§ 27. Miss Lestorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of families, living on or below supplementary benefits level, will benefit from Family Income Supplement.
§ Sir K. JosephIt is not possible to give a precise figure, but the best available estimate is that over one half of the families with the breadwinner in full-time work but living on or below supplementary benefit level will benefit from Family Income Supplement.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether family income supplement claimants will be given a notice of assessment showing how their gross weekly income and the supplement payable to them have been calculated.
§ Sir K. JosephYes.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances it is envisaged that a family income supplement will be reviewed before the end of the period for which it was awarded.
§ Sir K. JosephI would draw the hon. Member's attention to regulation 11 of the Family Income Supplements (General) 73W Regulations, 1971, which were laid before the House yesterday.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what benefits, rebates and exemptions will recipients of a family income supplement be automatically entitled.
§ Sir K. JosephIt is intended that recipients of a family income supplement will automatically be entitled to the following
Free welfare milk and foods.Relief of prescription charges.Relief of optical and dental charges.Refund of the necessary expenses of travelling to hospital for treatment.My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Scotland are considering whether free school meals should be added to the list of automatic benefits.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the 110,000 married couples with children and of the 54,000 single-parent families with children who will be helped by the family income supplement he estimates have an income above the level of their supplementary benefit entitlement.
§ Sir K. JosephSince, as I have explained to the House, our estimates were unavoidably based on out-dated surveys and very small samples, I would ask the hon. Member to await the outcome of our current examination of the more recent data.—[Vol. 806, c. 217.]
§ Mrs. Knightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish the form on which claims for family income supplements are to be made.
§ Sir K. JosephI have arranged for an advance copy to be placed in the Library of the House.