§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number of single people and families who have incomes below supplementary benefit level but are not entitled to claim supplementary benefit; and what are the disqualifying factors.
§ Mr. OrmeThe main disqualifying factor would be that the person or head of family was in full-time work. On the basis of information from the 1974 Family Expenditure Survey there were 130,000 such persons and families. Persons who, the information suggests, are fit for em-1168W ployment but are not seeking it are excluded from estimates of those with an unclaimed title to supplementary benefit. The numbers of such persons are not immediately available but I will write to my hon. Friend when they are to hand.
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number of single people and families who would be entitled to supplementary benefit, but do not claim it.
§ Mr. OrmeI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) on 28th June 1976—[Vol. 914, c.70].