HC Deb 20 June 1979 vol 968 c596W
Mr. Chris Patten

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will set out the number of recipients of supplementary benefit at the last date for which figures are available; and whether he will also set out the number of dependants.

Mrs. Chalker

The latest available information relates to 1977 and 1978 and is as follows:

Great Britain (Thousands)
1977 1978
Beneficiaries 2,991 2,929
Dependants 1,767

The figure for 1978 is provisional and the figure for dependants is not yet available.