§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications for single payments and supplementary benefit claims had been made before 11 April; and how many are outstanding at his Department's offices serving the London borough of Lambeth.
§ Mr. ScottThe London borough of Lambeth is served by 10 local social security offices. The boundaries of these offices are not conterminous with those of the borough. Local offices do not record single payments claims outstanding. Instead, a record is kept of the number of cases awaiting action. Figures for outstanding supplementary benefit claims and cases awaiting action on single payment claims at the close of business on 8 April and on 30 June are given in the table. The figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
Single payment cases Supplementary benefit claims 8 April 30 June 8 April 30 June Office Balhara 246 4 303 nil Battersea 271 194 458 nil Brixton 397 34 356 287 Camberwell 318 85 283 6 Crystal Palace 292 247 673 235 Kennington Park 416 1728 193 2 Oval 525 12,085 368 6 Peckham 230 51 343 3 Southwark 238 42 341 20 Streatham 402 1475 611 74 1The later figures exceed the earlier ones because take-up campaign claims were sent to a central clearing office for sorting and onward transmission to the appropriate local office. Some claims made on or before the 8 April did not therefore arrive in local offices until after that date.
§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of supplementary benefit single payments for each of his Department's local offices in the county of Cleveland in May 1985, 1986 and 1988; and if he will make a statement.