§ Mr. FisherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations his Department has received about the difficulties experienced by public libraries in receiving an adequate stock of up-to-date leaflets from his Department in order to satisfy inquiries from members of the public about social security benefits.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 7 December 1988]: I understand that the Department has received a number of letters about this matter. The Department has not sought libraries' agreement to their acting as a principal source of 452W social security leaflets for the public and therefore no specific arrangements have been made. We do, however, recognise the valuable resource that libraries represent in directing members of the public to the appropriate agencies and providing reference materials and officials are exploring ways of resolving any supply difficulties.
§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his reply of 14 November,Official Report, column 450, concerning leaflet FB23, what is the practice of his Department in relation to the inclusion of evaluative statements within explanatory leaflets issued for the guidance of the public.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe Department does not include evaluative statements in the information it provides on social security benefits in its explanatory leaflets. The additional information in FB23 concerning the Department of Employment's YTS scheme is fact and relevant to the decisions made by very many of the young people who are likely to consult this leaflet.