asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South on 22nd November 1978 regarding the unemployed man from Salford getting £ 130 a week on social security, if he will now consider putting an upper limit on the amount any one person can get on social security in any one week.

No. The benefit rates approved by Parliament take family circumstances into account. I have no plans for a general upper limit on social security payments. This would have the effect of reducing entitlement to contributory invalidity benefit in cases where a claimant has an exceptionally large family.