§ Mr. Tony Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he monitors the speed of response by Department of Health and Social Security offices to supplementary and other benefit claimants.
§ Mr. LyellYes. The average time taken in local offices to take decisions on claims for benefit is monitored.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the latest available figures for the number of households in receipt of child benefit in the Greenock and Port Glasgow constituency.
§ Mr. LyellChild benefit is administered centrally and there is no information specific to Greenock and Port Glasgow.
§ Mr. Beaumont-Darkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has about the incidence of people who are actually living in multiple occupation registering as single tenants for the purpose of claiming a higher level of benefit than they are entitled to; and what steps his Department is taking to eradicate this abuse.
§ Mr. LyellSupplementary benefit claimants are normally eligible for the householder rate of benefit where they are responsible for housing costs. Housing benefit is payable in respect of accommodation which a person occupies as his home. It is for the relevant local authority to decide whether this condition is met in a particular case. Allegations in recent press articles about this type of abuse are being investigated.