§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to uprate the various supplementary benefit income disregards in November; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Dr. BoysonWe have no current plans to increase the supplementary benefit disregards. We nevertheless continue to keep the level of the disregards under review in the light of available resources and other priorities.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate of the numbers of unemployed, unmarried, childless couples living together as man and wife in receipt of supplementary benefit.
§ Dr. Boyson25,000 at December 1982, the latest date for which information is available.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received concerning the operation of the earnings disregard for those families in receipt of higher school bursaries, and specifically on the deductions now being applied to recipients of supplementary benefit as a result of the award of these bursaries.
§ Dr. BoysonNone during the past year.
§ Mr. Soamesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are in receipt of supplementary benefit in the Crawley constituency; and if he will list the categories under which the benefit is claimed.
§ Dr. BoysonThe numbers and categories of supplementary benefit cases in action in the Crawley local office in December 1983, the latest available period was as follows:
Thousands Pensioners 3.3 Unemployed 2.5 Others 1.7 Total 7.5 Sources: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.
§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants are having deductions made from supplementary benefits as a result of receiving higher school bursaries for 16 and 17-year-old sons or daughters at school; and what is the average deduction.
§ Dr. BoysonThe information requested is not available.