§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many recipients of supplementary benefit took up places with rehabilitation centres in each of the years 1970 to 1975; and how many were offered such places.
§ Mr. O'MalleyI assume the Question refers to the Supplementary Benefits Commission's re-establishment centres. The numbers of men commencing courses at these centres during the years in question were:
1970 … … … … 2,308 1971 … … … … 2,173 1972 … … … … 2,232 1973 … … … … 2,005 1974 … … … … 2,019 1975 … … … … 2,043 Information regarding the number offered places is not available, but following are the numbers of men who found 185W work shortly after being placed on waiting lists or receiving an invitation to attend:
1970 … … … … not available 1971 … … … … 745 1972 … … … … 882 1973 … … … … 1,459 1974 … … … … 1,322 1975 … … … … 817
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases in each year from 1970 to 1975 the payment of supplementary benefit was stopped by the Supplementary Benefit Appeals Tribunal because the claimant had refused to take up a place at a rehabilitation centre.
§ Mr. O'MalleyWhile directions under Section 12(1) of the Supplementary Benefit Act 1966 are made by appeal tribunals it is for the Supplementary Benefits Commission to decide whether payment of benefit should be stopped in any case where a claimant refuses to take up a place. Such cases are few and the recording of the precise information requested was discontinued in 1973. Earlier figures were:
Year Number of Allowances withdrawn 1970 … … … 44 1971 … … … 33 1972 … … … 43