§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the Doncaster area were receiving invalidity benefit for each year ended April in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992, (d) 1993 and (e) 1993–94 to date.
§ Mr. ScottThe administration of invalidity benefit 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.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 December 1993:
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking how many people in the Doncaster area were receiving Invalidity Benefit for each year ended April in (a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992, (d) 1993 and (e) 1993–94 to date.121WThe information is not available in the format requested. This is because separate statistics were not kept for Invalidity Benefit (IVB) claimants until May 1991 and a yearly count of recipients is not maintained. I should also explain that, because Agency District boundaries do not correspond with county or borough boundaries, a small part of the Doncaster area falls within that of the Mexborough Benefit Office within the Agency's Rother and Dearne District.Statistics covering the small number of Mexborough customers who live in the Doncaster area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, I have provided details for the area covered by Doncaster District only. The latest available figures show that on the last working day of October 1993, 14,370 people were claiming IVB.On the last working day of May 1991, the figure was 12,558 and on the last working days of April 1992 and April 1993, 11,662 and 12,953 respectively.The statistics include some customers who have claimed but are not actually receiving IVB. This is because there are circumstances in which although there is underlying entitlement to IVB, because a higher overlapping benefit is in payment, no IVB is actually paid. These figures were obtained from a 100 per cent. clerical count of cases in the District Office.I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.