§ 14. Mr. David Amess (Southend, West)What estimate he has made of the take-up rate for family credit for 1998–99. [58379]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security (Angela Eagle)As I told the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier), family credit take-up, by case load, is estimated to be 72 per cent., but measured by levels of expenditure it is 84 per cent.
§ Mr. AmessWill the extra £1.5 billion being spent on the working families tax credit introduce other families to dependency, including higher earners? Will the hon. Lady explain why, under the new system, it will be more financially advantageous to look after other people's children than to look after one's own?
§ Angela EagleTo be honest, I do not understand why the Conservative party insists on thinking that a more generous tax credit, with lower tapers which create pathways into work for the lowest paid, increases dependency. Conservative Members have a bizarre view of the benefits system.