§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will make a statement on the criteria for help from the Family Fund financed by the Government and administered by the Rowntree Trust.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisAll families in which there is a severely handicapped child are eligible for help from the Family Fund. Until October of last year the fund was permitted to help only children with congenital handicaps, but I was then able to announce that the scope of the fund had been extended to include all severely handicapped children. This means that, for example, contrary to a recent report, families with vaccine-damaged children are eligible to apply for help. I understand that a number of families in this category have in fact already been helped by the fund. My hon. Friend will know that I also announced last October the grant of a further £3 million to the fund.