§ Lord Sandysasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the cost of supplementary benefit single payments in the most recent year for which figures are available and how this compares with each year since 1979 in cash and in real terms.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)The details requested are:
Year to Actual expenditure on single payments(1) (to nearest £million) Expressed in 1984/85 terms(2) (to nearest £million) April 1980 40 60 April 1981 48 63 April 1982 57 67 April 1983 100 110 April 1984 174 183 April 1985 241 241 (1) Source: Management Information System returns, May-April each year. (2) Based on the annual average of the retail price index (all items) derived from the monthly indices for each of the stated 12 month periods.