§ Mr. MaxtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) which local offices in Scotland had to apply budgetary control measures in 1990–91; and to which budgets the restrictions applied;
(2) how many claimants, partners and dependants were reliant on income support in Scotland in 1990; and how many of these were children under 15 years;
(3) how many income support deductions are currently being made in Scotland for (a) poll tax arrears, (b) social fund loan payments, (c) fuel payment arrears and (d) any other purposes; and what percentage of total claimants this represents in each category;
(4) what was the total notional level of social fund per claimant allocated to Scotland in each year since its inception in (a) cash and (b) constant prices;
250W
§ Mr. MaudeInformation for average new building society mortgages in the second quarter of 1988 is in the table. Details of average amounts outstanding on all mortgages by region are not available.
(5) how many, and what percentage of income support claimants in Scotland (a) aged over 60 years, (b) aged under 60 years and (c) in total are repaying social fund budgeting loans or crisis loans by deductions from their benefit payments.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information requested is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
§ Mr. MaxtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total sum spent in Scotland in social security payments in 1989–90 and 1990–91 broken down by major benefits.
§ Miss WiddecombeI understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.