HC Deb 20 April 1999 vol 329 c522W
Ms Jenny Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were receiving incapacity benefit in(a) the UK and (b) the West Midlands on 31 March. [81162]

Mr. Bayley

The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table. Figures for 31 March 1999 are not yet available.

Incapacity Benefit recipients
31 August 1998
United Kingdom 1,716,488
(Northern Ireland) 98,588
(Great Britain) 1,617,900
West Midlands 141,680

Note:

Both systems exclude a small number of cases held clerically

Source:

Norther Ireland: 100 per cent. sample of the Benefit computer system

Great Britain and West Midlands: 5 per cent. sample of the Benefit computer system