§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his most recent estimate of the total yearly cost of supplementary benefit payments to 16 and 17-year-olds; and how many are currently claiming benefit.
§ Mr. NewtonThe most recent estimate of supplementary benefit expenditure on 16 and 17-year-olds is that given in my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) on 11 January, at column572. The number of 16 and 17-year-olds receiving supplementary benefit at December 1983, the most recent date for which figures are available, was 174,000.