§ 8. Mr. G. Campbellasked the Minister of Social Security if she is aware of the setback suffered by certain retirement 61 pensioners in Scotland by the recent withdrawal by some local authorities of relief granted under the 1925 and 1947 Local Government Acts as a result of the Rating Act, 1966; and what steps she proposes to take, to alleviate their situation.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Social Security (Mr. Norman Pentland)Yes, Sir. But as rate relief was usually disregarded for supplementary pension purposes, supplementary pension cannot be increased when relief is withdrawn. In some cases, however, where the rate relief was withdrawn at short notice and claimants had been relying on it to buy items such as clothing and bedding, the Supplementary Benefits Commission has given some extra help.
§ Mr. CampbellDoes the Parliamentary Secretary realise that the loss of relief has materially affected the incomes of some pensioners? Will he or his right hon. Friend, together with the Secretary of State for Scotland, urgently investigate this anomaly that seems to have arisen?
§ Mr. PentlandThis is a question fundamentally for local authorities in Scotland, and, as the hon. Gentleman will be aware, my Department has no control over the actions of local authorities.