§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will investigate the payment of supplementary benefit to a 17-year-old schoolboy living in hotel accommodation.
§ Mr. OrmeI assume that the hon. Member has in mind the case reported in the Press on 20th March. Young people at school cannot normally claim benefit in their own right, but the Supplementary Benefits Commission has discretionary power to pay benefit in exceptional circumstances. I understand that the commission is satisfied that benefit was properly payable in this extremely unusual case.