HC Deb 15 October 1990 vol 177 cc725-6W
Mr. Nellist

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many deductions are now taking place from people on income support to cover debts arising from the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Just over 9,000 deductions for community charge arrears were being made at 31 August 1990.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of supplementary benefit and income support scale rates for(a) a single person householder aged over 25 years and (b) married couples, each year since 1970; and what these amounts were as a percentage of national average earnings for each of these years.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The information requested is available in tables 6.4b and 6.5b of the Abstract of Statistics for index of retail prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions published August 1989. A copy of this is in the Library.

Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the numbers of (i) men and (ii) women pensioners on income support by duration of time on benefit.

Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number and proportion of pensioners were receiving (i) income support only, (ii) retirement pensions only and (iii) income support and retirement pension, broken down by sex in each case.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Information to show whether pensioners in receipt of Income Support also receive the state retirement pension is not available. The remainder of the information requested is available in tables 12.2A, 12.2B and 12.2C of the Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry. This was published in July 1990 and a copy is in the Library.

Ms. Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number and proportion of unemployed people were receiving (i) income support only, (ii) unemployment benefit only and (iii) income support and unemployment benefit, broken down by sex in each case.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The information as at May 1990 is contained in part (1) of table 1.1 of "Unemployment Benefit Statistics—Quarterly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants", a copy of which is in the Library.