HC Deb 26 October 1977 vol 936 cc717-8W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take the necessary action to obtain details of the number of foreign nationals who enter the United Kingdom for long and short periods of stay or on a permanent basis who are immediately granted social security payments on landing or within weeks, and the total amounts of such payments made.

Telephones £ Aids £ Adaptations £
Lowest … Berkshire … 13 Buckinghamshire … 5 West Sussex … 5
Lincolnshire … 15 Devon … 6 Solihull … 7
Bradford … 16 Calderdale … 7 Salop … 8
Leeds … 18 Dudley … 10 Croydon … 9
West Sussex … 18 Salop … 10 Cornwall … 10
Highest … Wandsworth … 505 Merton … 349 Wandsworth … 45
Greenwich … 365 Hillingdon … 228 Liverpool … 367
Manchester … 343 Lambeth … 158 Manchester … 348
Lewisham … 304 Wandsworth … 153 Hillingdon … 295
Camden … 301 Westminster … 149 Greenwich … 288

These figures are based on the figures of expenditure published jointly by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and the Society of County Treasurers. They are expressed as net expenditure in 1975–76 per 1,000 population at 30th June 1975, the most recent figures available. The CIPFA/ SCT publication does not include figures for the London Boroughs of Islington and Newham and the Metropolitan Districts of Bury, Sandwell and Wirral.

My hon. Friend will be aware that the figures have to be viewed with caution, both because provision for handicapped people cannot be measured solely by reference to services under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act and because there are important differences in need for services between one local authority service and another, due to demographic and other factors. Moreover, since the figures are for only one year they are not necessarily representative as there are changes in the level of expenditure by authorities from year to year.

Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) on what grounds he has decided to cease publicis

Mr. Orme

No. Supplementary benefit is available to everyone in Great Britain who can satisfy the conditions for its receipt, regardless of nationality; separate figures are not required for administrative purposes.