§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the amount of supplementary benefit/income support payments for residential care for elderly people, nationally and for each social security region, in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe table shows the estimated expenditure nationally on payments of supplementary benefit/income support to elderly people in private and voluntary residential care homes. I regret that information on a regional basis is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Before December 1985 data were not collected in the form requested.
Annual equivalent expenditure(nearest £ million) December 1985 200 May 1986 234 May 1987 329 May 1988 400 Source: December 1985, May 1986, May 1987 and May 1988 Quarterly Statistical Inquiries.
Note: The amounts for 1985–87 relate to supplementary pensions, and the one for 1988 to payments of income support to people aged 60 or more.