HC Deb 12 November 1987 vol 122 cc296-7W
Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of families with children claiming supplementary benefit were in receipt of one or more additional requirements at the latest date available.

Mr. Scott

At February 1986, the latest date for which information is available, 75.5 per cent. of supplementary benefit claimants with dependent children under 19 had one or more additional requirements.

Source: Annual statistical inquiry.

Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the current average waiting time for a decision on supplementary benefit claims in his Department's Dundee, East and Dundee, West offices; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

Mr. Portillo

The average number of days taken to process claims to supplementary benefit are shown in the table.

Dundee, West Dundee, East
26 October 1982 4 4
25 October 1983 1 6
23 October 1984 2 4
22 October 1985 3 3
21 October 1986 3 2
20 October 1987 3 3

Figures prior to 1982 are no longer available.