102,000
Industrial disablement benefit 170,000 20,000 16,000
Severe disablement allowance‡ 220,000 19,000 32,000

* As at 2 April 1983.

As at 30 September 1983.

‡ As at 30 March 1985.

Forward to