§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors contributed to the change in the number of people receiving income support in comparison with supplementary benefit.
§ Mr. ScottMany factors will have contributed to the change but paragraph 26 of the departmental report (Cm 1514), a copy of which is available in the Library, identifies the fall in unemployment as the main reason. This confirms the view expressed at the time of the reforms, that the rate of unemployment was a key factor.