§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state. at the current sterling exchange rate, the value in sterling of family allowances per child per week in the United Kingdom, EEC countries, United States of America, and Sweden; and in each case what percentage of each country's national average earnings is represented by the value of family allowances for a family with three children.
§ Sir K. JosephI regret that the information is not available in the form requested.
I would refer the hon. Member, however, to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Kensington, South (Sir B. Rhys Williams) on 20 July which gives the latest information available about family allowance rates in the countries referred to. Because of fluctuations in the exchange rates, the amounts quoted in that reply are in the currency of the country to which they apply. The United States of America has no family allowance scheme—[Vol. 860, c. 245–6.]