asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total amount of supplementary benefit paid to Scottish claimants in each of the past seven years.
The information is as follows :
| Financial year | £ million (estimated) |
| 1979–80 | 218 |
| 1980–81 | 286 |
| 1981–82 | 464 |
| 1982–83 | 599 |
| 1983–84 | 1570 |
| 21984–85 | 639 |
| Notes: | |
| 1 Reduction from previous year because, with the introduction of housing benefit, most financial support for housing costs is now provided through that scheme. | |
| 2Latest available date. | |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of those claimants in receipt of supplementary benefit in each of (a) Littleborough and Saddleworth constituency, (b) Oldham metropolitan borough council, and (c) Rochdale metropolitan borough council are families with children, and young single people under the age of 25 years; and what information he has for these categories and for each area separately regarding additional requirements which are included in their supplementary benefit assessment, by type and average amount of additional requirements.
I regret that this information is not available.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services it' he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of people in (a) the north-west, (b) Greater Manchester county, (c) Oldham, (d) Rochdale and (e) for each of his Department's offices covering Littleborough and Saddleworth constituency, currently in receipt of supplementary benefit; how many of the claimants are retirement pensioners; how many are unemployed persons; and what were the corresponding figures for May 1979.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.