§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the total amounts paid out in each of the last three financial years in single payments by the following offices of his Department: Bloomsbury (Tavistock Square), Hoxton (Drysdale Street), and Finsbury Park (Archway Tower).
§ Mr. PortilloThe information asked for is given in the table.
1984–85 1985–86 11986.87 £ £ £ Bloomsbury 246,922 494,075 925,256 Hoxton 468,993 784,999 842,033 Finsbury Park 665,833 924,165 998,387 1 The information for 1986–87 is provisional and subject to amendment.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of claimants whose housing benefit is delayed within his Department's local offices.
702W
§ Mr. PortilloThe Department's local offices do not administer housing beneit, but certify to local authorities that a housing benefit claimant is in receipt of supplementary benefit.
No record is kept of the time taken to send certificates to the local authorities.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute an inquiry into the series of decisions made by his Department's local offices in the Bristol area which led to Ms. Rachel Caine's housing benefit being suspended; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloThe handling of Rachel Caine's claim for benefit is currently being investigated. I will write to the hon. Member when all the facts of the case are known.