§ Mr. Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the percentage rise in the supplementary benefit scale rates for (a) a married couple with three children, two under five years and one over five but less than 11 years, (b) a married couple with four children, two under five years and two between five and 11 years, (c) a married couple with four children, two between five and 11 years and two over 11 years and (d) a married couple with four children all aged over 11 years, since 1948.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe information relating to the ordinary scale rates is as follows:
The information at (c) assumes that two children were aged 11–12 and that at (d) that two children were aged 11–12 and two aged 13 to 15.
- (a) 1,348 per cent.
- (b) 1,341 per cent.
- (c) 1,358 per cent.
- (d) 1,456 per cent.
§ Mr. Litherlandasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in the city of Manchester are dependent upon supplementary benefits; and what percentage this is of the population of the city.
§ Mrs. ChalkerStatistics are not gathered on the numbers of persons dependent on supplementary benefit in particu-62W lar localities. Comparisons with the total population for such areas are therefore not possible. However, the number of persons receiving benefit from offices serving the area of the city of Manchester was, in November 1979, of the order of 55,000, some of whom live outside the area. The mid-1979 population estimate for the Manchester metropolitan county district, covering the same area was 489,000.