HC Deb 13 June 2000 vol 351 cc609-10W
Mr. Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners he expects to claim Income Support as a result of his Department's take-up campaign. [125749]

Mr. Bayley

We have not set a target for the Minimum Income Guarantee take-up campaign, but we will carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the campaign, early next year.

Mr. Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the reasons for which pensioners who are eligible to claim Income Support do not claim. [125748]

Mr. Bayley

Research on barriers pensioners face in claiming Income Support was detailed in the Departmental report "Overcoming barriers, older people and Income Support", published last October. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the complexities surrounding pensioner take-up. A copy has been placed in the Library.

Mr. Sanders

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of Income Support claimants by constituency in the county of Devon, Torbay Unitary Authority and Plymouth Unitary Authority for each year from August 1998 to the latest date for which figures are available. [124987]

Mr. Bayley

The administration of Income Support is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency to answer. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 12 June 2000: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will list the number of income support claimants by constituency in the county of Devon, Torbay Unitary Authority and Plymouth Unitary Authority for each year from August 1998 to the latest date for which figures are available. The information is in the table attached. I hope this is helpful.

Income Support claimants by parliamentary constituency
August February
1998 1999 2000
Plymouth, Devonport 8.3 8.0 8.1
Plymouth, Sutton 7.8 7.8 7.7
Torbay 9.6 9.4 9.4
East Devon 4.3 4.4 4.1
Exeter 6.5 6.7 6.5
North Devon 5.7 5.7 5.6
South West Devon 3.4 3.2 3.2
Teignbridge 6.2 6.5 6.7
Tiverton and Honiton 4.6 4.5 4.5
Torridge and West Devon 5.6 5.3 5.2
Totnes 6.0 5.7 5.8

Notes:

1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.

2. Cases in August 1998 are allocated to each Parliamentary Constituency by matching postcodes against the 1999 version 1 of the Postcode Directory and in August 1999 and February 2000 against the 1999 version 2 of the Postcode Directory; as such represents Constituency boundaries as at May 1997.

3. Sample sizes 5%, therefore subject to sampling error.

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