asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table giving the numbers of new claims for family income supplement for each year since the scheme's inception; and if he will list also the numbers of claimants who continued to draw family income supplement for each subsequent year.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested, but the hon. Member may find it helpful to refer to table 32·05 in "Social Security Statistics 1976 ", published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, which shows the total number of claims for family income supplement (FIS) processed up to 1976 and the number of FIS awards made in response to new and repeat and renewal claims. Corresponding information for 1977 and 1978 is shown in the table below. A "renewal claim" is one made up to four weeks before or after a FIS award expires. A "repeat claim" is one made more than four weeks after a FIS award expires.