§ Mr. Geoffrey Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, whether he will introduce legislation to give discretion to his officers, subject to suitable maxima, to ensure that where earnings have been reduced by circumstances outside the control of a recipient of benefit, there should be no reduction in a recipient's total income, even though part of that income was formerly disregarded for purposes of calculation of benefit.
§ Mr. EnnalsNo. In calculating supplementary benefit, part-time earnings and certain items can be disregarded within specified limits. But there are many people who can derive no advantage from disregards—for example because they are too ill to work at all. A person receiving supplementary benefit who ceases to have part-time earnings is therefore in no different position from people who have never had such earnings since receiving benefit and it would be inequitable to make special provision for him.