§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what numbers of new claimants have been accepted for(a) sickness benefit and (b) invalidity benefit in each of the past 12 months.
§ Mr. ScottThe information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the number of claims made to sickness and invalidity benefit for each month in Great Britain.
Notes:
Month Number of Sickness Benefit and Invalidity Benefit claims November 1992 94,000 December 1992 79,000 January 1993 95,000 February 1993 90,000 March 1993 101,000 April 1993 90,000 May 1993 85,000 June 1993 94,000 July 1993 92,000 August 1993 88,000 September 1993 92,000 October 1993 91,000
- 1. Figures are based on a 100 per cent. clerical count, rounded to the nearest thousand and are subject to amendment.
- 2. Separate figures are not available for Sickness Benefit and Invalidity Benefit.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the criteria according to which people are considered eligible to receive invalidity benefit with particular reference to ME—myalgic encephalomyelitis—sufferers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottInvalidity benefit is payable to people who remain incapable of work when their entitlement to sickness benefit or statutory sick pay ends, and who have satisfied the national insurance contribution conditions 177W which apply to sickness benefit. Entitlement does not depend on the nature of a person's incapacity, and people suffering from ME qualify in the same way as other claimants if they satisfy these conditions.