§ Mr. Oswaldasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total number of persons in Edinburgh at present in receipt of retirement pensions, and the number who are having such pensions supplemented by National Assistance; and what is the average amount of such supplementation.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithAs I have made clear in reply to a number of earlier Questions, statistics as to the number of retirement pensioners in particular areas, do not exist as payment of retirement pensions is arranged centrally. Nor, as I have also made clear, is it possible to state the average amount of National Assistance grants paid in any particular area. I am informed by the National Assistance Board that on 29th March, 1960, 7,665 weekly grants were being paid to retirement pensioners living in the area served by the Board's 77W offices in Edinburgh. This area extends considerably beyond the city boundaries. Some of the grants provided for a household with more than one pensioner.