§ Sir Ian GilmourTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the effects on the net income of families receiving family credit of an increase in child benefit; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydChild benefit is ignored when assessing family credit in individual cases. Instead, the level of child benefit is taken into account when setting the rates of child credits in family credit. So in April 1989, when child benefit remains unchanged, the new family credit rates included an additional 45p to reflect what would have been the increase in child benefit had it been uprated. This was on top of the increase to restore the value of the child credits and the further 50p added to all the children's rates in the income-related benefits. Increasing child benefit would not therefore have added to the total value of the child credit and child benefit.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to arrange for child benefit to be paid in respect of those young people who are aged over 18 years in secondary education who will be required to pay poll tax from April 1990; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydNo. Child benefit will continue in payment for young people under 19 who are in full-time non-advanced education (ie, up to A-level or equivalent standards) regardless of whether or not they are required to pay the community charge.
§ Mr. TraceyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will announce the social fund allocation for the new office in New Malden and also the revised allocation for Kingston following the closure of Surbiton local office on 29 June.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[pursuant to his reply, 5 July 1989, column 195]: I regret that the reply does not announce the revised annual allocation for Kingston. The information requested is as follows:
444W
Loans £ Grants £ Period New Malden 62,213 29,006 29 June 1989 to 31 March 1990 Kingston 138,146 62,251 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990