HC Deb 23 November 1987 vol 123 cc77-8W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what statistical records are kept of the qualifying conditions of new claimants registering for unemployment benefit; and if these records distinguish between claimants who qualify on grounds of contributions only, and those who qualify on a mixture of contributions and credits.

Mr. Portillo

Statistics on unemployment benefit claims provided by the national unemployment benefit computer system include the number of claimants who satisfy the contribution conditions and qualify for unemployment benefit. These statistics do not, however, differentiate between those claimants who satisfy the contribution conditions by virtue of paid contributions only and those who rely on a record of paid and credited contributions.