§ 13. Mr. JannerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much in total has been paid in unemployment benefits and to how many claimants in 1982, 1987 and 1992; and how many claimants he expects to receive what total in 1993.
§ Mr. BurtIn 1982–83 just under 2.5 million claimants received £5 billion in unemployment benefits. For 1987–88 there were 2.6 million recipients and a total of £6.6 billion was paid in benefits. For 1992–93 it is estimated that 2.5 million claimants received £9.3 billion. The forecast for 1993–94, in the Department's third annual report, is for 2.8 million unemployed people to receive just under £10.4 billion.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons over the age of 55 years received reduced unemployment benefit as a result of occupational pension payments of £35, in the last financial year.
§ Mr. BurtInformation in the form requested is not available.
At November 1992, the number of people whose unemployment benefit was reduced or extinguished due to their receipt of an occupational and/or personal pension was:
Number Unemployment Benefit reduced 18,200 Unemployment Benefit extinguished 11,800 Source: Half yearly analysis of unemployed claimants: November 1992
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to ensure that all employees made compulsorily redundant receive full unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. BurtWe have no plans to change the rules governing entitlement to unemployment benefit of employees made compulsorily redundant.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to raise or abolish the £35 per week threshold for over-55s' pension income when claiming unemployment benefit.