To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many families in Northern Ireland were in receipt of (a) family credit and (b) income support in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.
The available information is as follows:
| 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | |
| (a) family credit | 1— | 214,507 | 314,909 |
| (b) income support 4 | 556,982 | 651,500 | n.y.a. |
| 1 Family credit was introduced in April 1988. | |||
| 2 As at December 1988. | |||
| 3As at December 1989. | |||
| 4Source: 5 per cent, sample. | |||
| 5As at May 1987. | |||
| 6As at May 1988. | |||
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to the number of families in Northern Ireland who have claimed family credit; what estimate he has as to what proportion of those eligible this represents; and what proposals he has for improving take-up.
The number of families receiving family credit at 21 February 1990 was 14,699. No reliable estimate of the eligible family credit population in Northern Ireland is available, but the position on take-up is being monitored and further publicity to improve it will be arranged as necessary.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of time taken to process claims for family credit in Northern Ireland local social security offices.
Family credit is administered centrally by family credit branch, DHSS, and the average time taken to process claims is 14 days for claims by employed persons and 23 days for claims by self-employed persons.