§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will change the rules which determine whether a child is considered to be in care for child benefit purposes so that the relevant period is midnight Saturday to midnight the following Saturday in order that a parent whose child is home for a normal week's holiday may claim child benefit for that week.
§ Mr. OrmeNo. The present rules are considered to make reasonable provisions for most normal holiday periods when a child is at home, although it is accepted that an occasional short visit may not qualify. Under the rules, payment may be made not only for a complete week—in accordance with the Child Benefit Act, from midnight Sunday to midnight Sunday—at home but also for part-weeks at the beginning or end of the visit provided there is a complete week in between.