§ 44. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he did not send his promised letter to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West concerning details of social security claims for a man with two wives and 39 children by 9 February until after the hon. Member tabled a question on that date; what was contained in this reply which could not have been sent earlier; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe promised letter was sent as soon as it had been prepared. It was important to check the details of the newspaper report found in theNewham Recorder on 26 January before preparing the letter for the hon. Member. Neither the content nor the timing of dispatch of the letter was affected by the tabling of the subsequent question by the hon. Member.