§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons without accommodation were income support recipients in England at May 1992 and at the latest available date, breaking down the figures by age and by employment status.
§ Mr. BurtThe figures fo May 1992 are not available Since publication of these statistics for May 1991, collation of income support information in local benefit offices is no longer undertaken by clerical means but by the income30W support computer system. However, although all main functions are in place, work is incomplete on some functions less central to everyday operation. This includes the process to retrieve information on claimants without an address. Steps are being taken to introduce an appropriate retrieval process from the May 1994 statistical inquiry, information from which is expected to be available in early 1995.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) families with children are in receipt of income support and (b) how many children are living on income support in the Greenock and Port Glasgow area; and what were the comparable figures for 1979.
§ Mr. BurtThe administration of income support 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 Mr. Michael Bichard to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 4 February 1994:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about families in receipt of income support in the Greenock and port Glasgow area.The complete range of information you requested is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. This is because statistics which reflect the number of families with children are not collected locally on a routine basis. Children are treated as dependants of their parents and their needs are included within their parents claim.However, I am able to provide information for Scotland as a whole and this is outlined below. The data has been obtained from the Supplementary Benefit Annual Statistical Enquiry for 1979 and the Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry for February 1993 (These are the latest available figures and are based on a 1% sample of cases).
Year Families with children Number of children 1993 142,000 255,000 1979 55,000 109,000 I hope that this reply is helpful.
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households, from data taken from the annual statistical inquiry, in 1991, 1992 and 1993, are having weekly deductions made from their income support as appropriate, for(a) electricity and (b) gas of (i) under £2 per week and (ii) in each £1 band above £2 per week up to £40 per week.
§ Mr. BurtThe available information is in the tables:
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Income support recipients with deductions for direct payment of fuel costs—May 1991 ASE £ per week Cases with deductions for electricity Cases with deductions for gas 0.01 to2.00 1,000 2,500 2.01 to 3.00 2,500 2,000 3.01 to 4.00 5,500 4,500 4.01 to 5.00 7,500 6,500 5.01 to 6.00 7,000 11,500 6.01 to 7.00 9,500 12,500 7.01 to 8.00 7,500 15,000 8.01 to 9.00 8,500 20,000 9.01 to 10.00 8,000 16,000 10.01 to 11.00 6,500 17,500 11.01 to 12.00 6,500 12,000
£per week Cases with deductions for electricity Cases with deductions for gas 12.01 to 13.00 5,000 8,000 13.01 to 14.00 4,500 6,500 14.01 to 15.00 4,000 4,500 15.01 to 16.00 2,000 2,000 16.01 to 17.00 2,500 1,500 17.01 to 18.00 2,000 1,000 18.01 to 19.00 1,000 500 19.01 to 20.00 1,500 500 20.01 to 21.00 500 500 21.01 to 22.00 500 — 22.01 to 23.00 500 — 23.01 to 24.00 500 — 24.01 to 25.00 500 — 25.01 to 26.00 500 — 26.01 to 27.00 — — 27.01 to 28.00 — — 28.01 to 29.00 — — 29.01 to 30.00 — — 30.01 to 31.00 — — 31.01 to 32.00 — — 32.01 to 33.00 — — 33.01 to 34.00 — — 34.01 to 35.00 — — 35.01 to 36.00 — — 36.01 to 37.00 — — 37.01 to 38.00 — — 38.01 to 39.00 — — 39.01 to 40.00 — — Over 40.00 — — Total number of cases with deductions 96,000 146,000 NoteThe figures have been rounded to the nearest 500, and so do not necessarily add to the totals given.
SourceIncome support statistics annual inquiry, May 1991.
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Income Support Recipients with deductions for Direct Payment of Fuel Costs—May 1992 ASE Cases with deductions for electricity Cases with deductions for gas 0.01–2.00 500 1,000 2.01–3.00 2,500 1,500 3.01–4.00 3,500 4,000 4.01–5.00 5,500 8,000 5.01–6.00 7,500 14,500 6.01–7.00 8,000 19,500 7.01–8.00 10,000 20,500 8.01–9.00 7,000 21,500 9.01–10.00 8,500 27,500 10.01–11.00 7,500 23,500 11.01–12.00 7,000 14,500 12.01–13.00 6,000 10,500 13.01–14.00 4,000 6,500 14.01–15.00 2,500 5,000 15.01–16.00 3,000 4,000 16.01–17.00 2,500 2,500 17.01–18.00 1,500 1,500 18.01–19.00 1,000 1,000 19.01–20.00 1,000 1,000 20.01–21.00 1,000 1,000 21.01–22.00 1,000 1,000 22.01–23.00 1,000 500 23.01–24.00 — — 24.01–25.00 — 500 25.01–26.00 500 500 26.01–27.00 500 500 27.01–28.00 500 — 28.01–29.00 — — 29.01–30.00 — — 30.01–31.00 500 — 31.01–32.00 — — 32.01–33.00 — —
Cases with deductions for electricity Cases with deductions for gas 33.01–34.00 — — 34.01–35.00 — — 35.01–36.00 — — 36.01–37.00 — — 37.01–38.00 — — 38.00–39.00 — — 39.01–40.00 — — Over 40.00 — — Total number of cases with deductions 95,000 192,000 The figures have been rounded to the nearest 500, and so do not necessarily add to the totals given.
Source: Income support statistics annual inquiry, May 1992.