§ Mr. Crouchasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to instruct health authorities to re-examine their proposals for capital expenditure in 1977–78 with a view to concentrating on items of essential health provision rather than apparently less essential schemes such as laundry buffer stores.
NUMBER OF PERSONS IN RECEIPT OF VARIOUS SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS Benefit in payment by virtue of Benefit Date Number of persons in receipt of benefit on date shown (Thousands) Unemployment … Unemployment benefit (with or without earnings-related supplement) only. 7th February 1977 447 Unemployment … Unemployment benefit (with or without earnings-related supplement) and supplementary benefit. 7th February 1977 138 Unemployment … supplementary benefit only 7th February 1977 560 Low earnings … Family Income Supplement January 1977 79 Retirement … Retirement pension only 26th November 1976 6,848 Retirement … Retirement pension and supplementary benefit. 26th November 1976 1,569 Retirement … Supplementary benefit only 26th November 1976 91 In addition, at 26th November 1976, 72,000 widows over pension age were in receipt of widow's benefit and a further 22,000 were in receipt of widow's benefit and supplementary benefit.