§ 74. Mr. Mikardoasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance by how much the total of the supplementary grants paid by the Reading Office of the National Assistance Board to retirement pensioners has been increased since the Rent Act, 1957, came into operation.
§ Miss PittThe information asked for is not available, but the National Assistance Board informs me that in the area served by one of the Board's Reading offices, which covers both the County Borough of Reading and some other116W districts, it is calculated on the basis of the data available that about 1,200 weekly, National Assistance grants have been increased to provide for rent increases under the Rent Act. No separate figures are available for retirement pensioners, nor are figures available for increases made in the period mentioned in respect of rent increases unconnected with the Rent Act. The figures given are cumulative and I cannot say how many are still in payment. Their average amount is 7s. 4d.
§ 75. Mr. Mikardoasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many retirement pensioners there are in the area covered by his Reading Office; and how many of these are receiving supplementary grants from the National Assistance Board.
§ Miss PittStatistics relating to the numbers of retirement pensioners are not available for particular areas. As regards the second part of the Question, however, I am informed by the National Assistance Board that in the area served by the Board's office in Reading which covers the whole of Reading County Borough and some territory beyond it, 2,651 retirement pensioners were receiving weekly National Assistance grants on 16th December, 1958. Some of the grants provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why, in view of the fact that figures are available to show that the number of weekly National Assistance grants on 25th June, 1957, was 1,668,000, it is not possible to give the total amount of the financial grants made to these claimants.
§ Miss PittBecause, as I told the hon. Member in a Written Answer on 9th February, 1959, information about total expenditure on National Assistance is not available for weekly periods.