§ Mr. Scottasked the Minister of Social Security what increase or decrease in supplementary benefit rates she estimates to be involved in restoring the real purchasing power of these rates as at October, 1964; and whether her calculations have taken into account the rise in electricity prices.
§ Mr. PentlandThe present basic scale rates of supplementary benefit, for married couples and single householders respectively, are approximately £ 1 6s. 3d. and 16s. 3d. (23 per cent.) higher than would be necessary merely to restore their purchasing power to the level of October, 1964. These figures take no account of the long-term addition of 9s. a week, introduced last year, which is payable in roughly 80 per cent. of cases. The calculations do, however, take account of the expected effect of the rise in electricity prices.