§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many one-parent families currently receiving supplementary benefit have been receiving this for more than 12 months but less than two years;
(2) how many one-parent families would benefit from a reduction of the qualifying period for the long-term addition to supplementary benefit scale rates to one year.
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§ Mr. Alec JonesAs at November 1973, the most recent figures available, about 50,000 one-parent families had received supplementary benefit for more than one year but less than two years, the very great majority of whom would benefit from a reduction of the qualifying period to one year.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost of implementing the recommendation in the Finer Report on One-Parent Families that the qualifying period for the long-term addition to supplementary benefit scale rates should be reduced from two years to one year for families with children.
§ Mr. Alec JonesOn the basis of the scale rates applicable from next month, the estimated cost for all eligible families with children is about £7 million. As we have already said, consideration will be given to reducing the qualifying period along with other improvements in supplementary benefit as resources permit.