§ 15. Mr. W. Hamiltonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, what was the cost to the National Assistance Board of payments in respect of welfare foods in Scotland for the six months ending 31st December, 1961; and what was the administrative cost of this work.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThe National Assistance Board does not, of course, make payments in respect of welfare foods; it issues, in appropriate cases, tokens enabling the recipient to get a free supply. It is estimated that the administrative cost of this work in Scotland is at present about £14,000 a year.
§ Mr. Manuelasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state, for the 12-week period starting 1st September, 1961, the number of persons receiving assistance in Ayrshire towards the cost of welfare food; how many of these were in receipt of weekly allowances from the National Assistance Board; and what amounts of these foods were involved.
§ Mrs. ThatcherAs regards the first two parts of the Question, I regret that up-to-date information about the number and circumstances of beneficiaries is not4W available for particular localities. As regards the third part of the Question, the three offices of the National Assistance Board which serve an area approximating to Ayrshire issued, during the twelve weeks to 19th December last, tokens giving entitlement to a free supply of 184,800 pints of milk, 3,000 bottles of orange juice, 1,700 bottles of cod liver oil and 60 packets of vitamin tablets.