§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women received any kind of maternity benefits since October 1986.
§ Mr. PortilloInformation is not available in the precise form requested, but, from 21 October 1986 to 22 September 1987, 334,875 claims to maternity allowance were received.
In the period from 1 October 1986 to 29 September 1987, 270,565 awards of maternity grant were made. Maternity grant is no longer payable in respect of births occurring on or after 6 April 1987.
89WInformation on the number of single payments for maternity needs from October 1986 to April 1987 is not available. Maternity payments from the social fund replaced single payments for maternity needs from 6 April 1987; 92,224 maternity payments from the social fund were made from 6 April 1987 to 22 September 1987.
Information on the number of recipients of statutory maternity pay since its introduction in April 1987 is not yet available. Statutory maternity pay replaced maternity pay, which was also paid by employers directly to their employees and was administered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment under the employment protection Acts.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women received any kind of maternity allowances or benefits for each year since 1975 to 1985.
§ Mr. PortilloInformation is not available in the precise form requested, but in the 12 months ending 31 March in each year the following awards were made:
Maternity grant Thousands 1975 637 1976 634 1977 582 1978 587 1979 622 1980 659 1981 1654 1982 2606 1983 653 1984 662 1985 667
Maternity allowance Thousands 1975 217 1976 253 1977 244 1978 277 1979 317 1980 351 1981 1365 1982 2330
90W
Rusholme 1 November 1987 1 May 1987 1 December 1986 Supplementary Benefit Allowances 46.0 46.0 45.0 Pensions 7.0 6.0 6.0 Single Payments 12.5 8.0 8.0 Visits 4.5 7.0 7.0 Appeals 5.0 3.0 2.5 Take-up campaigns—Social Security reforms implementation1 13.0 9.0 0.0 Direct Payments 5.0 10.0 11.0 Enquiries and Complaints 1.0 0.0 0.0 Fraud 8.0 8.0 7.0 Board and Lodging Control 3.0 3.0 3.0 Unemployment Review2 0.0 0.0 2.0 Transfer of casepapers—recall of order books 2.0 1.0 1.0 Liable Relatives 6.0 6.0 6.0 Contributory Benefits STB/LTB/Disablement Benefit 22.5 27.0 23.0 NI Contributions 11.0 12.5 13.5 Other Personnel Common Services 13.0 11.0 11.0
Thousands 1983 330 1984 316 1985 324 1 Figures shown are for the calendar year I January 1980 to 31 December 1980. Figures for quarter ended 31 March 1981 are not available. 2 Estimated figures.
Supplementary benefit single payments for maternity needs Thousands 1981 61 1982 101 1983 142 1984 188 1986 188 Note: Information on supplementary benefit single payments for maternity needs is taken from the Annual Statistical Enquiry (ASE) which was conducted in December of each year from 1981 to 1984 and relates to the number of payments made in the proceeding 12 months by those in receipt of supplementary benefit at the time of the inquiry. As a result, the record does not include all single payments made during the year. There was no inquiry in December 1985. The 1986 figures are taken from the ASE conducted in February that year and relate to payments made in the previous 12 months. Discrete information on supplementary benefit single payments for maternity needs prior to 1981 is not available.
In addition, between 1977 and 1985 employers were liable to pay qualifying employees maternity pay. This was administered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment under the employment protection Acts.