§ 14. Mr. Raceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons in the United Kingdom were in receipt of supplementary allowance, excluding supplementary pensioners, in (a) May 1979 and (b) the most recent month for which figures are available.
§ Mr. NewtonThere were 2.52 million people in the United Kingdom receiving supplementary allowances in August 1982, the latest available date, compared with 1.22 million in May 1979.
§ Mr. RaceDoes the Minister realise that the doubling of the numbers of persons receiving supplementary allowance means that mass unemployment equals mass poverty in this country? Why does he not do something about getting people off supplementary allowance and back to work, and talk to his right hon. Friends in the Cabinet about pursuing a policy that will get rid not only of mass unemployment but of the largest number of people that we have ever had in poverty in Britain for the past 40 years?
§ Mr. NewtonThe first requirement for getting people back to work is to restore the strength and stability of the British economy, and the first requirement for doing that has been to restrain the rate of inflation and reduce interest rates. That is the progress that we are making.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettWill the Minister confirm that those on supplementary allowance made their contribution to the £1.5 billion savings that the Government have made since 1979? Will he tell the 152 Chancellor of the Exchequer that before he introduces a giveaway Budget he should restore all those cuts to these groups of people as a first priority?
§ Mr. NewtonFrankly, I am not sure what the hon. Gentleman means. The scale rates of supplementary benefit have been fully protected against inflation. Indeed, the scale rates for some of those on supplementary benefit have been substantially increased.