To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons aged 16 and 17 years respectively, for each month since October 1989, have made applications for income support on grounds of extreme hardship; how many have been (a) granted or (b) refused; what is the best estimate he has of the number of persons aged 16 and 17 years respectively in that period who had been granted income support on the grounds of being within an exempted category; and if he will make a statement.

Social security operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. Alex Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies of his reply will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.