RECOVERY OF FAMILY ALLOWANCES (Hansard, 29 January 1975)

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Mr. Alec Jones)
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Mr. George Thomas)
With this amendment we are to discuss Government Amendments Nos. 19, 20, 21 and 24.

§ Mr. Jones
The House will be pleased to know that we can at least start off on an even keel, with no great controversy.
The clause is an entirely technical amendment, required to remove any doubt as to the destination of sums of family allowance recovered as wrongly paid. The money is properly payable into the Consolidated Fund, whereas Section 81(1)(a) of the National Insurance Act 1965 appears to suggest that it might be payable into the National Insurance Fund.
The error arose when Section 81 was amended by paragraph 15 of Part I of Schedule 21 to the Social Security Act 1973. It was overlooked at the time that as family allowances were not among the benefits specified as falling to be paid into the Consolidated Fund on recovery they would automatically fall within the group of benefits to be paid into the National Insurance Fund. The clause 431 ensures that the position is restored unequivocally to that intended by the Family Allowances Act 1965.
The four amendments are similarly technical. The first three ensure that the provision in the new clause applies equally to Northern Ireland. Amendment No. 24 amends the Long Title to include a reference to the clause.