HC Deb 09 March 1982 vol 19 cc397-8W
59. Mr. Alton

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his policy towards the issuing of their own social service files to individual complainants.

Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg

Social services records kept by local authorities are their own property and it is for them to decide, within the law, what information about individual cases should be disclosed. Generally it is considered to be in the best interest of clients that information—but not the file itself—should be given as

Mr. Newton

I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 3 March.—[Vol. 19, c.162–3.]

Mr. Jessel

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in the Official Report figures for the last three years, and for convenient intervals over the preceding 20 years showing the number of male and female retirement pensioners; if he will state for each such year the total cost of retirement pensions; and if he will assess what proportion of the increase in the number of retirement pensioners is due to higher longevity and what proportion is due to the changes in the birth rate prior to 1922 in respect of women and prior to 1917 in the case of men.

Mr. Rossi

The number of pensioners receiving a contributory retirement pension at certain dates since 1960 are as follows, together with the benefit cost of contributory retirement pensions in the respective financial years.

freely as possible. It must be remembered that social services files often include sensitive material supplied by third parties.