§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people are claiming income support in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) England; what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979; and what was the actual percentage increase between the figures for 1979 and the latest figures;
(2) what proportion of people living in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) England is dependent upon income support; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. ScottThe information for Great Britain is as follows:
417WInformation for Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases income support has been paid under regulation 8(3) of the Income Support (General) Regulations to persons not treated as available for employment.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI regret that the information is not available.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the changes since 1979 and the dates when they occurred (i) in the conditions of entitlement to supplementary benefit and income support of persons aged 19 years in non-advanced education and (ii) in the circumstances in which extra-statutory payments in lieu of benefit can be made to such persons.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 13 January 1989]: The supplementary benefit regulations were amended from 18 October 1982 to extend entitlement to benefit to persons aged 19 years in relevant education who were single parents, severely handicapped, orphans or estranged from their parents.
In 1985 that amendment was found to be defective and a circular was issued in November 1985 authorising extra-statutory payments to be made until the regulations were amended.
Amendment regulations corrected the defect from 6 April 1987 and also extended entitlement to certain young people aged 16 to 19 inclusive who were not estranged from their parents but could not be supported by them because their parents were chronically sick, or in prison, or could not enter the country.
From 11 April 1988 an upper limit of 19 years was set in all the income-related benefits for the payment of benefit to young people in full-time non-advanced education.
There have been no changes in the circumstances in which extra-statutory payments in lieu of benefit can be paid to 19 year olds in relevant education. Extra-statutory payments can be made only where claimants are deprived of all or part of their entitlement in a way not foreseen or intended when the law was drawn up.