§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total number of 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland and for each of the local Department of Social Security office areas who have(a) applied and (b) received income support as a result of direction from the Secretary of State under the severe hardship provision from September 1988 to the most recent date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe table shows the number of applications for income support from 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland on the ground of "severe hardship" between 12 September 1988 and 23 June 1989. It also shows the number of directions given to enable income support to be paid.
46W
(1) (2) (3) DSS Local Office Decisions taken Directions to enable benefit to be paid Aberdeen North 67 30 South 154 105
(1) (2) (3) DSS Local Office Decisions taken Directions to enable benefit to be paid Airdrie 45 30 Arbroath 40 24 Ayr 24 13 Bathgate 225 173 Bellshill 75 56 Campbeltown 13 9 Clydebank 15 6 Coatbridge 6 4 Cowdenbeath 61 35 Dumbarton 59 42 Dumfries 48 34 Dundee East 29 14 West 17 10 Dunfermline 98 79 East Kilbride 36 27 Edinburgh City 74 54 East 103 78 North 70 47 South 84 62 West 89 62 Elgin 69 47 Falkirk 173 114 Fort William 13 11 Galashiels 103 69 Glasgow Anniesland 66 43 Bridgeton 61 41 City 76 46 Craigton 62 46 Cranstonhill 27 25 Cumbernauld 59 28 Laurieston 142 93 Maryhill 91 63 Parkhead 85 50 Patick 31 17 Provan 164 120 Rutherglen 129 68 Southside 49 33 Springburn 87 63 Greenock 73 48 Hamilton 40 30 Inverness 29 21 Irvine 90 55 Johnstone 9 1 Kilmarnock 88 62 Kirkcaldy 109 79 Kirkwall 12 9 Lerwick 5 5 Leven 47 27 Motherwell 36 23 Oban 9 6 Paisley 142 104 Perth 85 58 Peterhead 47 30 Port Glasgow 37 25 Stirling 86 54 Stornoway 37 21 Stranraer 14 10 Wick 2 1 Total 3,916 2,640 Notes:
1. Based on 100 per cent. count of applications received.
2. Information relates to the number of applications received rather than to the number of individual young people involved. Some individuals may have received more than one direction.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of 16 and 17-year-olds 47W claiming benefit in Scotland and for each of the Department of Social Security local area offices in each of the months June, July, August and September 1988.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total number of 16 and 17-year-olds in Scotland who have been exempt from the withdrawal of entitlement to benefit covering lone parents, registered blind, incapable of work by reason of disease or mental or physical disability, pregnancy or couple married with a child in the period September 1988 to the most recent date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. McLeishTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Fife, Central of 7 November,Official Report, columns 99–100, if he will outline the findings of the monitoring of the changed social security benefit arrangements for young people seeking a YTS place in the period September 1988 to June 1989.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe benefits involved in the changed arrangements for young people from September 1988 were income support and child benefit.
As far as income support is concerned, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Kent (Mr. Rowe) on 16 March at columns 305–06 and to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 13 March at columns 27–28.
The changes in child benefit arrangements in the period July 1988 to June 1989 resulted in 418,000 invitations to claim extended child benefit being issued to the parents of those leaving school at summer or Christmas 1988 or Easter 1989. Payment of extended child benefit was made in 43,000 cases where young persons were registered for work or a YTS place.
I am satisfied that the Training Agency has more than sufficient YTS places for all who want one. On 31 May (the latest figure available) there were over 141,000 unfilled places. Arrangements are in place at a local level with the careers service to ensure that the Training Agency is aware of and can satisfy demand for YTS places.