§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he has taken to acquaint people with a possible entitlement to benefit from a non-contributory invalidity pension or a housewife's non-contributory invalidity pension; what has been the response; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 18 January, at column250. The exercise to invite claims from those currently drawing supplementary benefit who appear to have underlying title to noncontributory invalidity pension began on 16 April. As at 5 June some 14,900 invitations had been issued and 4,350 claims for non-contributory invalidity pension had been received, of which 1,600 have so far resulted in awards of benefit. These figures reflect the inevitable time lag between the dispatch of the claim forms and their receipt and processing.