§ Mr. David steelasked the secretary of state for Social Services if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of families claiming free milk for each quarter since August 1970; and if she will distinguish between those families who qualify because they are (a) on low income, (b) recipients of supple-income supplement, and (d) a large family.
§ Dr. OwenThe information is not available in the form requested. For figures of the number of claims for free milk made under the Welfare Food Scheme in Great Britain on grounds of
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Number of beneficiaries estimated at: November May August November Grounds for entitlement 1971 1972 1972 1972 '000 '000 '000 '000 (a) In families with low income (other than supplementary benefit and family income supplement recipients) 84 65 52 43 (b) In families receiving supplementary benefit 306 299 290 290 (c) In families receiving family income supplement 59 77 88 79 (d) In large families 155 150 146 142 Number of beneficiaries estimated at: May August November April Grounds for entitlement 1973 1973 1973 1974 '000 '000 '000 '000 (a) In families with low income (other than supplementary benefit and family income supplement recipients) 33 29 27 22 (b) In families receiving supplementary benefit 249 232 221 244 (c) In families receiving family income supplement 69 79 77 63 (d) In large families 120 109 108 102 low income from June 1970 to 29th January 1974 I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 26th March—[Vol. 871, c. 72.]—Information on the same basis for the latest available period is as follows:
Number of weeks since 29th January 1974 Period ending Number of claims 12 23rd April 1974 7,660 The following table shows, for Great Britain, the estimated numbers of beneficiaries in the four categories of entitlement mentioned receiving free milk under the Welfare Food Scheme. The earliest available figures are those for November 1971: