§ Sir F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the approximate saving in public expenditure if all pensions, supplementary benefits, etc., were handled by a single Department.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI have been asked to reply.
The Department of Health and Social Security is at present responsible for all social security pensions and benefits, except for the payment of unemployment benefit which is dealt with by the Department of Employment. I have seen no evidence to suggest that a significant saving in public expenditure would result from the transfer of this responsibility to the Department of Health and Social Security.