§ Q3. Mr. Croninasked the Prime Minister what further plans he has with regard to instructing the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Minister of Social Security to co-ordinate plans for fiscal and social measures to raise the standard of living of families dependent on lower-paid workers following upon his further consideration of the matter.
§ The Prime MinisterI would refer my hon. Friend to the speeches of my right hon. Friends during the debate on family poverty on 20th April.—[Vol. 745, c. 823.]
§ Mr. CroninWill my right hon. Friend confirm that these Government measures will be of a comprehensive and full nature when they occur, bearing in mind that British social security payments are much smaller than comparable payments in the Common Market countries? Would it not assist him in his task of soliciting their good will if he brought those payments up to Common Market standards?
§ The Prime MinisterMy hon. Friend will have reached the conclusion from what was said in the debate to which I referred that we are working on a basis for a comprehensive and full approach to these problems. It is a fact that in certain 737 important respects our social services have for some years lagged behind those of the Common Market countries, which have improved considerably over recent years.
§ Mr. DeanDoes the Prime Minister realise that in the recent debate on family poverty many people, both inside and outside the House, saw a lack of co-ordination between the speeches of the Minister of Social Security and the Minister without Portfolio? Will he ensure that Ministers do not speak with a multipilicity of conflicting voices on this vital topic?
§ The Prime MinisterHaving studied the debate, I cannot find any evidence to support what the hon. Gentleman has said. The Government have made it clear that we are studying a number of alternative ways of dealing with this problem.
§ Mr. WhitakerWill my right hon. Friend take into account the present fiscal system, which, in some respects, conflicts with our social security system in that the highest tax allowances give benefits in respect of, for example, housing and education—benefits which are available to the richest people?
§ The Prime MinisterI am well aware of that argument. It was one of the points made by a number of hon. Members in the debate. However, I cannot at this stage prejudge the Government's announcement on this later in the summer.
§ Mr. HeathWill the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that, in respect of the measures to be announced this summer, we will not have to wait until next April before they come into effect?
§ The Prime MinisterI cannot give any assurances in advance about what the statement will be. [Interruption.] I think that, in asking that question, the right hon. Gentleman probably had in mind the fact that one of the methods which has been suggested involves fiscal changes—which, of course, would relate to the fiscal year beginning in April. Certainly we have not taken a decision which would enable me to answer the right hon. Gentleman's question.