§ 31. Mr. W. T. Williamsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of special discretionary allowances paid by the National Assistance Board to persons in receipt of National Assistance, and what was the total and the average payment made, and in respect of what special needs, at the last convenient date in the London area.
§ Mr. PeakeThe latest information at present available is based on a sample examination made towards the end of last year, when it was estimated that 621,000 assistance allowances included discretionary additions to provide for special circumstances, at an annual cost of over £8½ million. The Board regret that figures are not available for particular areas.
§ Mr. WilliamsIs the Minister aware that almost all hon. Members can give him endless examples of people who come to them, at constituency "clinics" and on other occasions, with stories of very real hardship? Is the Minister also aware that, when questioned, many of those people say that when it comes to occasions of real hardship the officers of the Board exercise their discretion with extreme strictness, if not harshness? [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Will the Minister attempt to gather up the figures, both of the amounts which have been given and the matters on which discretion is refused, in order that he may, from the samples taken, discover the real extent of the hardship which exists among people who are granted National Assistance, but find it impossible to make provision for any unusual expense without further help from the National Assistance Board?
§ Mr. PeakeThe statistical information available shows that there has been no restriction. On the contrary, the Board has been granting discretionary additions more freely, both in spirit and amount, for every year which has gone by.