§ Mr. Tom Coxasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of (a) men and (b) women receiving board and lodging benefit in (i) the London borough of Wandsworth and (ii) Greater London.
§ Mr. WhitneyI regret the information requested is not available.
§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information was used to determine the weekly upper limits for ordinary board and lodging claims by couples without dependent children under the age of 11 years provided under the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements and Resources) Miscellaneous Provisions Regulations 1985.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 9 July 1985, c. 369–371]: I regret that this question was included inadvertently with a number of statistical questions from the hon. Member for Derby South which I answered on 9 July. We considered the previous arrangement did not reflect actual cost and accordingly put forward a proposal in the consultative document referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee on 29 November 1984. In the light of the representations received and the committee's own views, we have no reason to believe that the limits now adopted for couples without a child under eleven are unreasonable.