§ Mrs. Kellett-Bowmanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what would be the estimated annual cost of allowing long-term national insurance and industrial injury benefits, war disability and war widows' pensions, and the pension for the over-80s only to be taken into account to the extent of 50 per cent. in 338W assessing entitlement for supplementary benefit purposes;
(2) what would be the estimated annual cost of allowing long-term national insurance and industrial injury benefits, war disability and war widows' pensions, and the pension for the over-80's only to be taken into account to the extent of the first £4 of weekly benefit or pension in assessing entitlement for supplementary benefit purposes.
§ Mr. O'MalleyIt is estimated that the extra cost of increased payments to existing recipients of supplementary benefit would be of the order of £410 million and £440 million respectively in a full year. No estimate is possible of the numbers in each case who would become entitled to supplementary benefit for the first time, but the additional cost on this account would certainly be large.