§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the number of wage-stopped claimants in Wales for each year since 1948, and the average deduction of benefit made.
§ Mr. Alec Jones:Estimates of average deductions in Wales are available only from 1972. For that year there were just over 1,000 wage-stopped cases and in 1973 some 700. The average deduction during this period was about £1.50 a week.
§ Mrs. Bainasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report the number of wage-stopped claimants in Scotland for each year since 1948; and if she will give the average deduction of benefit made.
§ Mr. Alec Jones:Estimates of average deductions in Scotland are available only from 1972. For that year there were some 6.000 wage-stopped cases and in 1973 just over 3,000. The average deduction during this period was about £2 a week.
Mr. Owendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants were subject to the wage stop prior to the introduction of the national rent rebate scheme; and how many have been so affected after its introduction.
339W
§ Mr. Alec Jones:On 22nd August 1972, when a count was made, approximately 10,500 claimants were subject to the wage stop. The rebate scheme was introduced in October 1972, but I regret that no information is available as to the actual numbers of wage stopped claimants affected by it.
§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit claimants were subject to the wage stop prior to the introduction of National Joint Council Minimum Earnings Guarantee Scheme ; and how many have been so affected after its introduction.
§ Mr. Alec Jones:On 14th August 1973, when a count was taken, some 4,500 claimants were wage-stopped at the National Joint Council basic rates. The Supplementary Benefits Commission introduced the NJC minimum earnings guarantee rate in November 1973 but because of other factors it is not possible to say how many were directly affected by its introduction.
§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit assessments subject to the wage stop have been reviewed in the light of increased rent and rate rebates in the London and the Southern Region; and how many have not yet been reviewed.
§ Mr. Alec Jones:When rent and rates needs allowances are increased the supplementary benefit assessments of rent and rate payers who are subject to the wage stop are automatically reviewed. The last occasion when needs allowances were increased was 30th September 1974 and assessments affected by the wage stop were reviewed at that time. If my hon. Friend has any case of difficulty in mind I shall be glad to receive details from him.
§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many supplementary benefit assessments subject to the wage stop are assessed by reference to National Joint Council rates; and how many are assessed by other criteria.
§ Mr. Alec Jones:Of the estimated 8,000 claimants subject to the wage stop in 340W November 1974 about 6,000 were wage-stopped by reference to the National Joint Council rates. The remainder were wage-stopped on their known or individually-estimated earning potential.