andMr. Horgan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state, in respect of each month from January to October for 1977, and 1978, the total number of persons disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance; and the number of such persons as a percentage of those receiving unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance each month.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
483.
Statistics are not kept of the number of persons disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance.
484.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when it is proposed to issue the social insurance contributory widow's pension to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and when the application was first received.
: An award of widow's contributory pension at the maximum rate of £19.50, which includes an allowance for one child dependant, was made to the person concerned and a pension order book has now been issued to her. The application for the pension was received on 26 September 1978.
485.
Mrs. Desmond
andMr. Kerrigan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, with a view to cushioning some of the impact of rising prices on the recipients of social welfare pensions, benefits and allowances, he will authorise double payments in respect of these for Christmas week.
I have no proposals for payments of the nature suggested. As I indicated in reply to questions on 25 October the increase in social welfare payments in April last was designed to compensate beneficiaries for the position over the year taken as a whole and was such as to provide a real increase in that context.
486.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of letters issued to recipients of unemployment assistance, in each of the past three months, indicating to them that their entitlement to unemployment assistance was under review and that consideration of their continued entitlement would be contingent on their furnishing documentary evidence from employers that they were seeking employment; and if he will give corresponding figures for 1977 and 1976.
The number of such letters issued to recipients of unemployment assistance in the past three months is estimated to be 800 of which 190 were issued in September and 610 in October of this year. Data is not available on the number of such requests issued to recipients in any previous periods although the number is not likely to have been significant.
487.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of refusals, in each of the last three months, for applications for (a) unemployment benefit; (b) unemployment assistance, and (c) disability benefit; and if he will give corresponding figures for 1977 and 1976.
Statistics of the kind requested by the Deputy are not kept by my Department.
488.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of appeals against disallowance of (a) unemployment benefit, (b) unemployment assistance, and (c) disability benefit, in the past six months; the number of such appeals (a) upheld, and (b) rejected, for 1976 and 1977; and the corresponding figures in the past six months.
The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
Unemployment Benefit
|
Period |
Appeals Decided |
Number upheld |
Number rejected |
|
1976 |
6,982 |
3,432 |
3,550 |
|
1977 |
7,554 |
3,440 |
4,114 |
|
April to September |
|||
|
1978 |
3,524 |
1,347 |
2,177 |
Unemployment Assistance
|
Period |
Appeals Decided |
Number upheld |
Number rejected |
|
1976 |
2,663 |
1,102 |
1,561 |
|
1977 |
2,882 |
1,292 |
1,590 |
|
April to September |
|||
|
1978 |
1,417 |
637 |
780 |
Disability Benefit
|
Period |
Appeals Decided |
Number upheld |
Number rejected |
|
1976 |
911 |
313 |
598 |
|
1977 |
2,233 |
684 |
1,549 |
|
April to |
|||
|
September |
|||
|
1978 |
683 |
138 |
545 |
The above figures relate to all appeals in the periods in question against decisions of deciding officers which refused, reduced or awarded payment at less than maximum entitlements.
489.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the specific amount of Exchequer expenditure provided in the 1978 budget for the new scheme of unemployment assistance for certain single women and widows; and the amount expended to date.
The amount of Exchequer expenditure provided in the 1978 budget for the removal of the special conditions which applied to single women and widows for entitlement to unemployment assistance was £1.6 million in 1978. This was in relation to an expected increase of 14,000 in the number of recipients. The number applying so far has been less than expected and it is now estimated that expenditure this year will not exceed £310,000. Data is not available on the amount expended to date.
490.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a noncontributory old age pension book has not been returned to a person (details supplied) in County Offaly.
The pension book was recalled from the person concerned for adjustment following an appeals officer's decision increasing the pension to the maximum rate. A pension order book at that rate effective from 6 October 1978 was issued on 1 November 1978 and payable orders for arrears issued on 3 and 6 November. I regret the delay which occured in making the necessary adjustments.