§ 14. Mr. Barnesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what study he has made of the capacity of the Inland Revenue to handle a system of negative income tax as an earnings-related alternative to the present system of family allowances.
§ Mr. DiamondI have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend on 19th May by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.—[Vol. 784, c. 23.]
§ Mr. BarnesBearing in mind the problems which the Chancellor said this year prevented him from extending the claw-back to the whole of the family allowance, will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that he will keep negative income tax under review, since it could be a more effective way of paying adequate family allowances to those who really need them?
§ Mr. DiamondI certainly give my hon. Friend the assurance that we will keep it under review, although, as to the last part of his supplementary question, he will have heard what my right hon. Friend had to say.