§ 6. Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on her policy for ensuring that children in families on supplementary benefit are provided with all their requirements in school clothing including physical education and games kit.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Mr. Michael Meacher)Supplementary benefit scale rates are regarded as covering all normal needs including the normal repair and replacement of clothing and footwear. The Supplementary Benefits Commission will consider the award of a lump sum payment for essential items of clothing and footwear where there is an exceptional need but does not provide for distinctive school uniforms, physical education or games kit, in respect of which local education authorities have power to assist.
§ Mr. NewensIs my hon. Friend aware that many applications by families in need in respect of school clothing have been referred from education welfare to supplementary benefit offices where a family is on supplementary benefit? Subsequently applications for games and physical education equipment have been refused. In those circumstances the chil- 312 dren concerned are deprived of the opportunity of being supplied with the necessary physical education and games kit to carry out part of the normal timetable at school. Is not this a scandal which would create very serious difficulties for such children in the sense that they would by comparison be deprived? Will my hon. Friend ensure that instructions are given to the Supplementary Benefits Commission in cases of this sort to ensure that physical education and games equipment is provided?
§ Mr. MeacherI accept that there is clearly a degree of confusion about responsibility here, but the responsibility is very much one of the Department of Education and Science. It has responsibilities under the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1948 to provide necessary clothing and, specifically, clothing for physical recreation and training. It also has powers under the Education Act 1944 to provide for distinctive clothing like school uniform.
A principle has to be taken into account here. We do not want two standards of service, one as provided by the Supplementary Benefits Commission for supplementary benefit recipients and the other for low wage earners who may be no better off than many supplementary benefits recipients but whom the commission cannot help. Since that group must be the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science, it is right that others should be as well. There are examples where local education authorities have accepted this responsibility in fields parallel to this, for example in the waiving of home help charges for supplementary benefit recipients.