§ Mr. Ron Lewisasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people are on National Assistance in the Carlisle area; what is the average payment being made; and what steps she intends to take to reduce these numbers.
§ Mr. PentlandIn the area served by the Carlisle office of the National4W Assistance Board, which extends well outside the County Borough of Carlisle, there were 5,531 weekly national assistance allowances current at the end of May, 1965. Some of the allowances catered for the needs of more than one person. Information about the average weekly allowance being paid in particular localities is not available; at the middle of May, 1965, the figure for Great Britain as a whole was 40s. 4d. and for the Board's Northern Region it was 42s. 8d. As regards the last part of the question, I cannot add to what has already been said about the Income Guarantee scheme.