§ 20. Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are in receipt of supplementary benefit in the Banff and Buchan constituency; and if he will list the categories under which the benefit is paid.
§ Dr. BoysonI regret that statistics of supplementary benefit claims in the Banff and Buchan constituency are not available. Three local social security offices serve the constituency — Aberdeen North, Peterhead and Elgin. The number of claimants in receipt of supplementary benefit from those offices at December 1983 was 16,800; 129W 6,100 ware in receipt of supplementary pensions and 10,700, including 5,800 unemployed people, were in receipt of supplementary allowances.
§ 32. Mr. Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will implement the Social Security Advisory Committee's proposal to extend the long-term rate of supplementary benefit to unemployed people under pensionable age in phases beginning with those with children.
§ Dr. BoysonNo. The cost would be £220 million a year even if the extension were limited to those with children, and on cost grounds alone the proposal has to be ruled out at present.
§ 47. Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many payments of supplementary benefit have been made to people who suffered wrongful voluntary unemployment deductions; and what was the total amount paid, up to the latest date for which information is available (a) as a result of the scrutiny of current cases, and (b) as a result of the publicity campaign.
§ Dr. BoysonAt 20 December 1983,(a) the scrutiny of current cases had resulted in 6,534 payments totalling £156,749, and (b) the publicity campaign had resulted in 136 payments totalling £4,117.