HC Deb 18 February 1994 vol 237 cc1033-4W
Mr. Clifford Forsythe

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in receipt of benefit during the period July to December 1993 had direct deductions made for debt repayment.

Mr. Ancram

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Clifford Forsythe, dated 17 February 1994. I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the number of people that are having deductions made from their benefit for debt recovery. The information is not available in the form you have requested, however, I have provided details in the table below of the number of deductions made from benefits for each type of debt.

Total number of deductions from benefit at 31 December 1993
Number
Northern Ireland electricity 12,364
Northern Ireland housing executive 15,020
Rates collection agency 1,171
Private landlord 18
Housing association 342
Estate agent 15
Building society 875
Others 89

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