§ 2.50 p.m.
§ THE PAYMASTER GENERAL, (THE EARL OF SELKIRK) rose to move, That the Draft National Assistance (Determination of Need) Amendment Regulations, 1955, he approved. The noble Earl said: My Lords, these Regulations were made under Sections 5 and 6 of the National Assistance Act, 1948. They arise from recommendations made to the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance by the National Assistance Board, and require the Affirmative Resolution of both Houses of Parliament in order to bring them into force. What these Regulations do is, I think, fairly well known from statements in the Press, and in any case it can be very clearly seen from the Explanatory Memorandum. Broadly, they show an increase of 4s. 0d. in the ordinary scale for a married couple, and a rather larger increase for persons who are blind or undergoing special treatment for tuberculosis. Corresponding increases are made throughout the scale.
§ This increase becomes necessary on account of the increase in retail prices since the previous scale was brought into force in February of this year, and it brings the general level of the scales of assistance rather above that set in 1948. It is important to remember that these scales are, in a sense, a guide to officers of the National Assistance Board, and 182 they can be supplemented in certain circumstances. They can be supplemented for full payment of rent, where that rent is not excessive and is not shared by persons not in receipt of assistance. Secondly, the Board have general discretionary power to adjust allowances to meet special circumstances. In particular, this covers such things as special diets, domestic help and laundry charges. In practice, two out of every five persons in receipt of allowances receive some such additional payment—that is to say, some 600,000 out of 1.600.000 cases who are in receipt of assistance. These additional! discretionary allowances are costing about £9 million a year.
§ I think it is also proper to recognise that in paying allowances there is a considerable area within which the resources of the recipient are wholly or partly disregarded. The terms in which the disregards can be made are laid down in the 1948 Act and, of course, are not altered by these Regulations. But it may he of interest to the House to know that the total disregards in capital amount to £40 million and the total income which is disregarded amounts to £8 million a year.
§ These new rates will come into force on the 23rd January next. It is obvious that a considerable task falls on the Board in making adjustments to the 1,600,000 recipients of allowances, nearly all of whom will require new books; and further, it is of the utmost importance that this should be done without making a mistake. Even a very small error for the people who are in need of this type of assistance can be of a very serious character. The estimated cost of these increases amounts to £12½ million in a full year.
§ It is, I think, of interest to note that in the last twelve months the numbers in receipt of some form of National Assistance have fallen by 300,000. Some increases in numbers must, however, be expected when the new scales come into operation. I think it is a matter of very real satisfaction to all of us in the House that, from the information we are able to glean from all over the country, it appears that the Board have succeeded uniformly in carrying out their very difficult task with understanding and with sympathy for the special problems of those with whom they come in contact. I beg to move.
183§ Moved, That the Draft National Assistance (Determination of Need) Amendment Regulations, 1955, reported from the Special Orders Committee yesterday, be approved.—(The Earl of Selkirk.)
§ 2.54 p.m.
§ LORD SILKINMy Lords, this House will, of course, approve these Regulations, They are an improvement on the existing 'scales, and we are most grateful for the noble Earl's careful explanation of the Regulations—or, perhaps I should say, of the Explanatory Memorandum which accompanies them. At any rate, we understand them, and in so far as we do, we are grateful for them. There are two points that I should like to make. The first is that it seems a pity that these improvements cannot take effect before Christmas. I gather that they do not take effect until January 23. Is it not possible to bring them in to operation at once? They are not being introduced except on the basis that they are necessary to cover the increased cost of living. If that is so, this is the time of the year when it would be particularly gracious to introduce the improvements at once. My other point is: did I understand the noble Earl to say that there are 300,000 people fewer on National Assistance than there were some time ago?
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKTwelve months ago.
§ LORD SILKINCan the noble Earl tell us how many people are in receipt of National Assistance at the present time? In these days, when we understand that the conditions of the people are so satisfactory and the standard of living is so high, it seems odd that such large numbers of people need to have recourse to Public Assistance. Subject to those observations, we approve these Regulations and only hope that it will be possible to bring them into effect earlier than January 23.
§ 2.56 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Silkin, for welcoming these Regulations. I gave the figure of 1.600,000 people who are at the present time in receipt of National Assistance. Of course, this total is comprised largely of older people who, for one reason or another, have not been able to make proper provision for their old 184 age. In regard to the other point, I wonder whether it is properly appreciated just what is involved in a change of this character. I am informed that the greater number of these 1,600,000 people will require new books. Each of those books must be prepared by hand. They vary both in regard to the amount of the payment and the date on which payment is to be made. Each book has to be made up separately by somebody or other at some stage. I believe it to be not practicable to make an alteration on a scale of this sort in shorter time. It may be pointed out that this change is taking at least no longer than any earlier changes. I do not think it practicable to do it more quickly without running the risk of inaccuracy, a matter about which I spoke earlier. The noble Lord may have in mind that the Board could have taken their decision at an earlier date. All I can say is that the Board have to take into consideration the level of retail prices at a certain time, and as soon as the figures for October were available they made their decision. In those circumstances, nice as it would be to be able to do what the noble Lord has suggested, I do not think that it is a practicable course.
§ LORD WISEMy Lords, before the Question is put, may I ask the noble Earl one question in regard to the supplementary allowances which are made and to which he referred? Could he tell us whether there is any latitude given to local officers to make these additional allowances, or do the people concerned have to come before the Board? I have found that on several occasions local officers have not been able to increase what they called the limit or the upper scale, and it seems that hardship is caused by the fact that local applicants for assistance are not able to obtain these little extras to which the noble Earl referred. I hope, therefore, that a larger degree of latitude may be given to those who are operating the regulations locally.
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, I am afraid I must ask the leave of the House if I am to speak again. I think the best answer I can give to the noble Lord is this. Will he please let me, or the Minister, know of any specific case which he has in mind, because from the information I have it appears that the noble Lord's point is not well founded. I understand that the local officers of the 185 Board have ample power to make a decision in such a ca3e as the noble Lord mentioned when it appears to them necessary to do so. I understand that in the other place there was some reference to a similar point. I am informed, in fact, that that reference was not well founded in general circumstances. If there is a particular case that the noble Lord has in mind I think it would be better if he would let me or the Minister know about it; but in general, I do not think the criticism he is making is at all justified.
§ LORD WISEIf I may reply to the noble Earl, it has been brought to my notice, and I have found it to happen in such cases, that the local officers have been bound by the regulations and cannot exceed the figures laid down. That situation has come to my notice once or twice. I have no knowledge of what happened in the other place but I thought that, as the point ha; arisen, it should be ventilated here.
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, I am afraid that I have nothing further to add. If the noble Lord will give a specific case we shall be glad to go into it.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.