§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which organisations and how many hon. and right hon. Members and other individuals, respectively, have made representations to him about the inadequacy of the death grant in (a) 1982 and (b) 1983 to the nearest convenient date; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossiIn 1982 I received 792 representations calling for an increase in the level of the death grant. Of these, 230 came from right hon. and hon. Members on behalf of various individuals and organisations, 245 came from individuals and 317 from organisations.
So far for 1983 I have received 39 such representations of which 27 came from hon. and right hon. Members on behalf of various individuals and organisations, 11 from individuals and 1 from an organisation.
Organisations fell into the following main groups:—
- Trades and labour organisations
- Pensioner organisations
- Ex-servicemen's organisations
- Member organisations of the Dignity in Death Alliance
- Community Health Councils
- Local authorities
- Councils of Social Service
- Other
As has previously been made clear, a statement will be made as soon as we have completed our consideration of the future of the grant following public response to the consultative document.