§ 6. Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to reduce the number of persons dependent on supplementary benefits.
§ Mr. DeanOur proposals for the reconstruction of the national insurance scheme will he announced in due course.
§ Mr. MeacherWill the Minister accept that all the Government's policy initiatives so far have been essentially short-term and tactical reactions, and that what is needed for the future is a radical and major 1146 shift from means-tested awards, which nobody wants or likes, to benefit as of right in each category of social need? Will he also confirm that in increasing, as his policies will, the present 4 million who are subject to supplementary benefit he is consolidating two nations divided between stigma on one side and self-respect on the other?
§ Mr. DeanIf the hon. Gentleman is saying that we are bringing speedy help to those most in need, we gladly plead guilty. In the long term, the intention is that the national insurance scheme plus occupational schemes over and above that, in which people are encouraged to save for their retirement, will progressively over the years reduce the number of people who have to rely on supplementary benefit.
§ 21. Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average supplementary benefit paid to retirement pensioners to cover extra heating that, because of age or illness, they may require.
§ Mr. DeanI regret that this information is not available. The basic scale-rate covers normal heating needs. All supplementary pensioners receive the long-term addition of 50p a week which provides a margin for such things as extra heating. It is when this addition is insufficient to meet special heating needs that the Supplementary Benefits Commission allows extra benefit specifically for this purpose.
§ Mr. CoxWhile I thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply, is not it a fact that even when supplementary benefits are paid they are invariably totally inadequate to meet the extra heating costs that many elderly people face? The hon. Gentleman must know, as most hon. Members on both sides of the House do, many constituents who have to turn off their heating because they cannot afford to pay for it. Will not the hon. Gentleman, as a matter of urgency, ask his Department to look at this state of affairs again in the coming months so that a substantial increase can be made before the winter months commence?
§ Mr. DeanThe extra allowances for special needs have been improved recently, and, as the hon. Gentleman will know, the supplementary benefits rates are going up in September.