§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much it is expected that the increase in child tax allowances under the Finance Bill will reduce the take-up of the Family Income Supplement, free welfare foods and milk, exemptions from prescription, dental and optical charges, and other means-tested benefits for which the information is available.
§ Mr. DeanThe increase will have no effect on entitlement to Family Income Supplement since this is related to gross and not to net income. The extent to which the resulting increase in net incomes may reduce the number of families eligible for other benefits cannot be reliably estimated.