§ 10.12 p.m.
Earl FerrersMy Lords, I should like, with your Lordships' permission, to make a personal statement and, in doing so now, I am taking the first opportunity to correct a misleading answer which I regret that I gave to the noble Lord, Lord Kilmarnock, on two occasions. The first occasion was yesterday in answer to a question on the Statement of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Employment. The second occasion was today in answer to a supplementary question on the Starred Question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Molloy. On both these occasions I said that the parents of trainees on the new Youth Training Scheme would continue to receive child benefit. I now understand that this is not the case and I must apologise to your Lordships for describing this aspect of the proposed arrangements incorrectly.
The position on child benefit is set out in paragraph 36 of the White Paper, A New Training Initiative: A Programme for Action. From the date when the new scheme is fully introduced in 1983, child benefit will continue to be paid to parents of those who leave school at the minimum school-leaving age until the following September, provided that the young person is neither in work nor on the new Youth Training Scheme. Young people who are on the scheme will be paid a training allowance from the Government on the basis set out in paragraph 38 of the White Paper. Child benefit will not be paid to their parents.
My Lords, it is with considerable regret that I find that I have misled your Lordships on a matter of some substantial importance, and I should like to apologise sincerely and without reservation both to the noble Lord, Lord Kilmarnock, and to your Lordships for this inaccuracy.