§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give details of the current budget for publicising and promoting family credit and provide information in a comparable form for the previous budget for publicising family income supplement; and what plans he has to raise awareness of family credit.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe advertising budget for family credit is over £3 million in the current financial year. Family income supplement was last advertised in 1983–84 when some £½ million was spent. Both figures exclude expenditure on leaflets and posters where direct comparisons are not possible. For details of current and future publicity I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 4 November at column810.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will indicate the current level of average delay between receipt of a claim for family credit and the determination of a claim; and how many claims are awaiting determination at present.
§ Mr. Peter LloydFor clearance time, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 6 December. At the end of November there were 46,773 family credit claims outstanding. Of these, about 32,000 were awaiting replies to inquiries, mainly to employers or the claimant.