§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many means-tested benefits are reckoned on net income and how many on gross income.
§ Mr. Orme,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th December 1978; Vol. 960, c. 134], gave the following information:
631WThe following are on net income bases:
- 1. Supplementary benefit;
- 2. Free milk and vitamins;
- 3. Help with National Health Service charges for dental treatment, dentures and glasses; prescriptions; wigs and fabric supports;
- 4. Patients' hospital travelling expenses;
- 5. Legal aid (civil);
- 6. Legal advice and assistance;
- 7. Legal aid (criminal);
- 8. Accommodation under part III of the National Assistance Act 1948;
- 9. Professional training scheme for disabled people;
- 10. Free school meals;
- 11. Awards for students taking certain postgraduate courses;
- 12. Awards for students on first degree or comparable courses or initial teacher training courses and courses leading to the Diploma of Higher Education, the Higher National Diploma, or the Higher Diplomas of TEC and BEC ; and
- 13. Awards for students at long-term adult residential colleges.
The following are on gross income bases:
- 1. Family income supplement;
- 2. Rent rebates and allowances;
- 3. Rate rebates; and
- 4. Remission of direct grant school tuition fees.
632W
Perinatal mortality Stillbirths and deaths under one week of age Infant mortality Deaths under one year of age By legitimacy Legitimate Illegitimate Legitimate Illegitimate 1948 28,273 2,273 24,855 1,911 1949 26,324 2,045 22,205 1,677 1950 24,879 1,811 19,418 1,399 1951 24,715 1,772 18,948 1,275 1952 24,146 1,688 17,417 1,138 1953 24,182 1,626 17,251 1,073 1954 24,657 1,591 16,143 1,017 1955 24,010 1,569 15,627 986 1956 24,701 1,633 15,600 954 1957 25,084 1,708 15,684 1,036 1958 24,783 1,719 15,680 1,005 1959 24,302 1,768 15,585 1,044 1960 24,478 1,816 15,991 1,127 1961 24,447 2,048 16,168 1,225 1962 24,064 2,288 16,677 1,510 1963 23,249 2,238 16,506 1,536 1964 22,683 2,400 15,780 1,665 1965 21,220 2,353 14,746 1,649 1966 20,l355 2,334 14,501 1,646 1967 19,057 2,416 13,611 1,655 1968 18,266 2,264 13,350 1,632 1969 16,797 2,086 12.670 1,721 1970 16,629 2,042 12,574 1,693 1971 15,674 1,975 12,051 1,669 1972 14,153 1790 11,090 1,408 1973 12,786 1,588 10,076 1,331 1974 11,614 1,555 9,183 1,276 1975 10,336 1,433 8,252 1,236 1976 9,170 1,302 7,230 1,104 1977 8,491 1,266 6,786 1,055 Equivalent rates were given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) on 30th November 1978—[Vol. 959, c. 306–8]. The schemes listed above, some of which are the responsibility of Departments other than the Department of Health and Social Security, are administered centrally or on a statutory basis by local authorities.
A number of benefits and services are administered by local authorities on a discretionary basis. It is not, however, possible to say which of these are administered on a net or gross income basis since the method of income determination is itself a matter for the individual local authority to decide.