HC Deb 25 March 1981 vol 1 cc365-6W
Mr. Cryer

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will remove questions 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16(c)(ii) from the notes for the interrogation of single parent mothers under the section "Mother taking no action to obtain maintenance"; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Chalker

I am informed that these questions, which have been used under different Governments for many years, were designed to obtain evidence needed by the Department in order to take maintenance proceedings under section 19 of the Supplementary Benefit Act 1976. These are affiliation proceedings in which paternity has to be proved. They are not asked of women who object to the Department taking action to obtain maintenance, nor are they asked of women who are taking proceedings themselves. As is made plain in the Department's published supplementary benefits handbook, payment of benefit continues whether or not the woman is willing to provide such information.

I have already said in my reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones) on 4 February—[Vol. 998 c. 143]—that we are conducting a thorough examination of the administrative procedures concerning the liability of persons to maintain others for whom supplementary benefit is paid. I have arranged for this part of the procedures to be looked at urgently and I will make a further statement when the outcome is known.

Mr. Cryer

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when it is expected to make copies of the guidance on various regulations available to the public as indicated in the Official Report for 10 November 1980, c. 92 and 93.

Mrs. Chalker

This is a matter for the chief supplementary benefit officer, whose guidance on the single payments regulations has been made publicly available. Copies are obtainable, price 85p, from the DHSS leaflets unit, Canons Park, Stanmore.

I understand that it has not been possible so far to complete guidance on other regulations because of competing priorities since the revised scheme was introduced. But the preparation of future guidance is well in hand and this will be made public as soon as it is available. In the meantime, local offices have the initial guidance in the "S" manual which was issued with the agreement of the chief supplementary benefit officer.