§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of charges imposed by the London Rubber Company for its products; and what policy he intends to 455W adopt regarding contracts he expects to place with this company following the coming into operation of the National Health Service Reorganisation Bill.
§ Sir K. JosephI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 12th July.—[Vol. 859, c.430–1.]
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the virtual absence of competition in the supply of contraceptives, he will take steps to nationalise the appropriate concerns.
§ Sir K. JosephNo.
Statistical Period Claims Renewed Further Benefit Refused 24th September 1969 to 23rd December 1969 … … … 1, 063 543 24th December 1969 to 24th March 1970 … … … 1, 297 536 25th March 1970 to 23rd June 1970 … … … 1, 033 571 24th June 1970 to 22nd September 1970 … … … 857 418 23rd September 1970 to 15th December 1970* … … … 1, 020 398 16th December 1970 to 23rd March 1971 … … … 1, 983 569 24th March 1971 to 22nd June 1971 … … … 1, 742 487 23rd June 1971 to 21st September 1971 … … … 1, 464 379 22nd September 1971 to 14th December 1971 … … … 1, 290 198 15th December 1971 to 21st March 1972 … … … 1, 098 88 22nd March 1972 to 20th June 1972 … … … 55 20 21st June 1972 to 19th September 1972 … … … 325 110 20th September 1972 to 12th December 1972 … … … 393 105 13th December 1972 to 20th March 1973 … … … 351 78 21st March 1973 to 15th May 1973 … … … 76 32 Total … … … 14, 047 4, 532 *Since 18th November 1970 no record has been kept of the number of renewal claims or the number of refusals to extend benefit following limitation of an allowance after it has been in payment for three months.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, for each quarter year period since September 1972, how many unemployed supplementary benefit claimants were granted a limited four-week award at the outset of their claim; how many of these renewed their claim after four weeks, and how many of the latter had their renewal claim rejected; and how many initially subject to the
456W
Appeals to Tribunals Statistical Period Total Claimant Successful 23rd August 1972 to 19th September 1972 (4 weeks) … … Nil Nil 20th September 1972 to 24th October 1972 (5 weeks) … … 13 2 25th October 1972 to 21st November 1972 (4 weeks) … … 10 Nil 22nd November 1972 to 12th December 1972 (3 weeks) … … 15 2 13th December 1972 to 23rd January 1973 (6 weeks) … … 13 2 24th January 1973 to 20th February 1973 (4 weeks) … … 12 1 21st February 1973 to 20th March 1973 (4 weeks) … … … 6 3 21st March 1973 to 17th April 1973 (4 weeks) … … … Nil Nil 18th April 1973 to 15th May 1973 (4 weeks) … … … 2 Nil