asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much it would cost to lower from two years to one year the qualifying period for supplementary benefit long-term addition for (a) all claimants and (b) one-parent families; and how many families would benefit in each case.
To lower the qualifying period for those categories of claimants who currently qualify after two years would cost about £12 million a year and benefit about 77,000 claimants. To lower it for all claimants, including those not at present qualifying after two years, would cost about £22 million a year and benefit about 139,000 claimants.On one-parent families I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas) on 29th January.—[Vol. 904, c.
333.]
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the increase in annual expenditure on supplementary benefits paid in Scotland since 1965 to the latest available date.
Estimated expenditure on supplementary benefit increased from £30 million in 1965–66 to £96 million in 1974–75.