HC Deb 28 March 1988 vol 130 cc337-8W
Mr. Robin Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of(a) the ordinary rate of supplementary benefit for a single householder, (b) the ordinary rate of supplementary benefit for a couple, (c) the long-term rate of supplementary benefit for a single person living alone and (d) the long-term rate of supplementary benefit for a couple, expressed as a proportion of average earnings in each year since 1979.

Mr. Portillo

The information is contained in tables 5.6 and 5.7 of the "Abstract of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits, and Contributions—August 1987", a copy of which is in the Library.

Mr. Clay

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are currently in receipt of(a) supplementary benefit and (b) family income supplement in the borough of Sunderland.

Mr. Portillo

The information requested is as follows:

Figure
(a) Supplementary benefit 36,743 (latest available figure —17 November 1987)
(b) Family income supplement Figures not available

Note: The figure for (a) relates to the two local offices which serve the Borough of Sunderland. The boundaries are not conterminous. Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.