§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what circumstances an officer of his Department in Oldham refused to accept payment of £394, being the sum his Department gave in benefit over approximately eight weeks to an unemployed man, while the Department of Employment was awaiting the employment records of the unemployed man concerned, following the eventual receipt by the man of a cheque for £394 from the Department of Employment in respect of his entitlement to unemploy- 190W and (c) the number of hospital beds per million population.
§ Mr. MoyleThe information, derived from World Health Organisation statistics, is as follows:
ment benefit and earnings-related supplement for the same period; if he will now instruct his Department to accept repayment of £394; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. OrmeThere are standing arrangements for recovering supplementary benefit paid because of non receipt of unemployment benefit from any arrears of that benefit which later become payable for the same period. If the hon. Member will give me details of the case he has in mind, I will have further inquiries made and write to him with the results.