HC Deb 16 July 2002 vol 389 cc267-9W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the total cost of housing benefit paid in(a) Christchurch borough and (b) East Dorset was in each and of the last five years; [70352]

(2) what the total cost of council tax benefit paid in (a) Christchurch borough and (b) East Dorset was in each of the last five years. [70353]

Malcolm Wicks

The information is in the tables.

Christchurch borough council: Housing benefit and council tax benefit expenditure
£000
Housing benefit Council tax benefit
1995–96 5,436 1,271
1996–97 5,548 1,255
1997–98 5,782 1,453
1998–99 5,890 1,576
2000–01 6,079 1,691

East Dorset district council: Housing benefit and council tax benefit expenditure
£000
Housing benefit Council tax benefit
1995–96 6,294 1,894
1996–97 6,486 1,845
1997–98 6,809 2,057
1998–99 6,765 2,179
2000–01 7,091 2,298

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.

2. The figures for 2000–01 are provisional. All other figures are actual annual expenditure but are subject to change as local authority activity is fully audited.

Source:

Annual subsidy returns by local authorities to the Department for Work and Pensions and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of retirement pension in the Christchurch constituency receive payment of their benefit(a) directly into their bank accounts and (b) through local post offices. [70357]

Mr. McCartney

The available information is in the table:

Number
All methods of payment 29,600
Payment by Order Book 12,300
Payment by automatic credit transfer 17,100
Other 200

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.

2. Figures under 500 are subject to a high degree of sampling variation and should be used only as a guide tot he current situation.

Source:

Figures taken from the Pensions Strategy Computer System on 30 September 2001.

Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Christchurch constituency are eligible for the minimum income guarantee, and how many are in receipt of it. [70354]

Mr. McCartney

Estimates of the number of people eligible for the Minimum Income Guarantee are not available below National level. As at February 2002 there were 2,300 Minimum Income Guarantee claimants in parliamentary constituency of Christchurch.

Source:

Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry February 2002