§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in the travel-to-work areas or the social security benefit office areas that make up the Carmarthen constituency are in receipt of supplementary benefit; and, of these, how many are (a) retirement pensioners and (b) heads of single parent families.
§ Mr. NewtonInformation is not available in the precise form requested. The numbers claiming from the local office in Carmarthen at August 1982 are as follows:
Numbers All supplementary benefit claimants 3,100 Pensioners 1,200 Single parent families* 300 * Excludes some single parent families counted in other groups, eg those receiving national insurance benefits.
Source: 100 per cent. count of claims in action.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in fixing the single householder short-term rate of allowance for supplementary benefit purposes, how much is estimated as being a reasonable sum for food.
§ Mr. NewtonNo such estimate is made.
§ Mr. Trotterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether young unemployed people who turn down a youth training scheme place will be able to continue to claim supplementary benefit while attending educational courses of up to 21 hours a week.
§ Mr. NewtonWe are still considering the precise operation of the 21-hour rule in relation to the youth training scheme, and will wish to take account of experience of the rule under the new regulations.