§ Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to give, for the latest convenient date, the number of persons in the Borough of Lewisham who are in receipt of National Assistance benefit; and how this compares with a similar date in 1951.
§ Miss PittAt 22nd January, 1957, 7,283 weekly National Assistance allowances were current for persons living in the Borough of Lewisham compared with 6,550 at 30th January, 1951.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons in the Borough of Lewisham are in receipt of a National Assistance grant to cover the cost, either wholly or in part, of their rent; the last annual total cost to the Department for these grants in the Borough of Lewisham; and by how much he estimates this cost will rise on the implementation of the Rent Bill.
§ Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will give, for the latest convenient stated date, the number of persons who are receiving 222W a National Assistance grant towards the payment of their rent; the total annual cost of these grants; and by how much he estimates this annual charge will rise when the Rent Bill is fully effective.
§ Miss PittMy right hon. Friend is informed by the National Assistance Board that the latest information at present available relating to the first part of the Question is based on a sample taken in November, 1955, which showed that a sum in respect of outgoings for rent was being allowed in the assessment in nearly 1.100,000 cases in which weekly Assistance grants were being paid. The cost cannot be calculated as the grant paid after taking all the needs and the resources of the applicant into account is often less than the outgoing for rent; nor is it possible to make any reliable estimate of the figure asked for in the last part of the Question.