§ Mr. Terry Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will amend Department of Health and Social Security regulations so as to allow school leavers, who are signing on for supplementary benefit for the first time, to receive benefit payment from the same starting day, regardless of their surname initial letter.
§ Mr. WhitneyNo. The payment arrangements for school leavers are similar to those for other supplementary benefit claimants and changes in these arrangements would not be justified at a time when a review of the supplementary benefit scheme is in progress.