48. Mr. Clifford Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an assurance that when increased pensions are paid in November 159W supplementary benefits now paid to retirement pensioners will not be decreased.
Mr. Ted Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has, following the announcement that retirement pensions are to be increased in November 1969, to increase supplementary benefits by a similar amount.
§ Mr. EnnalsI must ask my hon. Friends to await the Government's detailed proposals on benefit increases. However, as I reminded my hon. Friend the Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Beaney) on 25th April, the scale rates of supplementary benefit were increased last October at a time when no increase was made in national insurance benefits.—[Vol. 782, c.145.]