§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the 1976 Department of Health and Social Security's report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission Inspectorate's inquiry, or make copies available to those working on supplementary benefit problems.
§ Mr. OrmeThe Supplementary Benefit Commission has said in its annual report for 1977 that for obvious reasons, including the constraints of confidentiality, it does not think it appropriate to publish the findings of all inspectorate inquiries. It also pointed out that much of the inspectorate's work is concerned with technical matters that are not of general interest. However, it has said that where a subject appears to be one of particular interest, and the findings of an inspectorate inquiry might make a helpful contribution to public debate, it proposes in future to publish them.
The inspectorate carried out a number of inquiries in 1976, several of which were referred to in the commission's annual report for that year. If the hon. Member will let me know the subject of the inquiry in which she has an interest I shall write to her.