Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 1 July 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 1st July 1986.

Mr. Pike Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were in receipt of supplementary benefit in (a) the north-west region and (b) Burnley in 1979 and each subsequent year.

Mr. Major North-western region was formed in 1983 by the amalgamation of the former north-west (Manchester) and north-west (Merseyside) regions with parts of the former northern region. The table shows the number of people receiving supplementary benefit in (a) Burnley and (b) those offices which now form northwestern region.

Figures given show the position at 6 May 1986, the latest available, and at comparable dates for each of the years since 1979.

Year | Burnley | Region

1979 | 10,239 | 454,955
1980 | 10,156 | 458,474
1981 | 11,984 | 534,489
1982 | 14,345 | 628,573
1983 | 15,351 | 672,937
1984 | 16,167 | 713,229
1985 | 17,062 | 745,329
1986 | 16,579 | 762,492

Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.