asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what sum of money has been deducted from the supplementary benefit payable to Scottish pensioners as a result of the £1 pension increase.

Single pensioners have received an increase of 60p in total income, comprising £1 more in retirement pension and 40p less in supplementary pension. The annual review of retirement pensions announced in the House on 16th December will largely do away with the need for these adjustments in future.—[Vol. 828, c. 852–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Scotland in receipt of supplementary benefit have suffered a reduction in benefit as a result of having had a pension increase of £1.

Immediately following the increase in pension rates in September, 1971, 174,000 retirement pensioners in Scotland were also receiving supplementary benefit. The increase resulted in a fall in the amount of supplementary benefit payable to all but a very few. In addititon 4,000 pensioners ceased to receive supplementary benefit as a result of the increase. But in all cases there was a rise in the person's total income.