§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in order to evaluate the cost of unemployment, if he will make a study of the average amount paid to the unemployed in passported benefits; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. BoysonWe have no plans at present for a study of passport benefits.
I regret that information is not available about the value of these benefits to unemployed families alone. Entitlement to welfare foods is worth £1.50 a week for each qualifying individual and free school meals are worth an average of £2.60 a child for each school week. The value of NHS charge exemption and of other passported benefits varies according to the extent services are used by families. The effect of free school meals and free welfare milk to specimen individual families is reflected in the analyses provided in the tax benefit model tables prepared twice yearly and placed in the Library.