§ 6. Sir Robert Youngasked the Minister of National Insurance whether a widower with one child, for whom no allowance is made, and a widow with two children entitled to the allowance for one child, 1018 will, on marrying again, be entitled to payments for two children; and if he is aware that his Department has not yet reached a decision regarding a man and woman so placed by marriage last November.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsYes, Sir. If all three children are below the prescribed age limits, family allowances in respect of the two younger children will be payable. I have made inquiries into the individual case to which my hon. Friend refers and find that payment of allowances at the rate of 10s. a week have now been authorised.
§ Sir R. YoungWhy should it take five months to deal with a simple issue like this? Is my right hon. Friend aware that I hold in my hand five acknowledgements involving time, labour and expense, and covering a period of almost five months, each giving the same answer, which obviously could not have been true if the matter was being attended to and investigated?
§ Mr. GriffithsEvery communication to my Department is acknowledged by postcard. I think that is desirable. I would not accept the view that all these cases of changed family circumstances are simple, but I agree that a case of this kind ought to have been dealt with much sooner. I am taking steps to alter the methods by which we handle these changes in family circumstances which are not always as simple as they seem.