§ Mr. McGuireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is aware that the interpretation being given to the Acts which govern the question of payments to be made to persons on strike stops payment of a rent allowance to single householders or to married couples who are on strike and that this is creating 306W hardship; if he will take steps to ensure that rent allowance is paid; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. O'Malley:Under Section 10 of the Ministry of Social Security Act, persons taking part in a strike may not receive supplementary benefit for their own requirements. This has the effect that neither a person, who is single and has no dependants, nor a married couple both of whom are disqualified and have no dependants, is entitled to benefit and so cannot be paid an addition for rent. Section 13 however provides that the Supplementary Benefits Commission may use its discretion to make payments in cases of urgency, though it rightly uses its discretion sparingly, in view of the clear statutory disqualification.