§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to complete the review of the Supplementary Benefits Scheme announced on 15th September 1976.
§ Mr. OrmeIt is too early to say when it will be completed, but it is a major study which will clearly take some time.
§ Mr. Clemitsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount paid out in supplementary benefit, excluding supplementary pension, in the last complete week for which statistics are available; what was the total number of recipients; and what was the average benefit paid.
§ Mr. OrmeAt the end of November 1976, 1.3 million supplementary allowances a week were in payment costing around £24 million with an average pay-566W ment of about £18.50. At the same time about 53,000 other payments for exceptional and urgent needs were being made each week at a total cost of about £1 million and averaging less than £19 each.