§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the number of applications for(a) invalid care allowance, and (b) family credit received daily at the invalid care allowances unit, Palatine house, Lancaster road, Preston and the family credit unit, Government buildings, Warbreck house, Blackpool, respectively; what is the average length of time taken to process a correctly completed application form at each office; and what is the total number of applications for these benefits currently waiting to be processed.
§ Mr. ScottThe information requested is shown in the table.
Benefit/ Allowance Average daily intake1 Average clearance time1 Claims awaiting decisions2 Invalid care allowance 228 20.3 weeks 325,956 Family credit 2,500 5.1 weeks 474,500 1 At May 1988. 2 At 24 June 1988. 3 Includes some 5,025 cases awaiting decision on the disabled person's entitlement to attendance allowance. 4 Includes some 35,000 claims where initial action has commenced and replies to enquiries are awaited.