§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the total number of people wholly or partly dependent on national assistance supplementary benefit in each year since 1948, distinguishing between families and persons and between the main categories of claimants.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe information is in the following table:
one year in cases where there are children; and what is his estimate of the additional cost.
§ Mr. DeakinsApproximately 75,000, at a cost in a full year of about £ million. 591W assuming the increased rates operating from November this year.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list how much has been spent on advertising poor people's rights to supplementary benefit for the latest available date.
§ Mr. OrmeOver the last 12 months my Department has spent about £40,000 on leaflets and posters explaining people's rights to supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions he intends to issue to the Supplementary Benefits Commission on the question of a claimant's right to be paid benefit from the date of application for a claim; and what instruction he will give to ensure that all local health and social security offices are made aware of this interpretation of the Supplementary Benefit Act 1966.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe Commission has already issued instructions to local offices for benefit to be paid from the date of claim in all cases currently being dealt with up to 28th July. Under the Supplementary Benefit (General) Regulations 1977, which come into force on 29th July, we have provided for benefit to be payable from the first weekly pay day after the date of claim, or from the date of claim, if that is a pay day.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received, pursuant to Lord Widgery's 20th July ruling, on the question of a claimants' right to be paid supplementary benefit from the date of application for a claim.
§ Mr. DeakinsApart from the Prayer to annul the Supplementary Benefit (General) Regulations 1977, in the names of my hon. Friends the Members for Barking (Miss Richardson) and Coventry, South-West (Mrs. Wise) on 21st July, we have received three letters on the subject. The matter was also raised in the Fifth Committee on Statutory Instruments on 27th July.
§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will list in the Official Report 592W the value of supplementary benefit or national assistance as a proportion of average male manual workers' gross earnings for each year since 1948 for (a) a single householder, (b) a married couple, (c) a married couple with two children and (d) a married couple with four children;(2) whether he will list in the Official Report the value of supplementary benefit or national assistance as a proportion of average male manual workers' net earnings for each year since 1948 for (a) a single householder, (b) a married couple, (c) a married couple with two children and (d) a married couple with four children.
§ Mr. DeakinsI will write to the hon. Member when the information has been assembled.