To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2008, Official Report, columns 145-46W, on income support: lone parents, if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) the letter sent to all lone parents that will be affected by the changes to the eligibility rules for income support coming into effect in November 2008, (b) a copy of the fact sheet for lone parents outlining the changes and (c) the leaflet and posters setting out the steps each lone parent should take; and if he will make a statement. (230234)

A copy of the October customer mailshot letter, the November customer mailshot letter and current copies of all three customer lone parent changes fact sheets, are now available and will be placed in the Library. The fact sheets are also available on the Jobcentre Plus website.

All three fact sheets are currently being revised in preparation for distribution from 24 November, copies of which will be available, along with copies of the leaflets and posters, in the Library by the end of November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2008, Official Report, columns 145-46W, on income support: lone parents, how many and what proportion of the lone parents who will be affected by the changes to the eligibility rules for income support coming into effect in November 2008 have been sent a letter outlining the effects that the changes may have on them, broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. (230236)

On 7 October, 97,950 letters were sent by mailshot to customers in Great Britain and to 5,057 customers in Wales, informing them of the introduction of quarterly work-focused interviews, and previously between 18 August and 22 September, a mailshot was sent to all 32,245 lone parents currently claiming disability premium, who may also be affected by the changes.

We will write to around 110,000 lone parents, with a youngest child aged 11 and over, across England, Scotland and Wales during week commencing 24 November telling them about the changes and how they may be affected.