HC Deb 13 March 1972 vol 833 cc24-6W
57. Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the maximum disregard permitted in assessment of entitlement to national assistance or supplementary benefits in 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1972; and what percentage these amounts involved in each case of a supplementary allowance for a man and wife with two children aged eight and 11 years of age and paying during each of those years an average rent for non-pensioner recipients of supplementary benefits.

Mr. Dean

Apart from earnings—for which a separate disregard applies to each member of the family—the maximum amounts which could be disregarded were, respectively, £1, £1, £1.50, £1.50, £2 and £2 (November, 1971), and the percentages were 25.8, 18.2, 19.9, 13.6, 13.4 and 12.0 (November, 1971).

58. Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at which offices of the Supplementary Benefits Commission in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region the four-week rule terminating supplementary allowances was in application immediately prior to its suspension in that region.

Mr. Dean

Following is the information:

  • Dewsbury.
  • Halifax.
  • Harrogate.
  • Grimsby East (in Mablethorpe and Louth only).
  • Goole (but excluding the towns of Goole and Thorne).
  • Scunthorpe (excluding Gainsborough).
  • Wakefield (excluding Featherstone).
  • York (excluding the area covered by the York Employment Exchange).
  • Keighley (for men under the age of 25 only).

Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of strikers involved in the mineworkers' dispute who were in receipt of supplementry benefits for their dependants up to 28th February, 1972; and how many of these were paid from the South Shields office.

Sir K. Joseph

The number of persons with dependants, who received supplementary benefit during the dispute, was 138,718. Of these 1,777 were paid from the South Shields centre.

Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of strikers involved in the mineworkers' dispute without dependants to whom payments of supplementary benefits were made up to 28th February, 1972; and how many of them were paid from the South Shields office.

Sir K. Joseph

The number of persons without dependants, who received supplementary benefit during the dispute was 11,169. Of these 308 were paid from the South Shields centre.

Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount of supplementary benefit paid to the dependants of strikers and to single strikers, respectively, involved in the mineworkers' dispute up to 28th February; and of these totals what sum was paid out from the South Shields office.

Sir K. Joseph

From the beginning of the dispute to 28th February, £5,370,821 was paid for dependants and £152,659

DEATHS IN ENGLAND AND WALES FROM BRONCHITIS, PNEUMONIA AND INFLUENZA, REGISTERED DURING SELECTED PERIODS OF 4 WEEKS IN 1969, 1970, 1971 AND 1972
Causes of Death
Bronchitis (Acute and Chronic) (All Ages) Pneumonia (not secondary to accidents or other infections) (All Ages) Influenza and influenzal pneumonia
(All Ages) (Ages 65 plus)
Four week periods ending on:
2nd January, 1970 6,329 8,689 4,222 Not available
30th January, 1970 6,058 9,574 5,471 Not available
27th February, 1970 2,843 4,363 294 Not available
1st January, 1971 2,409 3,793 48 34
29th January, 1971 3,678 5,306 103 81
26th February, 1971 2,607 4,107 55 40
31st December, 1971 2,486 4,208 160 107
28th January, 1972 3,575 5,867 792 601
25th February, 1972 3,432 5,762 616 493

for the strikers themselves. Of this £76,269 for dependants and £4,864 for strikers was paid from the South Shields centre.

Mr. Blenkinsop

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total of all forms of supplementary benefit paid out to strikers involved in the miners' dispute up to 28th February; and what was the equivalent total paid out from the South Shields office.

Sir K. Joseph

The only records kept are of supplementary allowances paid by special strike offices. From the beginning of the strike up to 28th February, £5,523,480 was paid to strikers and their dependants. Of this amount £81,133 was paid by the South Shields centre.