§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the maximum marginal levy in terms of means-tested benefits forgone which he plans to implement for low-paid workers.
§ Mr. DeanI take it that the hon. Member is referring to the interaction of the various systems of means-tested benefits. This problem is under examination.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, for 330W very low-paid workers who are unemployed and for whom the addition of the family income supplement to normal gross family earnings would produce a figure that is still below the current National Joint Council local authority labouring rates, the latter rather than the former will continue to form the basis of the calculation of any wage-stop that may be imposed.
§ Mr. DeanNational Joint Council rates are only used as a measure of likely earnings for those claimants for whom it is not possible to take an individual earnings figure. Actual rates of earnings, plus next year's family income supplement, will continue to be used to determine wage-stop levels wherever possible; National Joint Council rates plus family income supplement only being used where reliable evidence of likely earnings does not exist.