HC Deb 06 February 1967 vol 740 cc1088-9
10. Dame Joan Vickers

asked the Minister of Social Security how many women are in receipt of benefit as a result of being deserted by their husbands; and what is the total expenditure for the years 1964, 1965 and 1966.

Mr. Loughlin

The latest estimate is that in November, 1965 there were about 104,000 separated women receiving regular weekly payments of National Assistance. The number who had been deserted by their husbands is not known. At that time the net yearly rate of expenditure was about £25 million; it was £21 million in 1964.

Dame Joan Vickers

May I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he will consider keeping a separate list of women who are deserted? I think that this is very important. What real effort does his office make to trace husbands once there has been a court order against them?

Mr. Loughlin

Trying to trace them does present problems, but we do everything that we can. I shall bear in mind the hon. Lady's suggestion about trying to separate the figures, but even this is difficult.

Mr. Crawshaw

As many of these people persistently desert their wives and children and leave them as a charge on local funds, can my hon. Friend say whether he has had any negotiations with other Departments to have insurance cards stamped to this effect so that when a person moves to another exchange some central registry can be notified of the new address?

Mr. Loughlin

The difficulty is that of ensuring that the stamped cards will be carried on, because, as my hon. Friend knows, if a person loses his insurance card he can go to any of a number of offices and secure a copy card. Consequently, it would be very difficult to operate a system of this kind. I assure my hon. Friend that we have great sympathy with those affected. We do whatever we can to assist, but, beyond that, I do not think that there is anything that we can do.

Miss Pike

The hon. Gentleman said that everything possible is done. Can he give one concrete example of what is being done to find these people?

Mr. Loughlin

We attempt to trace the husbands, because, as the hon. Lady knows, in many instances we collect the allowance for the wife and ensure that she is paid by us.