§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why non-contributory benefits have been fixed at 60 per cent. of contributory benefits; and what opinion surveys have been carried out by her Department, or others, to determine what the public think about giving non-contributory benefits to the disabled and the level at which these benefits should be.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisI would refer my hon. Friend to Social Security Provision for Chronically Sick and Disabled People, HC Paper 276, (printed 31st July 1974) paragraphs 40 and 56 and also to the exchanges in Standing Committee B on the Social Security Benefits Bill, in which he joined with other hon. Members in raising this point on 10th December 1974. An opinion poll sponsored by Action
THE WORKING STATUS OF HANDICAPPED AND IMPAIRED MEN AND WOMEN IN TWO AGE GROUPS, UNDERAND OVER AGE 65* Working status Men aged 65 and over Women aged 65 and over Men and women aged 65 and over Men aged 16–64 Women aged 16–64 Men and women aged 16–64 Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Working, attending an occupation centre, or off sick temporarily† 7 2 4 67 26 47 Unemployed, housewife, retired, or permanently disabled 93 98 96 33 74 53 100 100 100 100 100 100 * Pensionable age is 65 for a man and 60 for a woman, but the OPCS Table does not allow this further breakdown to be made. † Includes those who do not know whether they are permanently to temporarily disabled.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish the latest figures for the number of handicapped or impaired people who do not get supplementary benefit but would be entitled to it; how many of
510WResearch for the Crippled Child was carried out among a thousand people over a few days in September 1974. This included questions touching on a wide variety of topics, including whether people who had paid contributions "should receive more money when disabled?". The majority of those questioned answered "No"; but the considerations set out in the House of Commons Paper, and subsequently enlarged on before the proposals were accepted by Parliament, were not included in the questions asked.—[Standing Committee "B", c. 143–61.]