§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many young claimants have so far gained extensions of benefit in order to prevent severe hardship; and how many who were pregnant.
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§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe number of awards of income support to 16 and 17-year-olds on grounds of severe hardship for the period 12 September 1988 to 23 February 1990 is 16,206. Figures on the number of severe hardship directions made to those 16 and 17-year-olds who are pregnant have not been collected for this period. However, we are looking more closely at the situation of young pregnant girls.
§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people depended entirely on state benefits for their income in each of the years 1978 to 1989(a) nationally, (b) regionally and (c) in each local Department of Social Security area.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Sedgemore) on 5 March at column520.
Cash—£ million (1988–89 prices in brackets) 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 Unemployment benefit abatement for occupational/personal pension reduced from age 60 to 55 -15 (-15) -63 (-59) — (—) Weekly earnings rule introduced for unemployment benefit — (—) -21 (-20) -49 (-44) Unemployment benefit "full extent normal" rule—de minimis provision "Actively seeking work" test for unemployment benefit Abolition of pensioners' earnings rule — (—) 190 (178) 375 (334) Widows: revised entitlement conditions for women widowed before April 1988 — (—) 122 (21) 13 (12) 1 First year expenditure included payments of arrears from April 1988.