HC Deb 09 February 1988 vol 127 cc184-6W
87. Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make an official visit to the headquarters of the London ambulance service.

Mrs. Currie

We have no plans to do so. My noble Friend, who has particular responsibility for the London ambulance service, visited the headquarters in October 1987.

103. Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff have been employed by the London ambulance service for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Currie

The number of whole-time equivalent ambulance men and women in post in each year, as at March, was as follows:

Year (march) Whole-time equivalent
1979 2,017.0
1980 1,950.0
1981 2,148.0
1982 2,131.0
1983 2,063.0
1984 2,079.0
1985 2,099.0
1986 2,037.0
1987 2,248.5

Date (15 December 1987) Supplementary benefit Sickness benefit Maternity benefit Retirement pension
London North 7.1 13.4 17.7 24.7
London South 6.6 12.5 19.0 24.6
North Eastern 4.7 7.6 11.9 19.8
Midlands 57 8.8 12.4 20.7
Wales and South West 5.0 7.4 13.2 21.8
North Western 4.5 8.7 12.8 23.0
Scotland 3.9 7.2 10.6 20.9
National 5.4 9.2 14.4 22.0

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in tabular form the number of(a) claimants and (b) dependants claiming each of the mean-tested benefits for which his Department is responsible; and if he will provide comparable data for 1979.

Mr. Portillo

The readily available information for successful claimants is set out in the tables.

Income-related benefit recipients and their dependants Great Britain: 1986
Thousands
Date Benefit Number of recipients Number of dependants
February 1986 Supplementary Benefit 4,938 3,353
April 1986 Family Income Supplement 200 530
Autumn 1986 Standard Housing Benefit 3,730 n/a
1986 Recipients getting one or more income-related benefit 18,500 n/a
n/a Figures not available.
1 This figures reflects an adjustment for the overlap between the benefits (ie: people receiving two or more of the above benefits).

We welcome the continued increase in the number of ambulance personnel since March 1986.

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