HC Deb 24 November 1987 vol 123 cc182-3W
Mr. Crowther

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what increase has occurred in the number of people aged 75 years and over in the population of England in the five years up to the last date for which figures are available; and what increase has taken place in the number of places in local authority homes for the elderly in the same period.

Mrs. Currie

As at mid-1986, the latest date for which information is available, the estimated number of people aged 75 and over in England was 3.1 million; the figure for mid-1981 was 2.8 million. Asat31 March 1985, theearlies;t date for which information is available, there were 102,500 places in local authority homes for the elderly; the figure for 31 March 1986 was 101,500.

Further information on residential accommodation for the elderly and younger disabled is contained in the Departments publications "Residential Accommodation for Elderly and for Younger Physically Handicapped People — RA/86/2" and "Residential Accommodation for the Elderly and for Younger Physically Handicapped People Local Authority Supported Residents — RA/ 86/1" copies of which are in the Library.

25 October 1983 23 October 1984 22 October 1985 21 October 1986 20 October 1987
Leeds, North West
Sickness/Invalidity Benefit 170 187 130 101 161
Severe Disablement Allowance — — — 47 65
Maternity Benefit/Allowance 51 94 64 45 31
Retirement Pension 141 673 468 262 228
Supplementary Benefit Claims 651 743 968 514 695
Leeds West
Sickness/lnvalidity Benefit 90 84 92 82 64
Severe Disablement Allowance — — — 25 45
Maternity Benefit/Allowance 31 40 41 37 15
Retirement Pension 91 205 147 165 127
Supplementary Benefit 198 174 308 241 263

Figures prior to 1983 are no longer available SDA was introduced from 29 Novermber 1984 but no figures were kept before June 1986 for the number of severe disablement allowance claims outstanding.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Services how many appeals against decisions relating to single payments for people on supplementary benefit are currently being dealt with by the Leeds, West offices of his Department; and how many were made in each year since 1979.

Mr. Portillo

On 20 November 1987 Leeds, West ILO had 14 appeals against decisions on supplementary benefit single payments where the appeal had been forwarded to the local social security appeal tribunal but a submission by the adjudication officer on the appeal had not yet been made. An adjudication officer's submission had been forwarded to the local social security appeal tribunal in respect of a further 191 single payment appeals and these appeals are either awaiting a hearing or notification of the tribunal decision.

I regret that equivalent figures for each year since 1979 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many single payments for people on supplementary benefit have been made by the Leeds, West offices of his Department in each year since 1979 to the latest available date.

Mr. Portillo

Two of the Department's local offices serve the Leeds, West area, Leeds North-West and Leeds, West. Information is given for the period from May 1983 to April 1987 in the table. Information for the period 1979 to April 1983 is not available.