§ Mr. NellistTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East on 1 December,Official Report, col. 389, concerning unemployment benefit, what information is available and over what range he will answer questions; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydInformation relating to age, sex, benefit status and duration of unemployment is collected in respect of a 5 per cent. sample of claimants for unemployment benefit on a particular day at six-monthly intervals. It is not collected in respect of all claimants making claims at a particular unemployment benefit office (UBO).
The only information collected on the basis of individual UBOs is the number of claims made each month. Information is not collected on how many of those claims satisfy the necessary conditions of entitlement yet result in disqualification for benefit.
To collect the kind of detailed information requested by the hon. Member would entail mounting a special exercise. This would be disproportionately costly.