HC Deb 20 October 1976 vol 917 cc485-6W
Mr. Kenneth Clarke

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the population, taking together recipients and their dependants, have been in receipt of supplementary benefit; and what percentage of GNP and of public expenditure has been spent on supplementary benefit in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Deakins

On a United Kingdom basis the information requested is as follows:

Supplementary Benefit claimants and dependants as percentage of population (on a date in November or December each year) Supplementary Benefit expenditure (by calendar years) as percentage of
Year GNP Public expenditure
1966 N/A 0.83 1.81
1967 7.3 1.11 2.24
1968 7.5 1.11 2.20
1969 7.7 1.22 2.47
1970 7.8 1.17 2.36
1971 8.5 1.28 2.61
1972 8.4 1 .31 2.66
1973 7.5 1.09 2.18
1974 7.6 1.16 2 .08
1975 8.3 1.17 2.03
N/A—Not available.