HC Deb 16 June 1988 vol 135 cc283-4W
Mr. Gordon Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how far(a) the fall in the numbers of persons living below supplementary benefit level and below 40 per cent. of supplementary benefit level and (b) the rise in the number of persons living on supplementary benefit is accounted for by changes in the real value of supplementary benefit scale rate between 1983 and 1985.

Mr. Portillo

Changes in the real value of the scale rates between these dates were insufficient to allow reliable estimates to be made, but any effect would be minor.

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