§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of restoring the death grant to its original 1949 value.
§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what level the death grant would have to be increased to restore it to its original 1949 value.
51W
§ Mrs. ChalkerBased on the movement of the general index of retail prices up to October 1980, the latest month for which figures are available, the £30 grant would need to be increased to £167.58 to restore the value the grant had in 1949, when it was £20. This would cost £78 million a year extra.
§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of abolishing the age restriction on payment of the death grant.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Somerset, North (Mr. Dean) on 19 March.—[Vol. 981, c.242.]
§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates are available of the number of elderly people who do not qualify for the death grant.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIt is estimated that in 1980–81 there will be about 20,000 deaths among people for whom no grant is payable because they were over 65 (men) or 60 (women) on 5 July 1948.
§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the average cost of a funeral the present death grant of £30 now represents compared with its value in the year when it was first introduced.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe £20 death grant, introduced in 1949, represented about 60 per cent. of the average cost of a funeral at that time. As regards the proportion of funeral costs represented by the present £30 grant, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 11 November.— [Vol. 992, c. 185–86.]
§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received from organisations and individuals on the current level of the death grant.
§ Mrs. ChalkerSince we came into office about 880 representations have been received about the death grant. A large proportion of these have concerned the current level of the grant, but I regret that a precise figure is not available.