§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has at the latest available date of the number of people receiving some form of social security benefit or assistance; and how this figure compares with a comparable date in 1970 and 1960.
§ Mr. DeakinsInformation is not available in the form requested, but the total number of benefits and allowances—including national insurance benefits, supplementary benefit, industrial injuries benefit, war pensions, family income supplement and family allowances—which, on average, were being paid in any week in the years specified is set out below. Since many people receive more than one payment, the total number of1160W beneficiaries is much less than the total number of benefits and allowances.
Year Average number of benefits in payment (millions) 1960 … 131/2 1970 … 17 1975 … 181/2