§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that all individual grants from the EEC Social Fund are paid out individually and not absorbed by his Department.
§ Mr. John FraserI have been asked to reply.
The Government make applications in respect of Government expenditure on training, resettlement, rehabilitation of disabled people and the integration of migrant workers into the social and working environment. Allocations for 1973 and 1974 were £23.9 million and £25.9 million respectively, Allocations for 1975 have yet to be made.
63WThe Government expenditure concerned includes grants to individual firms and voluntary organisations. The Government do not pass on social fund receipts to such firms and organisations in addition to the Government grants they receive. The only applications made in 1973 and 1974 on behalf of individual bodies have been for several private companies in Northern Ireland where different training arrangements operate from the rest of the United Kingdom, and for three industrial training boards in respect of activities financed from levy income. No applications on behalf of voluntary organisations were submitted in 1973 or 1974.
Gross annual earnings {£) required to maintain 1975–76 net income in real terms Gross annual earnings (£) Net income(£) 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) 2,463 2,000 3,303 4,288 5,490 7,163 4,096 3,000 5,250 6,807 9,190 13,038 5,634 4,000 7,383 10,153 14,599 22,330 7,383 5,000 10,153 14,599 22,330 36,688 Net income is earnings plus family allowances, less tax and national insurance contributions. It has been assumed that both children are under 11 throughout, that family allowances and clawback remain as in 1975–76 and that family allowance is claimed only where it is to the taxpayer's advantage.