§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many existing claimants of income support in(a) the Monmouth constituency, (b) Cwmbran Department of Social Security office, (c) Gwent and (d) Wales will be afforded transitional protection when the 16-hour rule is introduced;
(2) how many of the income support claimants who will get transitional protection are ineligible for family credit because they have no dependent children;
(3) what is his estimate of the reduction in registered unemployment in the Monmouth constituency which will result from the introduction of the 16-hour rule.
§ Mr. JackI understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that information showing the number of claimants entitled to protection in particular geographical areas is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Neither is it possible to say what impact the hours change may have on registered unemployment in any specific area.
We estimate that, nationally, around 45,000 families with children and 15,000 people without children are working between 16 and 24 hours a week and receiving income support. All of them will be entitled under special protection rules to continue receiving income support from April when the 16 hours rule is introduced. Of the families with children, about 30,000 are expected to be better off on family credit and so may choose to claim that benefit instead of income support.