§ 6. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what changes she proposes to make in the system of family allowances; and which outside bodies are being consulted on the problem.
§ 26. Mr. Maurice Macmillanasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will seek to introduce a new family allowance scheme providing for the needs of large families whose total earnings are below the current National Assistance scales for such a family.
§ Miss HerbisonI cannot usefully add at present to what I said on this subject in the recent debates on the Ministry of Social Security Bill.
§ Mr. HamiltonCould my right hon. Friend say, perhaps in the OFFICIAL REPORT, what bodies she is consulting in this matter? Is she consulting, for instance, the Child Poverty Action Group and representatives from child welfare committees, as the social workers engaged by these committees are doing very useful work in meeting the large families which are suffering great hardship and poverty at this time?
§ Miss HerbisonThe group which is studying child poverty has given us a great deal of information on this matter, and we pay particular attention to it. Wherever there is any source of help in this work, we shall be most ready to take advantage of it.
§ Mr. MacmillanCan the right hon. Lady give an assurance that when her studies are complete she will have taken into account the shortfall in the growth of our economy under the National Plan, and will she assure us that these people at any rate will not suffer in any way as a result of that?
§ Miss HerbisonCertainly. All the problems facing us in this matter are having most serious consideration.