HC Deb 28 October 1985 vol 84 c382W
Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individuals have signed petitions or postcards addressed to him in response to the proposals of his social security reviews.

Mr. Newton

About 128,000.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if loans paid from his proposed social fund are to be deductible from child benefit and pensions as well as from supplementary benefits.

Mr. Newton

Detailed proposals in these and other respects are still under consideration in the light of comments made in the consultation period on the Green Paper. Our conclusions will be set out in the White Paper.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he plans with interested parties after the publication of his White Paper on the social security reviews.

Mr. Newton

The White Paper will contain the Government's major decisions on the reform of social security. The legislation to give effect to the White Paper will be fully debated in Parliament. In addition we shall consult interested bodies as necessary on the details of change.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the calculations of the consultants' report on the additional staff numbers that will have to be recruited on a temporary basis to administer the new benefit system proposed in his Green Paper on the reviews.

Mr. Newton

We shall consider this when the final decisions on proposals for the reform of social security have been taken.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish a table showing, in percentages, the responses in favour and against, the main recommendations of his social security Green Paper;

(2) if he will list those organisations which supported his proposals to (a) abolish the state earnings-related pension scheme, (b) create a social fund, (c) abolish heating additions, (d) abolish the death grant, (e) abolish the maternity grant and (f) impose a 20 per cent. rates requirement on supplementary benefit claimants.

Mr. Newton

I refer the hon. Member to my reply at column129 on 22 October.

Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many organisations and individuals responded during the consultation period of his social security reviews.

Mr. Newton

Over 7,000.