§ Ms. Primaroloasked 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. PortilloThe 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 Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many maternity grants were claimed and how many were awarded during the month of March.
§ Mr. PortilloInformation 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.