§ Ms. ShortTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether unemployed claimants who are receiving income support who participate in European social fund vocational training courses provided either by(a) voluntary organisations or local authorities, or (b) training and enterprise councils or local enterprise companies are required to be available for, and actively seeking, employment.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total value for the last 12-month period for which records are available, of assistance paid to mortgagors currently in receipt of income support, for(a) direct help with mortgage interest payments, (b) passported help from the social fund for help with the cost of furniture and other essential household items and (c) other passported help from the social fund, by category; and if he will subdivide the figures into childless, couples with children, and lone parent household categories.
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 27 February 1992]: The information required for (b) and (c) is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information requested for (a) is as follows:
Status Number of claimants(000s) Amount included in assessments for mortgage interest (£ million) Childless 169 231 Couples with children 64 146 Lone parents 77 177 Total 310 554 Source: Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry, May 1990.
Notes:
- 1. All numbers of claimants have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
- 2. All amounts of money have been rounded to the nearest million.