§ 66. Mr. T. WILLIAMS (for Mr. MORGAN JONES)asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether the income limit referred to in Circular 1,421 is a family income or a parental income?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe income limit quoted in paragraph 4 of Circular 1,421 to show the kind of standard which the Board have in mind is stated in terms of parental income. The circular goes on to refer to the possibility of "any alternative scheme having equivalent effect," and paragraphs 6 and 7 of Administrative Memorandum No. 100 make it clear that authorities are at liberty to adopt scales based either on family income or on parental income as they may prefer.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSAre we to accept it as definite that the proposal is that the means test shall apply not to the parents but to the whole income of any individual member of the family?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThe authorities have had the choice of methods for many years, and it has worked quite satisfactorily. We see no reason for any alteration.
Mr. PRICEWould the Government accept variations in the scheme in various counties where one authority proceeds on a parental basis and the other proceeds on a family basis?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMThese matters Lave been with the discretion of the local authority in the past, and they will remain so in the future.
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSWill the Parliamentary Secretary represent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that he might dispense with the means test in connection with the Income Tax?