§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the annual savings were from the weekly benefit savings scheme for each year from 1996 to 1999. [113791]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is in the tables.
Security control programme savings £ million Financial year Total weekly benefit savings claimed 1996–97 1,509.0 1997–98 1,918.5 1998–99 1,645.5 Note:
The figures are not comparable, as from April 1998 the WBS claiming criteria was tightened.
Local authority weekly benefit savings (WBS) data for England, Scotland and Wales £ Financial year Total weekly benefit savings claimed 1996–97 293,672,397 1997–98 346,407,498 1998–99 235,679,923 Note:
The figures are not comparable, as from April 1998 the Weekly Benefit Savings claiming criteria for Local Authorities was tightened.