§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much is currently being spent by the Department on research into matters directly relating to supplementary benefits and into other matters falling within the Department's purview; and, in both cases, what are the subjects currently under research.
§ Sir K. JosephThe current annual expenditure on social security research by the Department and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys on the Department's behalf is about £325,000. Within this, the expenditure directly relating to supplementary benefits cannot be distinguished, but the subjects involve the sick and disabled, the unemployed, one-parent families, homeless persons and appeal tribunals. Current annual expenditure on other research as a whole is about £13 million. The scope and range of activities are described in "Portfolio for Health", published by the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust for the Department in July, 1971.