asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the numbers of people in Scotland in receipt of family income supplement, family allowances, supplementary benefit, attendance allowance, invalidity benefit and sickness benefit during the financial year 1972–73.

The average numbers in 1972–73 receiving these benefits in Scotland were:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what sum of money was paid in Scotland during the financial year 1972–73 for death grant, maternity benefit and industrial injury benefit;(2) what was the sum of money paid in Scotland during the financial year 1972–73 under the family income supplement, the family allowances, the supplementary benefit, the attendance allowances, the invalidity benefit and the sickness benefit schemes, respectively;(3) how many people in Scotland were in receipt of retirement pensions, widows' pensions, war pensions, and war widows' pensions; and what total sum of money was paid out in each case during the financial year 1972–73;(4) what was the gross amount of national insurance payments paid in Scotland during the financial year 1972–73;(5) what sum of money was paid out in Scotland during the financial year 1972–73 in unemployment benefit.

It is estimated that in 1972–73 there were, on average, 674,000 people in Scotland receiving retirement pensions or old persons' pensions, 65,000 receiving national insurance widow's benefit, 32,150 receiving war disablement pensions and 9,350 receiving war widow's pension.Estimated expenditure in Scotland in 1972–73 is as follows: