§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the number of applications from: (a) single people and (b) couples, by region, for supplementary benefit exceptional needs allowance in each of the past three years for which figures are available; how many of these have been for furniture and furnishings; how many have been approved; and how many have been refused in each category.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe total number of exceptional needs payments granted were as follows:
801WThe most recent information on the number of exceptional needs payments for furniture and furnishings is contained in Table 7.4 of the Supplementary Benefits Commission Annual Report 1976—Cmnd. 6910. I regret that the other information requested is not available.
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will tabulate in the Official Report the supplementary benefit level (a) including average rent addition, and (b) excluding average rent addition, for (i) a single pensioner and (ii) a married pensioner couple, in 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965 and each year since 1970, including the forthcoming increase in November 1978, expressed both in actual money terms and also in terms of present money equivalents.
§ Mr. DeakinsI will do so when the information has been assembled.
§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average amount of supplementary benefit paid to those people over the age of 75 years in the financial year 1977–78.
§ Mr. Arthur Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average amount of supplementary benefit paid to those people over the age of 75 years in the financial year 1977–78.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe latest information relates to December 1976 when the average amount was £5.96 a week.
Less than 1 month 1 to 6 months Urgent Non-urgent Urgent Non-urgent 6 months to 1 year 1 to 2 years Over 2 years Total General Medicine … … None None None None None None None None Paediatrics … … … None 6 None None None None None 6 Geriatrics … … … 7 14 6 8 10 1 None 46 General Surgery … … 106 369 234 1,279 983 1,098 1,073 5,142 E.N.T. (tonsils and adenoids) … … … 1 71 None 241 107 88 28 536 E.N.T. (other) … … 1 175 3 322 86 48 17 652 Ophthalmology … … None 26 None 102 26 19 23 196 Trauma and Orthopaedics … 37 151 70 365 344 297 253 1,517 Urology … … … 4 17 15 65 128 139 126 494 Dental Surgery … … 34 9 57 73 62 77 86 398 Gynaecology … … 14 296 3 631 334 266 127 1,671 Mental Illness … … 2 26 13 10 37 30 29 147 Mental Handicap … … None None 1 9 20 16 42 88