§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in receipt of less than full basic national insurance retirement pension, because of insufficent contributions(a) also receive income support, (b) are living with partners whose income added to their own, takes them as a couple up to or beyond the basic income support level.
§ Mr. Peter LloydInformation collected centrally on retirement pensioners in receipt of income support does not indicate the rate of basic state pension in payment to those individuals.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security why leaflet NP1 advises only pensioners not receiving income support or housing benefit to read on and decide whether to claim income support; and whether he will take steps to amend the leaflets so as to avoid giving the impression that pensioners receiving only housing benefit cannot gain by claiming income support.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe leaflet does not refer to
only pensioners not receiving income support or housing benefitbut to people who donot at present get either benefit".I do not consider that this gives the impression suggested, particularly as the next column of the leaflet sets out clearly the conditions of eligibility to income support.