HC Deb 11 May 1981 vol 4 c195W
Mr. Iain Mills

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will ensure that supplementary benefit is paid to persons who are employed in companies taken over by the Official Receiver in circumstances where the Official Receiver does not pay a salary and the employment is only nominal.

Mrs. Chalker

Decisions on claims for supplementary benefit are, of course, for the independent adjudicating authorities. A person is not eligible for supplementary benefit if he is engaged in remunerative full-time work within the meaning of the regulations, that is, work for 30 hours or more a week which is paid or done in expectation of payment. In addition, it is a condition of entitlement that a claimant under pension age is normally required to be registered and available for employment. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind and would like to let me have the details, I will be pleased to look into it.

Mr. Anderson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the inquiry of the supplementary benefit policy inspectorate into the operation of the new capital cut-off rule to be concluded; and if he will make its conclusions public immediately he receives the report.

Mrs. Chalker

The report of the supplementary benefit policy inspectorate into the operation of the capital rule is expected to be concluded by about the end of July. We will consider then how and when its conclusions should best be made public.