§ Mr. BradleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people who have been found incapable of work since April 1995 have signed on as unemployed and receive(a) income support, (b) unemployment benefit, (c) both unemployment benefit and income support and (d) credits only; and how many people have joined the unemployment register as a result of being found capable of work or disallowed incapacity benefit, income support or severe disablement allowance. [26819]
§ Mr. ForthResponsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Robert Home to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 25 April 1996:
The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to reply to your question about how many people who have been found incapable of work since April 1995 have signed on as unemployed and what benefits they have received; and how many people have joined the unemployment register as a result of being found capable of work or disallowed Incapacity Benefit, Income Support or Severe Disablement Allowance.In answer to the first part of your question, people found incapable of work following the All Work Test can continue to receive Incapacity Benefit (IB) and would not therefore need to claim unemployment benefits.You also ask how many people have joined the unemployment register as a result of being found capable of work or disallowed IB. In the period April 1995 to March 1996 40,257 people disallowed IB following the All Work Test made a claim for unemployment benefits and thereby registered for employment. No figures are held for those who have joined the unemployment register, who previously claimed Income Support or Severe Disablement Allowance.I hope this is helpful.