§ Mr. Alasdair MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in(a) Scotland, (b) Dumfries and Galloway and (c) Galloway and Upper Nithsdale parliamentary constituency have claimed support under the minimum income guarantee. [124714]
§ Mr. BayleyApproximately 21,000 new claims have been made for the minimum income guarantee in Scotland since its introduction in 1999.
Current numbers of pensioners in receipt of the minimum income guarantee—February 2000 Parliamentary Constituency/Local Authority Area/Country Number Scotland 162,000 Dumfries and Galloway Local Authority Area 4,000 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale Parliamentary Constituency 2,000 Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Pensioners are defined as a benefit unit where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 or over.
3. Sample size 5 per cent.
4. Figures are allocated by matching the postcode against the 1999 version 2 of the Postcode Directory.
Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, February 2000.