HC Deb 03 April 1980 vol 982 cc404-5W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total spending of his Department on benefits and services for the chronically sick and disabled in each of the years 1970–71 to 1978–79; and if he will give the change year by year in percentage as well as money terms.

Mr. Prentice

[pursuant to his reply, 21 March 1980]: The information requested is expressed in the form of separate totals, since expenditure by the Department on the benefits in question relates to Great Britain, whereas expenditure on services for the disabled met centrally relates to England only. The separate figures are as follows:

EXPENDITURE ON CENTRALLY FINANCED SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED—ENGLAND
Increase year by year
£ million £ million Per cent.
1970–71 10.5
4.5 43
1971–72 15.0
1.3 9
1972–73 16.3
23 14
1973–74 18.6
7.4 40
1974–75 26.0
11.4 44
1975–76 37.4
3.5 9
1976–77 40.9
4.5 11
1977–78 45.4
2.9 6
1978–79 48.3

EXPENDITURE ON BENEFITS PAID TO THE CHRONICALLY SICK OR DISABLED—GREAT BRITAIN
Increase year by year
£ million £ million Per cent.
1970–71 151
108 72
1971–72 259
138 53
1972–73 397
77 19
1973–74 474
152 32
1974–75 626
245 39
1975–76 871
216 25
1976–77 1,087
243 22
1977–78 1,330
244 18
1978–79 1,574

Note: The benefits included are war pensions and industrial disablement benefit from 1970–71, invalidity benefit and attendance allowance from 1971–72, non-contributory invalidity pension from 1975–76 and invalid care allowance and mobility allowance from 1976–77.