§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of those claiming family income supplement in Scotland.
§ Mrs. Chalker:About 11,800 families in Scotland were in receipt of family income supplement at 29 July 1980, the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of (a) the number eligible, and (b) the number not claiming family income supplement in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Chalker:About 89,000 families in Great Britain were receiving family income supplement (FIS) at 29 July 1980. the latest date for which information is available. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that the corresponding number in Northern Ireland was about 9,000. Thus the total for the United Kingdom was about 98,000.
I regret that the numbers of families who were eligible but were not claiming FIS at that time are not known.