§ Mr. Georgeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants drew the family income supplement for each year since 1971; and if he will express this figure as a percentage of claimants eligible.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe number of families in receipt of family income supplement in December of each year was as follows:
No. of families (Thousands) 1971 … … … 71 1972 … … … 82 1973 … … … 95 1974 … … … 70 1975 … … … 60 Estimates of the number of families who are entitled to family income supplement are based on limited information—using the Family Expenditure Survey—and are subject to wide margins of error. It is estimated that in 1972 about half of the families eligible were receiving the supplement. This proportion increased to about two-thirds in 1973 and to about three-quarters in 1974. An estimate is not yet available for 1975.