§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what circumstances his Department pays supplementary benefit to a person in full-time employment; how many persons have thus received benefit in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what has been the total cost to public funds in respect of such a period.
§ Mr. OrmeI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. 139W Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton) on 13th December 1976. Apart from the circumstances there described, payment of supplementary benefit to a person in full-time work is made only in cases of urgent need, and the Supplementary Benefits Commission usually requires repayment of the benefit. Because these payments are infrequent, no statistical records are kept although any net cost to public funds must be extremely small.—[Vol. 922, c. 503–4.]