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Income Support
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) 16 and 17-year-olds and (b) 18 to 24-year-olds in each standard region currently claim (i) income support, (ii) income support with penalty deductions and (iii) bridging allowance do not receive any income from work, training or benefits; if he will distinguish between economically active and economically inactive claimants; and if he will provide this information for the summer quarter from 1992 to 1995. [4316]
Mr. Roger Evans: The available information is in the tables. The income support figures requested are not available for summer 1992 or summer 1995; figures for May 1992 and February 1995, the latest figures are given instead.
The regional breakdown of bridging allowance recipients is not currently available.
| All with Income Support | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-17 | 18-24 | ||||||
| Region | All cases | Economically active | Not economically active | All cases | Economically active | Not economically active | Of which 18-24 year with VU reduction |
| South East (ex London) | 4,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 119,000 | 77,000 | 42,000 | 3,000 |
| London (inner and outer) | 4,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 135,000 | 85,000 | 50,000 | 2,000 |
| North | 1,000 | -- | 1,000 | 84,000 | 37,000 | 27,000 | 1,000 |
| Wales | 2,000 | -- | 2,000 | 63,000 | 28.000 | 25,000 | -- |
| Scotland | 4,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 96,000 | 53,000 | 42,000 | 1,000 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 4,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 90,000 | 52,000 | 38,000 | 1,000 |
| East Midlands | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 63,000 | 36,000 | 27,000 | 2,000 |
| East Anglia | 1,000 | -- | 1,000 | 23,000 | 15,000 | 8,000 | 1,000 |
| South-West | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 56,000 | 38,000 | 19,000 | 2,000 |
| West Midlands | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 94,000 | 56,000 | 38,000 | 2,000 |
| North-West | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 135,000 | 75,000 | 80,000 | 2,000 |
| Great Britain | 30,000 | 8,000 | 22,000 | 925,000 | 549,000 | 378,000 | 16,000 |
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 265
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 265
| All with income support | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-17 | 18-24 | ||||||
| Region | All cases | All economically active | Not economically active | All cases | Economically active | Not economically active | Of which 18-24 with VU reduction(16) |
| South East (ex London) | 5,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 153,000 | 107,000 | 46,000 | -- |
| London (inner and outer) | 4,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 167,000 | 112,000 | 55,000 | -- |
| North | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 70,000 | 40,000 | 30,000 | -- |
| Wales | 2,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 61,000 | 36,000 | 25,000 | -- |
| Scotland | 5,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 101,000 | 59,000 | 42,000 | -- |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 4,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 105,000 | 64,000 | 41,000 | -- |
| East Midlands | 2,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 70,000 | 46,000 | 24,000 | -- |
| East Anglia | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 29,000 | 19,000 | 10,000 | -- |
| South west | 2,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 70,000 | 49,000 | 22,000 | -- |
| West midlands | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 112,000 | 72,000 | 40,000 | -- |
| North west | 4,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 151,000 | 90,000 | 61,000 | -- |
| Great Britain | 36,000 | 12,000 | 23,000 | 1,088,000 | 693,000 | 396,000 | 10,000 |
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 267
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 267
| All with income support | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-17 | 18-24 | ||||||
| Region | All cases | Economically active | Not economically active | All cases | Economically active | Not economically active | Of which 18- 24 with VU reduction |
| South East (ex London) | 5,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 129,000 | 85,000 | 44,000 | 4,000 |
| London (inner and outer) | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 147,000 | 95,000 | 52,000 | 2,000 |
| North | 2,000 | -- | 1,000 | 67,000 | 39,000 | 27,000 | 1,000 |
| Wales | 2,000 | -- | 1,000 | 88,000 | 33,000 | 25,000 | 1,000 |
| Scotland | 5,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 97,000 | 58,000 | 39,000 | 2,000 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 4,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 96,000 | 58,000 | 38,000 | 2,000 |
| East Midlands | 2,000 | -- | 2,000 | 88,000 | 42,000 | 24,000 | 2,000 |
| East Anglia | 1,000 | -- | 1,000 | 27,000 | 16,000 | 10,000 | 1,000 |
| South West | 3,000 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 62,000 | 41,000 | 21,000 | 2,000 |
| West Midlands | 3,000 | -- | 3,000 | 99,000 | 63,000 | 36,000 | 2,000 |
| North West | 4,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 | 136,000 | 79,000 | 57,000 | 2,000 |
| Great Britain | 31,000 | 7,000 | 24,000 | 983,000 | 808,000 | 375,000 | 21,000 |
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 267
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 267
| All with Income Support | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-17 | 18-24 | ||||||
| Region | All cases | Economically active | Not economically active | All cases | Economically active | Not economically active | Of which 18-24 with VU reduction |
| Great Britain | 41,000 | 15,000 | 27,000 | 916,000 | 635,000 | 361,000 | 19,000 |
Notes:
(16) 1 per cent. data used.
1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. "--" denotes nil or negligible.
3. Government Standard Statistical Regions have been used. No breakdown by GSS region is available for February 1995.
4. Economically active has been defined as those persons in the unemployed statistical groups "E/EF".
5. Claimants with a deduction for voluntary unemployment are also included in the all cases total. There are no 16 and 17 year olds with this deduction.
6. Figures for Summer 1992 + 1995 are not available. Figures for May 1992 + February 1995 are given instead.
7. 16 and 17 years olds have been processed on ISCS since January 1995 and this had up to an estimated six thousand cases due to improved data collection methods.
8. VU = Voluntary Unemployment Deduction.
Sources:
Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry May 1992.
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiries August 1993 and August 1994.
Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry February 1995.
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 267
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 269
| Year of registration (for period June to September) | Number of young people registered |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 40,004 |
| 1993 | 28,132 |
| 1994 | 20,548 |
| 1995 | 18,258 |
Note:
1. The figures will include some young people of 18 and over. Their numbers are very small and the Employment Service does not have a record of the figure.
Mr. Thurnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new claims for income support have been made by single mothers in each year since the introduction of the Child Support Bill; and if he will make a statement. [7228]
Mr. Evans: The available information is set out in the table:
| Year | Number of new awards |
|---|---|
| 1992-93 | 283,000 |
| 1993-94 | 271,000 |
| 1994-95 | 262,000 |
Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. The years represented above are for the periods commencing May to February.
3. The number of awards has been estimated by looking at new lone parent family cases which appear in each of the four quarterly inquiries of each yearly period. However, no account has been taken of claims which start and end between inquiry dates.
4. Estimates cannot be made prior to May 1992 as the data are not available in the form required.
Benefits Agency Medical Service
Mr. Ron Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average period of general practice experience of a Benefits Agency medical service doctor in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Wales and (c) England. [6260]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Ron Davis, dated 9 January 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about what is the average period of General Practice experience of a Benefits Agency Medical Service (BAMS) Doctor in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Wales and (c) England.
10 Jan 1996 : Column: 270
practice and employment by the Benefits Agency medical services; [6261]
Mr. Mitchell:
The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Ron Davies, dated 9 January 1996:
Mr. Roger Evans:
Information is available only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the maximum period of time which can elapse between a doctor's experience of general
All BAMS Doctors should have at least five years experience in General Practice, Occupational Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine or similar related disciplines, when recruited. In some cases, however, the Benefits Agency will accept a minimum of three years for fee paid Doctors who have been working in a relevant specialist field.
Precise details of the number of years experience obtained in General Practice are not kept, but it is a prerequisite that BAMS Doctors must be experienced medical practitioners who have, since full registration, consolidated their clinical skills.
I hope you find my reply helpful.
(2) what is the minimum experience of general practice required for a Benefits Agency medical service doctor. [6262]
Mr. Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what percentage of doctors who work for the Benefits Agency medical service on a part-time basis are currently in clinical practice in (a) the United kingdom, (b) Wales and (c) England; [6256]
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about what is the maximum period of time which can elapse between a Doctor's experience of General Practice and employment by the Benefits Agency Medical Service (BAMS) and what is the minimum experience of General Practice required for a BAMS doctor.
There is no specific period of time which can elapse between a Doctor's experience of General Practice and employment by the BAMS. Each case is, however, considered on its merits.
Doctors, employed on a permanent basis by BAMS, are required to have at least five years experience in General Practice. The BAMS prefer fee paid Doctors to have five years experience but will, in some cases, for example, if a fee paid Doctor has been working in a relevant specialist field, accept a minimum of three years experience.
I hope this reply is helpful.
(2) what percentage of current Benefits Agency medical service doctors are specialists in the field of mental health. [6258]
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