§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people in Scotland eligible for supplementary benefit but who do not claim it.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNew information on take-up is expected to be available shortly from the 1979 family expenditure survey. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as I can with the results.
§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish in the Official Report figures showing the number of households already in receipt of short-term and long-term supplementary benefit who made a new claim for a dependant under 11 years of age during the year concerned;
(2) if he will publish in the Official Report the most recent figures available showing the number of households in receipt of short-term or long-term benefit who received a single payment for exceptional needs in respect of equipment for a new baby, and the average amount of such payments.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. Alec Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men in Wales age 60 years and over have opted for the long-term rate of supplementary benefit and not registered for work.
§ Mrs. ChalkerA total of 1, 300 at 9 December 1981 the latest date for which information is available.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he wishes to correct the reply to the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 22 January, Official Report, column 206, in which the Under-Secretary of State stated that earnings-related supplements to short-term national insurance benefits were established from 3 January; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerDue to a printing error in theOfficial Report to which the hon. Member has referred, the word "established" appeared in the reply instead of the word "abolished". I am glad to take this opportunity of correcting the record which was in hand before this question was asked.
§ Mr. Craigenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps are being taken by his Department to ensure that those people who qualify for back-dated payment of supplementary benefit for the period 24 November 1980 to 27 July 1981, where they were fostering children, receive payment.
§ Mr. RossiOwing to a defect in the regulations, claimants who were fostering children boarded out be local authorities or voluntary organisations were entitled to double provision for those children during the period between 24 November 1980 and 27 July 1981, when the regulations were amended. Although in practice this double provision was made only in a minority of cases, claimants in this position had, of course, a legal entitlement to the double provision during that period. Such cases are now not readily identifiable and a special exercise in local offices to pay arrears would not therefore be practicable. Any arrears due will, however, be paid when cases come to light, whether on application from428W claimants or otherwise, subject to the provision in the Supplementary Benefit (Determination of Questions) Regulations, which restrict the payment of arrears in these circumstances to a period of 52 weeks before the date the case is reviewed.
§ Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the outcome of the review of the supplementary benefit rules for school leavers introduced in November 1980; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerSince November 1980 most school leavers have not been entitled to supplementary benefit until one of three fixed dates each year: broadly, until the end of the holiday following the term in which the young person leaves school. In the light of representations from hon. Members and outside interests, the Government undertook to review the rules if there was evidence of harm.
Arrangements were made for the taking of CSE examinations last year to be monitored. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in reply to a question from my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, East (Sir D. Walker-Smith) has today announced the result of that exercise, which has produced no evidence that young people have been discouraged from staying at school to obtain qualifications in order to claim benefit at the earliest opportunity. In the light of this, the Government have decided not to withdraw the rules on deferring the entitlement of school leavers to supplementary benefit. From 1983 their benefit position will in any case need to reflect the Government's proposals for a new youth training scheme, which are set out in the White Paper "A New Training Initiative: A Programme for Action"—Cmnd. 8455—published by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment on 15 December.