§ 46. Mr. Archerasked the Minister of Social Security under what circumstances the supplementary allowances paid to families of prisoners are restricted by reference to the prisoners' normal earnings; and how many prisoners' families are affected by this practice.
§ The Minister of Social Security (Mrs. Judith Hart)The allowance is restricted when a man is serving a sentence of not more than six months and the family income would otherwise be more than when he was in work. Exact figures are not available, but the number of cases is known to be very small.
§ Mr. ArcherDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that the argument that a man available for work should not be worse off when he is out of work cannot apply to this situation?
§ Mrs. HartI ask my hon. Friend to await my consideration of the Supplementary Benefits Commission's Report on the wage-stop which, as he probably knows, I am now studying. I can say that the report discusses this question.