asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the changes from Supplementary Benefits Commission policy which he proposes to make under regulations arising from the Social Security Bill.
The Commission's policy is set out in the supplementary benefits
of population on the health services for each area within the North-Western regional health authority for each of the past five years;
(2) what has been the expenditure per head of population on the health services for each area within the Yorkshire regional health authority for each of the past five years.
[pursuant to his reply, 21 December 1979, c. 521]: The information requested for the years 1974–75 to 1978–79 is given in the table below.handbook. We have already given a detailed explanation of the uses proposed for the various regulation-making powers in the Bill which relate to supplementary benefit. These will reflect existing Commission policy. In general, it is our intention that in future details of the scheme should be set out as clearly and precisely as possible: for example, amounts and qualifying periods should be specified, and the circumstances to be considered should be set out in detail.The areas in which particular changes will be found are the rules governing eligibility for benefit, the calculation of requirements and resources, and their aggregation, additions to weekly benefits, and single payments to meet exceptional and urgent needs.In addition, the regulations will provide for some changes which are in accordance with the Commission's policy but which could not previously be introduced in practice.