§ 20. Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Minister of Social Security whether it is still Her Majesty's Government's policy to introduce an income guarantee scheme under which resources will be channelled to those most in need automatically and without the recipient having to make special application to receive them.
§ Mrs. HartI would refer the hon. Member to the reply by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to my hon. Friend the Member for Brent-ford and Chiswick (Mr. Barnes), on 23rd January.—[Vol. 757, c. 61.]
§ Mr. HillAs false hopes are being prolonged, would it not be better for the Government to state specifically that they were not proposing to carry out the promise contained in the Labour Party's last election manifesto? Should this not be made clear, especially to the elderly people?
§ Mrs. HartI rather think that the hon. Gentleman must have missed the statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in July, 1965, and must also have missed further statements by the Chancellor. The general question raises the broader issues, involving the negative income tax concept and the advisability of it. It is a very wide question.
§ Lord BalnielThe general question raised by my hon. Friend is answerable either "Yes" or "No". Will the Minister answer it?
§ Mrs. HartI have referred the hon. Gentleman, and I refer the noble Lord, to complete statements on this matter made in this House over two years ago.