§ Mr. Leadbitterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy on the suggestions on supplementary benefits put to him recently by the Director of the Child Poverty Action Group.
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§ Mr. DeanMy right hon. Friend is considering the Child Poverty Action Group's representations sent to him on 23rd November and will be replying to them.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the current position whereby a woman can be deprived of supplementary benefit on the grounds of cohabitation, yet the man is not entitled to claim family income supplement on the grounds that he is not living with the woman, nor can he claim tax relief on his dependants on the grounds that he is not legally responsible for them ; and if he has any proposals to rectify this anomaly.
§ Mr. DeanWhen a man and woman are cohabiting the woman cannot normally receive supplementary benefit but the man can claim family income supplement. The question of income tax relief is for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but I understand that a cohabiting couple are not necessarily precluded from claiming the income tax child allowance for the woman's children.