§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the value of milk and vitamin tokens issued by his Department in the various categories of entitlement by year since 1979.
§ Mr. NewtonThis information is not available centrally in the form requested. Total expenditure on free welfare foods (milk and vitamins) for each of the financial years 1979–80 to 1983–84 was as follows:
£ million 1979–80 22.81 1980–81 28.16 1981–82 41.69 1982–83 56.87 1983–84 *70.00 * Estimated.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much staff time is at present occupied by the issue of milk tokens to the unemployed.
§ Dr. BoysonIn the Department of Employment an estimated 290 staff are employed on work associated with 377W the issue of milk tokens to unemployed claimants. DHSS issue very few tokens to this group and the small number of staff involved cannot readily be quantified.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements at present exists for the exchange of milk and vitamin tokens.
§ Mr. NewtonMilk tokens may be exchanged for liquid milk with any supplier who is willing to participate in the welfare food scheme. Milk tokens may be exchanged for dried milk and vitamin tokens for vitamins at maternity and child health clinics and welfare food distribution centres.
§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the take-up in all categories of entitlement for milk and vitamin tokens.
§ Mr. NewtonThe latest available estimates of take-up relate to 1981. They indicate take-up close to 100 per cent. among families in receipt of supplementary benefit or family income supplement and take-up among those entitled on other grounds of 7 per cent.