Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit – 28 April 1986

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Supplementary Benefit on 28th April 1986.

Mr. Frank Field Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many extra young people aged (a) 16 years, (b) 17 years and (c) 18 years he estimates were eligible for supplementary benefit in 1985 and are eligible in 1986 following the decision of the Tribunal of Commissioners R(F) 2/85.

Mr. Major A total of approximately 52,000 young people left school at Easter 1985 but the number who had exams to take and who might have been eligible to claim supplementary benefit following Commissioners’ decision R(F) 2/85 is unknown. However, 24,859 young people successfully claimed benefit and 8,164 of these still had exams to take. No breakdown by age is available. There are no figures yet available for 1986.