HC Deb 16 February 1976 vol 905 cc552-3W
Mr. Hannam

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is her estimate of the number of recipients of non-contributory invalidity pension who are drawing supplementary benefits; and what proportion these are of the total;

(2) what is her estimate of the number of recipients of non-contributory invalidity pension who were formerly receiving supplementary benefit but whose incomes have now been raised beyond the level of the supplementary benefit allowance;

(3) how many recipients of noncontributory invalidity pension receive a net weekly gain in respect of their personal entitlement of (a) over £7 per week, (b) £6 to £6.99, (c) £5 to £5.99, (d) £4 to £4.99, (e) £3 to £3.99, (f) £2 to £2.99, (g) £1 to £1.99 and (h) under £1;

(4) what is the average net weekly gain to each recipient of the non-contributory invalidity pensions and what the average net weekly gain would be if the noncontributory invalidity pension were raised to the level of the full invalidity pension with invalidity allowance payable where appropriate:

(5) if she will express the invalidity pension for a single person as a percentage of (a) average gross male industrial earnings, (b) net personal disposable income per head and (c) average final income per head, as established in the Family Expenditure Survey for households, divided by the average size per household, for each of the years from 1971 to 1975;

(6) what is her estimate of the number of recipients of non-contributory invalidity pension who are currently drawing supplementary benefits but whose total income would exceed the supplementary benefit needs allowance if the rate of non-contributory invalidity pension were raised to that of invalidity pension with invalidity allowance paid where appropriate.

Mr. Alfred Morris

I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as the available information can be assembled.