§ Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families with children are in receipt of social security; and what proportion of these receive less than half of the average manufacturing wage.
§ Mrs. Chalker[pursuant to her reply. 29 October 1979, c. 437]: I assume the hon. Member has supplementary benefit in mind.
In November 1978, 535,000 claimants with dependent children were receiving supplementary benefit. About 75 per cent. of them had gross weekly income, including supplementary benefit, which was less than half the then average gross earnings of full-time male workers aged over 21 in manufacturing industry.