asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has declined to meet representatives of the London borough of Newham to discuss the seriousness of the costs of fuel to those on social welfare benefits; whether he will reconsider this decision and agree to meet a deputation led by the three Members of Parliament for the London borough of Newham.
I should be pleased to meet the deputation proposed by the hon.
| Great Britain (Thousands) | ||||||
| Date | Receiving unemployment benefit only | Receiving unemployment benefit and supplementary allowance | Receiving supplementary allowance only | Not receiving any benefit | Total claimants | |
| 1979—February | … | 450 | 105 | 524 | 204 | 1,284 |
| May | … | 366 | 85 | 466 | 188 | 1,106 |
| November | … | 387 | 80 | 472 | 213 | 1,152 |
Source: 100 per cent. count of registered unemployed claimants.
Note: Non-recipients include persons whose entitlement to benefit had not been determined at the date of the count, those disqualified and those who had exhausted their benefit entitlement. Unlike the Gazette figures, they do not include those registered unemployed who do not claim benefit or credits.
Member. When I wrote to the chief executive of the London borough of Newham on 20 February, I explained the constraints on my right hon. Friend's and my time and asked that the borough let me have any views in writing.