HC Deb 10 February 1993 vol 218 cc682-3W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds in receipt of bridging allowances for October, November and December 1992 on a comparable basis to the figures given in the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short), of 29 October,Official Report, columns 832–34.

Mr. McLoughlin

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 10 February 1993. As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the numbers of 16 to 17-year-olds in receipt of bridging allowance for October, November and December 1992. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. The information you have requested is provided in the attached tables. I hope this is helpful. As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

Number of males and females in receipt of bridging allowance—by ES region October 1992-December 1992
October November December
Male Female Male Female Male Female
Northern 316 174 255 133 247 121
Yorkshire and Humberside 452 250 421 197 455 217
East Midlands and Eastern 566 274 460 268 463 237
London and South East 1,264 707 1,149 622 1,242 635
South West 418 193 356 184 423 197
Wales 293 146 257 127 252 155
West Midlands 581 327 450 237 544 274
North West 784 405 571 284 697 359
Scotland 732 422 510 303 533 273
Total 5,406 2,898 4,429 2,335 4,856 2,468

Numbers in receipt of extended child benefit October 1992-December 1992
Weekly average per month
October 26,581
November 26,343
December 25,691