§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the four-week rule curtailing supplementary benefit entitlement was first applied;
(2) how many men with child dependants have been subject to the four-week/three-month rule curtailing supplementary benefit entitlements for each month since August 1968.
§ Sir K. JosephSince July, 1968, as a general control measure, awards limited initially to four weeks have been given to men under the age of 45 and living in areas with a good supply of unskilled jobs provided they are fit, single and have no special skills.
Claims from all other fit workers under the age of 45, men or women, married or single, are reviewed after they have been claiming for three months and at that time a four weeks limit may be set on further benefit if unemployment seems unnecessarily prolonged unless the claimant has dependants to whom withdrawal of the allowance would cause hardship.
This means in practice that an allowance should seldom be withdrawn from a man with dependent children and such cessations of entitlement are not recorded except on the individual case paper. I regret therefore that the total number is not available. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind the Supplementary Benefits Commission will gladly look into it.