HC Deb 31 October 1984 vol 65 cc1090-1W
Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his Department's proposals for the reform of supplementary benefit.

Mr. Newton

I am currently chairing a review of the supplementary benefit scheme, one of a series of social security reviews which my right hon. Friend announced in April. The supplementary benefit review is at present considering the evidence it has received from over 600 interested organisations and individuals, with a view to reporting its conclusions to my right hon. Friend by the end of the year. The Government expect to publish proposals in the early part of next year.

Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his Department's proposals for the reform of supplementary benefit.

Mr. Whitney

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on Tuesday 12 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Grist) at column 460. I regret information is not available for financial years.

Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the amount of (a) supplementary benefit and (b) family income supplement unclaimed in the last financial year for which records are available by people entitled to claim such benefits.

Mr. Whitney

I regret that estimates are not available for financial years. For the latest information available on supplementary benefit I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold) on 30 November at column540–543 and for the information on family income supplement to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Grist) on 12 June 1984 at column 460.

Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his estimates of the levels of (a) supplementary benefit and (b) family income supplement which would now be necessary to provide the same spending powers as in (i) 1970, (ii) 1974 and (iii) 1979.

Mr. Whitney

I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. Fisher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many families, whose total incomes entitle them to supplementary benefit, have a head of household in full-time employment;

(2) how many families whose total income entitles them to supplementary benefit did not receive supplementary benefit in the last financial year for which records are available.

Mr. Whitney

The most recent estimate of numbers of families with incomes below the supplementary benefit level including the numbers where the head of the household is in full-time employment are contained in a set of tables entitled "Low income Families—1981" a copy of which is lodged in the Library. Estimates for financial years are not available.

These estimates do not indicate unclaimed entitlement to supplementary benefit. Some families may not satisfy other qualifying conditions for benefit, for example, by being in full-time work.