§ Sir George Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Stafford shire, South-West (Mr. Cormack) Official Report, 7th February 1977, column 574, how much is deducted from social security benefits in respect of claimants who are in hospital.
§ Mr. OrmeReductions in the national insurance and industrial injuries benefits and war pensions of those in hospital—
378Wabortions were done in the first two months of 1977; and how the figures compare with those of January and February 1976.
§ Mr. MoyleThe number of legal abortions notified in England and Wales were as follows:
and Wirral Metropolitan District Councils, and by Lancashire County Council.
§ Mr. Moyle, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23rd December 1976; Vol. 923, c. 32– 4], circulated the following information:
These authorities have advised me that the average weekly unit cost of a local authority day nursery place in 1974–75 and 1975–76 was:
including non-contributory invalidity pension—would, on a Great Britain basis, amount to about £80 million in a full year at November 1976 benefit rates. I regret that information is not available as to the annual amount of the reduction made in the supplementary benefit of those in hospital.
§ Sir George Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Staffordshire, South-West (Mr. Cormack) Official Report, 7th February 1977, column 574, 379W if he will further elucidate the meaning of taxing the sick.
§ Mr. MoyleThe present system of financing the health services is based upon spreading the major part of the cost over the whole population, whether they are using the services or not. Taxing the sick would mean imposing a particular financial burden, such as charges for hospital accommodation, on people who are ill at a time when they are probably least able to bear it.