§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total spend on social security in 1979–80, 1983–84, 1987–88 and 1991–92 in current and real terms; and what percentage that is of total Government spending.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested is as follows:
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Social Security expenditure—£ million Year Expenditure in current terms Expenditure in real terms Expenditure as percentage of total public spending 1979–80 589.7 1,371.0 23.7 1983–84 1,084.1 1,733.0 28.8 1987–88 1,491.8 1,976.4 30.9 1991–92 2,099.0 2,099.0 32.6
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, for each year since 1978–79 the total number of households claiming for social security benefit, excluding the national insurance retirement pension and child benefit.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested is not available.
Year Total benefit expenditure £ million Total administration costs £ million Administration costs as percentage of total benefit expenditure £ million £ million 1980–81 674 46 6.8 1981–82 815 56 6.9 1982–83 938 61 6.5 1983–84 1,033 64 6.2 1984–85 1,128 69 6.1 1985–86 1,248 74 5.9 1986–87 1,354.5 81 6.0 1987–88 1,403.6 89 6.3 1988–89 1,465.6 87.5 6.0 1989–90 1,557.1 95.6 6.1 1990–91 1,704.9 106.5 6.3 1991–92 1,977.8 115.6 5.8 The figures for 1991–92 are estimates only.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of(a) claimants and (b) partners and dependent children on supplementary benefit or income support in each year from 1979 to the latest available date.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information is as follows:
Number of Claimants Number of Dependent Partners Number of Dependent Children Total Number of Dependent 1979 115,400 26,300 64,800 91,100 1980 129,000 32,400 80,300 112,700 1981 150,000 38,100 93,600 131,700 1982 164,900 44,900 109,900 154,800 1983 174,500 48,800 117,000 165,800 1984 180,800 49,100 116,300 165,400 11985 184,200 — — — 1986 184,400 52,800 135,300 188,100 1987 190,800 51,800 134,000 185,800 1988 184,100 44,900 111,900 156,800 1989 183,400 42,400 121,900 164,300 1990 179,000 38,500 118,600 157,100 1 The number of claimants based on 100 per cent. count of caseload at November 1985. Statistical information on dependants is not available for the 1985 year. Source: annual statistical exercise—five per cent. sample of caseload.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of the average percentage rise in the number of claimants receiving the main social security benefits, or expected to claim, in the years 1978–79 to 1992–93.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested is as follows:
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Year Caseload Percentage yearly rise 1978–79 982,000 — 1979–80 974,000 -0.8 1980–81 1,011,900 +3.9 1981–82 1,054,200 +4.2
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the total administration costs as a percentage of benefit expenditure for social security for each year from 1978–79 to the latest year available.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested is as follows. Administration costs for the years 1978–79 and 1979–80 are not available. The figures for administration cost include the costs of services provided by other Departments.
Year Caseload Percentage yearly rise 1982–83 1,019,300 -3.3 1983–84 1,290,200 +1.0 1984–85 1,311,200 +1.6 1985–86 1,316,000 +0.4 1986–87 1,323,300 +0.6 1987–88 1,342,200 +1.4 1988–89 1,305,500 -2.7 1989–90 1,299,600 -0.5 1990–91 1,308,700 +0.7 1991–92 1,431,300 +5.4 1992–93 1,509,600 +5.5 The average percentage yearly rise is + 1.5 per cent.
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, for each year since 1978–79 the total amount spent on social security, excluding expenditure on the unemployed, at current prices and in 1991–92 prices, showing the real terms percentage increase or decrease.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested, which is available only for the years 1983–84 onwards, is as follows:
Expenditure on Social Security excluding the unemployed Year Current prices £000s 1991–92 prices £000s Percentage increase or decrease 1983–84 835.2 1,335.1 1984–85 945.3 1,439.1 +7.9 1985–86 1,027.2 1,482.1 +3.0 1986–87 1,108.2 1,548.1 +4.5 1987–88 1,198.2 1,587.4 +2.5 1988–89 1,255.7 1,552.1 -2.2 1989–90 1,393.4 1,617.4 +4.2 1990–91 1,536.4 1,643.9 +1.6
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount spent on 641W social security, in current prices and at 1991–92 prices, for each year since 1978–79; and what was the percentage real-terms increase or decrease in each year.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information requested is as follows:
Social Security Expenditure Year Current prices £000s 1991–92 prices £000s Percentage increase/decrease 1978–79 497.0 1,3482 1979–80 589.7 1,371.0 1.7 1980–81 716.9 1,408.6 2.8 1981–82 865.0 1,549.9 10.0 1982–83 994. 1,663.4 7.3 1983–84 1,084.1 1,733.0 4.2 1984–85 1,191.0 1,813.2 4.6 1985–86 1,298.7 1,873.8 3.3 1986–87 1,411.5 1,971.7 5.0 1987–88 1,491.8 1,976.4 0.2 1988–89 1,555.0 1,922.1 -2.8 1989–90 1,659.7 1,926.6 0.2 1990–91 1,814.1 1,941.1 0.8
§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give, for the years 1979–80 and the latest year available, in cash terms and at 1991–92 prices, the social security spending on(a) elderly people, (b) sick and disabled people, (c) families, (d) unemployed people and (e) orphans and widows indicating the number of claimants in each category, and dependants in the household, and the percentage change in spending in real terms.
§ Mr. HanleyThe information available is as follows:
Social security spending in cash terms and at 1991–92 prices—£000 Cash prices Year Elderly Sick and disabled Families Unemployed Widows and orphans 1979–80 219,475 115,892 128,492 71,320 22,136 1990–91 578,000 374,000 338,000 251,000 31,000
1991–92 prices and percentage change in spending in real terms Year Elderly Sick and disabled Families Unemployed Widows and orphans 1979–80 595,386 314,389 335,009 193,475 60,050 1990–91 618,460 400,180 361,660 268,570 33,170 Change +3.9 +27.3 +8.0 +38.8 -44.8