§ 74. Mr. Jannerasked the Minister of National Insurance whether he will take steps to increase the amounts paid to non-contributory old age pensioners, contributory old age pensions and those in receipt of National Assistance, to cover the extra costs involved in dearer coal, in so far as they affect fuel, gas and electricity.
§ Mr. PeakeNo. These amounts are fixed by Acts of Parliament and in the last case by Regulations submitted by the National Assistance Board and affirmatively approved by Parliament, and I have no power to alter them.
§ 75. Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister of National Insurance how many people in the Birmingham area received National Assistance payments in the latest convenient week; and how far this figure shows an increase over that for a similar week in 1952 and 1951.
§ Mr. PeakeAt 27th January, 1953, in the territory administered from the Board's offices in Birmingham, 29,720 regular weekly payments of National Assistance were being made; in the corresponding week of 1952, the number was 24,908 and in the same week of 1951 the number was 22,573.