asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the increase in the volume of correspondence reaching the Supplementary Benefit Commission over the last five years.

Complete information is not available. In 1975 Members of Parliament wrote about 4,500 letters on supplementary benefit matters to Ministers and the Chairman of the Supplementary Benefit Commission, compared with about 3,500 in 1970. Many hon. Members continue to raise constituency problems directly with their local social security offices and only follow them up with Ministers when they cannot be resolved there.