§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now consider raising the capital limit for qualification for supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. NewtonAs my right hon. Friend announced to the House on 10 March—[Vol. 19, c. 950–65]—we propose to raise the capital disregard by 25 per cent. to £2,500 from this November. This will fully restore the value which the disregard had when it was introduced in November 1980. A statutory instrument giving effect to this and other supplementary benefit upratings is now before the House and is to be debated on Tuesday 20 July.
§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the estimated rate of take-up of supplementary benefit by eligible (a) pensioners, (b) sick and disabled people, (c) one-parent families and (d) unemployed persons in 1979, 1980 and 1981;
(2) what was the estimated amount of supplementary benefit left unclaimed by (a) pensioners, (b) sick and disabled people, (c) one-parent families and (d) unemployed persons in 1979, 1980 and 1981;
(3) what was the estimated number of (a) pensioners, (b) sick and disabled people, (c) one-parent families and (d) unemployed persons eligible for but not receiving supplementary benefit in 1979, 1980 and 1981.
§ Mr. NewtonI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown on 5 April 1982—[Vol. 21, c.247–50]—which contains information for 1979. Information is not available for 1980 but I hope that comparable data for 1981 will be published by the middle of 1983.