§ Mr. Leonardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a complete list of the benefits and services provided to individuals by Government Departments and by local authorities under statutory authority, which are subjected to a means test; and if he will state, in each case, the income limits involved.
§ Sir K. JosephFor the first part of this Question I would refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's answer to the hon. Member for Durham, North-West (Mr. Armstrong) on 19th November, 1970, which lists the main national statutory assessments. For other means-tested benefits administered by local authorities at discretion there is considerable variation in availability and practice. The income limits in an individual case will depend on a number of variable factors such as the number of children, housing costs and other expenses; and in some cases there is a scale of reduced levels of entitlement after the maximum qualifying level for the maximum payment of benefit has been reached.—[Vol. 806, c. 482–3.]