Invalidity Care Allowance

HC Deb 05 March 1984 vol 55 c454W

Ms Richardson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the recommendation of the interim report of the European Commission on the application of the European Economic Community directive on equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security that it would be desirable from the point of view of harmonization of equal treatment not to exclude the invalidity care allowance from the scope of the directive". he will now take steps to extend this allowance to married and cohabiting women carers.

Mr. Newton

No. We are aware of the interim report of the Commission which confirms that invalid care allowance is not within the scope of the directive on equal treatment. The Government's position on extending the allowance to married and cohabiting women has been made clear. It is estimated that the net cost would be over £60 million a year. It can therefore be seen as only one of a number of possibilities for consideration in thecontext of what is available for social security spending as a whole.