§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the information given to the hon. Member for Blackpool, North (Mr. Elletson) on 7 July,Official Report, column 165, to include estimates for 1993–94 and 1994–95.
§ Mr. ScottThe latest available information is in the tables:
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Numbers claiming benefit Date Sickness benefit2 Invalidity benefit 29 May 1982 469,000 684,000 2 April 1983 408,000 737,000 31 March 1984 3247,000 797,000 30 March 1985 225,000 849,000 5 April 1986 237,000 899,000 4 April 1987 3187,000 968,000 2 April 1988 228,000 1,047,000 1 April 1989 266,000 1,126,000 31 March 1990 309,000 1,209,000 30 March 1991 372,000 1,306,000 4 April 1992 458,000 1,439,000 Notes:
1 Source: Based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants rounded to the nearest thousand. The latest date for which information is available is 4 April 1992.
2 Includes people receiving national insurance credits who are claiming but are not entitled to sickness benefit.
3 Statutory sick pay introduced from 6 April 1983 for a maximum eight weeks sickness absence in a tax year. From 6 April 1986 statutory sick pay was extended to up to 28 weeks in a period of incapacity for work.
Estimated average numbers receiving benefit at any one time Year Sickness benefit Invalidity benefit 1992–93 135,000 1,490,000 1993–94 130,000 1,585,000 1994–95 135,000 1,680,000 Source: Departmental report.