HC Deb 08 July 1987 vol 119 c164W
Ms. Primarolo

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women claimed maternity grant in the last month of availability in Bristol; and what is the best estimate of the number of women who have had social fund payments for maternity in the first month of availability in Bristol.

Mr. Portillo

The numbers of claims for maternity grant received at the Department's local offices in Bristol between 6 March 1987 and 5 April 1987 are as follows:

Office Number
Bristol Central 70
Bristol East 180
Bristol Horfield 41
Bristol South 116
Bristol West 71

The numbers of Social Fund payments for maternity expenses made by Bristol local offices between 6 April 1987 and 5 May 1987 are as follows:

Office Number
Bristol Central 16
Bristol East 24
Bristol Horfield 14
Bristol South 15
Bristol West 10

Mr. Frank Cook

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many maternity grants were claimed and how many were awarded during the month of March.

Mr. Portillo

Information is not readily available in the precise form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Between 4 March 1987 and 31 March 1987, the Department's child benefit centre at Washington received, from local offices, 9,036 maternity grant claims.

During the same period 7,738 maternity grants were awarded but that figure will include some awards for claims received before 4 March 1987.