§ Mr. Dorrellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff were employed on supplementary benefit work in his Department's local offices in 1979 and in each subsequent year.
§ Mr. NewtonReturns of local office staff which distinguish those actually working on supplementary benefit from those on contributory benefit work—and this distinction is in some cases difficult, for example in relation to the local office manager—have been kept only since May 1983. However, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 22 November 1983, at columns383–86, which sets out the local office staff allocated to supplementary benefit work in 1979 and each subsequent year.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what the savings in public expenditure would have been if the increase in all social security benefits had been (a) indexed with the retail price index and (b) indexed with the retail price index less 1 per cent., at November for each year since and including 1979.
§ Dr. BoysonI refer my hon. Friend to my replies to him on 20 February, at column425, and 9 March, at column 747.