§ 72. Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total number of persons in receipt of National Assistance as at the latest available date; how this compares with the position at the end of December, 1952; and how many are retirement pensioners or other categories of insured persons.
§ Mr. PeakeAt 29th September, 1953, regular weekly grants of National Assistance were being paid to 1,713,197 persons, of whom 1,191,839 had retirement pensions or other National Insurance benefits. The comparable figures at 16th December, 1952, were 1,667,078 and 1,147,870.