asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number and percentage of people who receive earnings related supplement when they first become unemployed.

The information is not available in the form requested, but on 11 May 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, earnings related supplement was in payment to 204,000 persons—38·8 per cent. of those receiving unemployment benefit. A further 147,000—28 per cent. of those receiving unemployment benefit—had received earnings related supplement during their current period of interruption of employment but had exhausted entitlement.