asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of retirement pensioners at the latest convenient date; how many of them were also receiving supplementary benefit; and how many were receiving rent allowances.

In Great Britain there were over 7½ million retirement pensioners (including widows aged 60–64 receiving national insurance widow's pension) in December, 1970. 1¾ million (excluding about 330,000 wives of male pensioners) of them were receiving supplementary benefit, and virtually all of these—1·7 million recipients—received an addition for rent and household outgoings.