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National Insurance

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each year since 1966 (a) the total number of national insurance numbers in the United Kingdom, (b) the new numbers issued and (c) the total taken out of use; and if he will make a statement on the relation of (a) to (c) to the total number of people (i) working and (ii) potentially available for work. [11546]

Mr. Heald: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Tax yearTotal number of National Insurance Numbers in the United KingdomTotal number of new National Insurance Numbers issued
1965-6635,885,700--
1966-6736,947,1001,061,400
1967-6837,725,600778,500
1968-6938,849,2001,123,600
1969-7039,766,000916,800
1970-7140,594,300828,300
1971-7241,626,5001,032,200
1972-7342,260,300633,800
1973-7442,568,800308,500
1974-7543,650,7001,081,900
1975-7644,858,7001,208,000
1976-7746,351,0001,492,300
1977-7847,401,1001,050,100
1978-7948,453,2001,052,100
1979-8049,547,1001,093,900
1980-8150,607,2001,060,100
1981-8251,634,6001,027,400
1982-8352,647,7001,013,100
1983-8453,655,6001,007,900
1984-8554,670,0001,014,400
1985-8655,682,0001,012,000
1986-8756,708,2001,026,200
1987-8857,722,9001,014,700
1988-8958,709,400986,500
1989-9059,659,800950,400
1990-9160,573,400913,600
1991-9261,420,100846,700
1992-9362,223,300803,200
1993-9463,020,900797,600
1994-9563,850,100829,200

Source:

1 per cent. sample of the National Insurance Recording System (NIRS).


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EU Residents (Benefit Entitlement)

Mr. Churchill: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make an estimate of the saving to public funds of the introduction of a five-year residency rule for benefit entitlement in the case of citizens of countries outside the European economic area seeking to live in the United Kingdom. [12206]

Mr. Roger Evans: There is insufficient information upon which to base a reasonable estimate.

Child Care

Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the figures for the take-up in Wales, and the United Kingdom as a whole, of the child care disregard for families in receipt of housing benefit and family credit since its introduction; if he will provide the same figures for single parent families only; and if he will make a statement about what promotional activity has been undertaken to inform the public of the increase in the child care disregard announced in the Budget. [12402]

Mr. Roger Evans: Between 4 October 1994 and 30 September 1995, approximately 28,000 families in Great Britain benefited from the child care disregard in family credit. As at 30 September 1995, about 21,000 families in Great Britain, of whom 20,000 were lone parents, were receiving help, including about 1,000 families in Wales. Information on families receiving the help through housing benefit will not be available until later this year and take-up estimates are not available for any benefit. Figures for Northern Ireland fall within the remit of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

The further increase in the disregard announced in the Budget was publicised through a press release in

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November 1995. Further publicity measures are still under consideration but will include references in leaflets, the child benefit order book and in a newspaper covering work, benefit and training issues in an easy-to-read form, produced by the Department and distributed by the Benefits Agency and Employment Services.


Disabled People (Access)

Mr. McMaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the accessibility of Benefits Agency offices to disabled people; what percentage remain inaccessible to disabled people in terms of (a) physical and (b) sensory disability; and if he will make a statement; [9284]

Mr. Burt: This is a matter for Mr. Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 26 January 1996:


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Widows' Pensions

Mrs. Ann Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women in receipt of a widow's pension have had their income entitlement reassessed in the last six months because of miscalculations by his Department relating to the former husband having contracted out of his state pension arrangements. [12117]

Mr. Heald: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Ann Taylor dated 26 January 1996:


Asylum Seekers

Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish (a) the current cost of providing social security payments to asylum seekers broken down by type of benefit, numbers of claimants and regional location and (b) any guidance or procedures issued which are currently in force on social security payments of any kind to asylum seekers. [12106]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The administration of income support 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. George Howarth, dated 26 January 1996:


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