§ Mr. RoyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of claimants for each benefit in the Motherwell and Wishaw Benefits Agency district in the most recent year for which figures are available. [5014]
§ Mr. FieldOne of our key aims is to improve the service provided to claimants and other customers. Particular queries on Benefits Agency operational matters are the responsibility of Peter Mathison, its Chief Executive. I have asked him to write directly and for his reply to be published with the answer.
281WLetter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Frank Roy, dated 2 July 1997:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking about the number of claimants for each benefit in the Motherwell and Wishaw Benefits Agency District in the most recent year for which figures are available.Motherwell and Wishaw benefit offices are part of the Benefits Agency Clyde Valley District which also includes offices at Hamilton, Lanark and Shotts. The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is shown in the attached Annex.Information for Child Benefit, Child Benefit (Lone Parent), Guardians Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.I hope you find this reply helpful.
Annex: Number of benefit customers for Clyde Valley district April 1996—March 1997
Benefit Number of customers Incapacity Benefit 9,878 Maternity Benefit 273 Severe Disablement Benefit 697 Retirement Pension 4,317 Widow's Payment 317 Widow's Benefit 232 Income Support 13,364 Job Seekers Allowance1 7,441 Disability Living Allowance2 5,200 Attendance Allowance2 2,400 Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit 503 Disability Working Allowance3 32 Family Credit4 1,562 Figures are provisional and subject to change.
1 Figures are from the introduction of the benefit—October 1996 to March 1997.
2 Figures are estimates based on 5 per cent. data sample of successful claims and are rounded to the nearest hundred. The figures relate to a "snap shot" of customers receiving benefit at 28 February 1997. Details of unsuccessful claims are not available.
3 Figures are only available as cumulative for successful claims for the period 1992 to date. The figures are for Motherwell and Wishaw benefit offices.
4 Figures are for Motherwell and Wishaw benefit offices. The figures show the number of families in receipt of Family Credit at 27 March 1997.