§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total annual cost of administration in (a) Wales and (b) Great Britain of each of the following social service benefits: retirement pension, invalidity pension, family allowances, family income supplement, and supplementary benefit; and if she will express the administrative cost in each case as a percentage of total annual spending on each benefit.
§ Mr. Alec Jones:It is not possible to provide the information in the precise form requested, but such information as is available is set out below. The costs of administration in respect of Wales are not available, and are assumed in the following table to bear the same proportion to benefit expenditure in Wales as administrative costs for Great Britain bear to benefit expenditure in Great Britain.
§ Mr. Alfred Morris:The legislation which will be needed to provide for the new mobility allowance is now under preparation and will be brought forward as soon as possible. Our priority must, of course, be to make mobility allowance available to non-drivers and drivers alike who satisfy criteria broadly akin to the medical criteria of the present vehicle scheme.