§ Mr. Pattieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of raising the supplementary benefit earnings disregard to £10, £12 and £15, respectively.
§ Mr. OrmeOn the assumption that all the existing disregard levels were raised to the figures suggested, the annual cost would be of the order of £15 million, £18 million and £22 million, respectively, for existing claimants. There would be an unknown additional cost for people attracted on to benefit.