HC Deb 30 July 1981 vol 9 cc487-9W
Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons currently receive an extra weekly amount for an additional requirement in respect of laundry needs, as allowed for in schedule 3, part II, paragraph 17 of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1980.

Mrs. Chalker

The most recent information is that on 3 December 1980 about 100,000 such additions were in payment.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many persons currently receive an extra weekly amount for an additional requirement in respect of special wear and tear on clothing, as allowed for in schedule 3, part II, paragraph 18 of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1980;

(2) how many single payments made under the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payment) Regulations 1980 have been made at amounts exceeding the amounts specified in column 2 of schedule 2 of the regulations, as allowed for under the terms of regulation 27(2);

(3) how many single payments for clothing and footwear have been made under regulation 27(1) (a) (iv) of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations 1980; and how many have been made to sick or disabled people; and how many of the latter are receiving benefit at the short-term rate;

(4) how many single payments for clothing and footwear have been made under regulation 27(1) (a) (ii) of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations 1980; how many have been made to sick or disabled people; and how many of the latter are receiving benefit at the short-term rate.

Mrs. Chalker

I am unable to provide these items of information.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures have been taken to monitor the position of persons who are chronically sick or disabled and who are dependent on supplementary benefit payments.

Mr. Rossi

We have made extensive arrangements to monitor the working of the revised supplementary benefit scheme as it relates to all claimants, commissioning external research and special internal studies to supplement normal management information. Many chronically sick or disabled people are claimants, arid I would expect the results of our monitoring programme to help us to judge how these people, along with other groups of claimants, have fared.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons currently receive an extra weekly amount for an additional requirement: in respect of a special diet, as allowed for in schedule 3, part II, paragraph 13 of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1980.

Mrs. Lynda Chalker

The most recent information is that on 3 December 1980 about 365,000 such additions were in payment.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons currently receive an extra weekly amount for art additional requirement in respect of heating; how many of these extra payments have been made in accordance with paragraph 1(1) of schedule 3, part I, of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1980; and how many have been made in accordance with paragraph 1(2) of schedule 3, how many in accordance with paragraph 1(3) of schedule 3 and how many in accordance with paragraph 6 of part I of schedule 3.

Mrs. Lynda Chalker

Some of the information is not available in the form requested. On 3 December 1980 the following heating additions were in payment.

Type Rate

£

 Number
Age-related heating addition 1.40 386,000
Other basic rate heating additions 1.40 *642,000
Disabled Person's heating addition 3.40 †37,000
Other higher rate heating additions 3.40 ‡335,000
Central heating addition (1–4 rooms) 1.40 297,000
Central heating addition (5 or more rooms) 2.80 272,000
Other rates various 68,000
Total 2,037,000
Notes:
*This figure includes additions made under Schedule 3, Part I, paragraphs 1(1) and 2(a).
†This is the number of additions made under Schedule 3, Part I, paragraph 6.
‡This figure includes additions made under Schedule 3, Part I, paragraphs 1(2), 1(3), and 2(b) as well as cases where the criteria in both paragraphs 1(1) and 2(a) are satisfied.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many single payments have been made under regulation 30 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payment) Regulations 1980; how many have been made to sick or disabled people; and how many of the latter are receiving benefit at the short-term rate.

Mrs. Lynda Chalker

I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Anglesey (Mr. Best), on 15 July.—[Vol. 8, c.404.] It is not known how many of these payments have been made to sick or disabled people.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance or instruction is given to benefit officers in order that they may recognise whether a single payment, under regulation 30 of the Supplementary Benefit (Single Payments) Regulations is the only means by which serious damage or serious risk to the health or safety of any member of an assessment unit may be prevented; and what guidance or instruction has been given to chairmen and members of supplementary benefit appeal tribunals.

Mrs. Chalker

Guidance to benefit officers on the interpretation of regulation 30 is contained in the Chief Supplementary Benefit Officer's Memorandum or the Single Payments Regulations which has been published and is available in the Library of the House. Copies of the memorandum have also been sent to the chairmen and members of supplementary benefit appeal tribunals.

Mr. Alfred Morris

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the additional cost of extending the long-term supplementary benefit rate to all people who are required to sign only quarterly on account of physical or mental handicap following his decision in relation to unemployed people aged 60 years and over announced in his reply to the hon. Member for Barking (Miss Richardson) on 20 July, Official Report, column 34.

Mrs. Chalker

I regret that I am unable to supply this information, as it is not possible to identify separately people who are required to sign only quarterly because of physical or mental handicap.