§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women in the last 12 months have received (a) maternity allowance and (b) maternity 197W grant; and if he will estimate the number of women in the last 12 months who have been eligible for maternity allowance but who have not claimed it.
§ Mrs. ChalkerDuring the 12 months ended 30 September 1980, the latest period for which figures are available, 668,000 women received maternity grant and 366,000 also received maternity allowance. I regret that information is not available to estimate the number of women who were eligible for maternity allowance but did not claim it.