§ 81. Mr. Randallasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total number of persons in receipt of National Assistance in the Gateshead Borough, the number receiving a reduced weekly payment arising from increases in other benefits, excluding assistance to meet rent increases, and the total amount of the overall reduction.
§ Miss PittI am informed by the National Assistance Board that the number of weekly assistance grants in the area served by the two offices situated in Gateshead at 17th December, 1957, was 8,162 and at 28th January, 1958, following some of the increases in other benefits, 7,839. Of the former figure 6,020 were grants which, being in supplementation of National Insurance benefits, would fall to be reduced—or in some cases withdrawn—because of the increases in those benefits. Savings in National Assistance for particular localities in consequence of reductions in such supplements could not be calculated without disproportionate labour but for information on this point for the country16W as a whole I would refer the hon. Member to what my right hon. Friend said on this subject on 6th November.