§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin), Official Report, 20th June, column 163, and the reply of the Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Eccles, Official Report, 8th November 1977, column 52, he will clarify the entitlement to supplementary benefit of severely handicapped young persons over the age of 16 years who are still in full-time education; how many he estimates are currently receiving supplementary benefit; and if he will make a further statement.
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§ Mr.Alfred MorrisThe reply to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin), on 20th June related to reports about fraudulent claims to benefit by able-bodied schoolchildren. It was not concerned with severely handicapped students. The conditions under which such students can receive supplementary benefit are as described in the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 8th November, 1977. The most recent information about numbers is that given in the Report of the Warnock Committee which quotes an estimate that, in 1976, about 700 handicapped young people aged between 16 and 19 were receiving supplementary benefit while continuing at school or engaged in further education.—[Vol. 952, c.163; Vol. 938, c. 52.]