§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what directions have been given by his Department to local social security offices with regard to the publication of local statistics on the numbers of claimants in residential care or nursing homes in receipt of income support payments.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardStatistics which show the characteristics of income support recipients are not generally made available from individual local offices but collated and published centrally in a way consistent with uniformity, the reliability of the data concerned and economical practice. Following recent requests to local offices for information of varying scope and detail about people in homes, local offices have been advised not to respond but to refer them if necessary to headquarters for consideration. Responses to all the referrals so far received have been made.