§ Mr. Squireasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families 143W are currently receiving family income supplement ; how many it is estimated will receive it after the November uprating ; and if he will break the figures down into one-parent and two-parent families.
§ Mrs. Chalker: In February 1980, the latest month for which figures are available, about 84,000 families were receiving family income supplement, of whom about 47,000 were one-parent families. In the year following the uprating next November, the average number receiving the benefit is forecast to be of the order of 95,000. It is not possible to forecast the precise proportion of one-parent families, but it is likely that it will still be over half.