HC Deb 22 April 1996 vol 276 cc30-1W
Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have(a) passed and (b) failed the incapacity benefit all-work test in the City of Durham constituency since its introduction. [24917]

Mr. Burt

The administration of incapacity benefit is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ursula Brennan to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 19 April 1996: As Peter Mathison is away from the office on annual leave at the moment, the Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking how many people have (a) passed and (b) failed the Incapacity Benefit's all-work test in the City of Durham constituency since its introduction. The information is not available in the format requested. Statistics are not kept which are specific to Parliamentary Constituencies, but are kept for Benefits Agency (BA) Districts. The BA District of North Durham comprises the BA Offices of Durham, Chester-Le-Street, Peterlee, Seaham and Stanley.

The information available for North Durham District is contained in the table below:

Allowed following reference to BA Medical Services (BAMS) on the all work test Disallowed following reference o BAMS on the all work test
7,512 1,787

Notes:

  1. 1. The information is for the period 13 April 95 to 29 February 96.
  2. 2. Data is only available for cases counted by computer system and therefore does not include details of any cases paid clerically, the numbers of which are very low.
  3. 3. Figures are provisional and subject to change.
I hope you find this reply helpful.

Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people who have been found capable for work under the all-work test of capacity have subsequently signed on as unemployed(a) in total and (b) for each month since April 1995; [25364]

(2) how many people who have been found capable of work under the all-work test of capacity who have subsequently signed on as unemployed receive (a) unemployment benefit only, (b) income support only and (c) unemployment benefit and income support. [25365]

Mrs. Angela Knight

I have been asked to reply.

In the period 1995 to February 1996, 33, 454 people who have been disallowed incapacity benefit following the all-work test have made a claim for unemployment-related benefits. A monthly breakdown is given in the table. No figures are available regarding the type of unemployment benefit that these claimants have received.

April 1995 to February 1996
Month Number of claimants Cumulative total
April 153 153
May 275 428
June 510 938
July 1,448 2,386
August 2,880 5,266
September 3,708 8,974
October 4,519 13,493
November 5,059 18,552
December 4,366 22,918
January 4,801 27,719
February 5,735 33,454