Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Food (Expenditure) – 19 January 1987

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Food (Expenditure) on 19th January 1987.

Mr. Meacher Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the data base used by his Department to determine the average expenditures on food, referred to in clause 4736 of “Guidelines for SBO’s and Procedural Instructions – Supplementary Benefits” (‘S’ Manual), in the calculation of the extra costs of special diets.

Mr. Major These figures are provided by the chief adjudication officer as part of his guidance to the independent adjudication officers. The amounts were originally derived from the 1979 family expenditure survey and have subsequently been increased in line with the food element of the retail price index. They were last increased in November 1985.