§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales if it is the practice of his Department, in assessing a person's resources for supplementary benefit purposes and for the purposes of rent rebates, to ignore benefit in kind such as the concessionary coal scheme for retired coal miners.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe assessment of income for the purpose of deciding entitlement to rent rebates is a matter for individual local authorities. Unlike cash payment, benefit in kind is not generally regarded as income.
The assessment of a person's resources for supplementary benefit purposes is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.