§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones), Official Report, 4 February, c. 143, when the question of liability of relatives and others to support those on supplementary benefit was discussed in detail by the review team; where its conclusions were published; and if he will publish any background papers produced before the decision to abandon the further study.
§ Mrs. ChalkerFurther study of the subject has not been abandoned. As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones) on 4 February—[Vol. 998, c.143]—we are not conducting a wide-ranging review of the principles of liability, but we are undertaking a thorough examination of the administrative procedures. Maintenance payments are art integral part of the resources of supplementary benefit claimants. In the course of drafting the resources 93W regulations for the introduction of the revised supplementary benefit scheme, which resulted from the formal review, the manner of assessment of these maintenance payments was examined by officials. There are no background papers on that internal examination, but of course the results are to be found in the published regulations itself (SI 1980/1300).