§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the ratio of claimants to staff in local offices of his Department (a) nationally, (b) in each social security region and (c) in each standard economic planning region for each year from 1979 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. Major[pursuant to his reply, 19 December 1985, c. 322]Information is not available in the precise form requested. The following analysis refers to supplementary benefit claimants only.
No records were kept before 1983 on the number of staff employed on supplementary benefit duties.
From 1983 the ratio of staff to claimants in local offices is as follows:
1 August 1983 Ratio 1 August 1984 Ratio 1 August 1985 Ratio (a) Nationally 1:129 1:132 1:133 (b) Regions North Eastern 1:133 1:132 1:135 London North 1:129 1:134 1:136 London South 1:122 1:123 1:123 Wales and South Western 1:131 1;136 1:138 Midlands 1:145 1:145 1:147 North Western 1:135 1:144 1;147 Scotland 1:108 1:104 1:103 No records are kept for claimants or staff in standard economic planning regions.