HC Deb 01 December 1987 vol 123 cc560-1W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide an estimate of(a) the numbers of claimants benefiting from transitional protection in April 1988, (b) the numbers of claimants expected to lose that protection by April 1989 by benefit upratings, assuming benefit upratings in line with the Chancellor of the Exchequer's infiation estimates in the Autumn Statement and (c) the numbers of claimants expected to lose protection by April 1989 by the loss of entitlement to income support, assuming the unemployment projection given in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement.

Mr. Scott

Estimates of the figures requested are as follows:

  1. (a)1.4 million
  2. (b)0.6 million
  3. (c)0.3 million.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate the annual flow of claimants on to, and off, supplementary benefit for each year since 1983, for the United Kingdom, for each standard within the United Kingdom and for each benefit office in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Mr. Portillo

Information is not available in the form requested. Details are shown of the number of successful new and repeat supplementary benefit claims made and of the number of cases in action in Great Britain as a whole, for each social security region and for the three local social security offices in Newcastle, for the years requested. No information is available concerning the number of claimants who cease to receive supplementary benefit.

10 May 1983 9 May 1984 8 May 1985 7 May 1986 6 May 1987
North West Region 672,488 712,666 745,329 756,254 760,438
Scotland 443,901 479,633 505,200 521,940 549,085
Local Offices—
Newcastle East 15,290 15,493 16,398 17,470 16,582
Newcastle West 10,359 10,252 11,164 11,689 11,951
Newcastle St. James 14,174 15,965 17,050 17,560 18,237

Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.

The count of cases in action includes cases where benefit has ceased but other action is continuing. Data for 1986–87 and 1987–88 are provisional and subject to amendment.

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants at the latest available date had claimed benefit continuously(a) for five years but less than 10 years and (b) for 10 years or more.

Mr. Portillo

At February 1986, 1,561,000 claimants had been in receipt of supplementary benefit for five years or more. No information is available about how many of these claimants had been in receipt of benefit for 10 years or more.

Source: Annual statistical inquiry.

Mr. Millan

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions have been issued to local offices of his Department following the decision of the social security commissioner that ex gratia payments made by British Shipbuilders did not disqualify recipients from receiving unemployment benefit, Commissioner's file number CU/364/1985.

Mr. Portillo

The chief adjudication officer issued guidance to local offices in July 1987 in circular S25/87, a copy of which is in the Library.