§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many children were covered by the family income supplement scheme for each year since the scheme was introduced, distinguishing between the numbers of children whose parents are claiming and not claiming, respectively; and if he will further divide this total into one- and two-parent families;
(2) what have been the amounts paid out under the family income supplement scheme for each year since the scheme was introduced; and if he will subdivide these sums between one-and two-parent families for each year since the scheme was introduced;
(3) what has been the number of children covered by the family income supplement scheme for each year since the scheme was introduced, distinguishing between the number of children who come from one-and two-parent families;
(4) if he will list in the Official Report the awards under the family income supplement scheme analysed by type of family and total income of family for 1975, as set out in Table 32.36 of Social Trends 1973;
(5) what have been the number of claimants using the family income supplement passport scheme for (a) free school meals, (b) free dental and optical care, (c) free prescriptions and (d) free welfare milk and food, respectively, for each year since the scheme was introduced.
§ Mr. OrmeI would refer the hon. Member to my replies to my hon. Friend 79W the Member for Belwellty (Mr. Kinnock) on Thursday 29th April and Friday 30th April 1976.—[Vol. 910, c. 161–6; c. 203–4.]
§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what have been the number of families claiming family income supplement for each year since 1971.
§ Mr. OrmeThe number of families in receipt of family income supplement in December of each year was as follows:
Thousands 1971 … 71 1972 … 82 1973 … 95 1974 … 70 1975 … 60
§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are claiming the family income supplement of, respectively: 10p–99p, £1–£1.99, £2–£2.99, £3–£3.99, £4–£4.99, £5–£5.99, £6–£6.99, £7–£7.99, £8–£8.99, £9–£9.99 and above £10.
§ Mr. OrmeThe information, which relates to August 1976, is as follows:
Amount of FIS No. of families in receipt* Less than £1 … … 3,000 £1–£1.99 … … 5,000 £2–£2.99 … … 5,000 £3–£3.99 … … 5,000 £4–£4.99 … … 8,000 £5–£5.99 … … 9,000 £6–£6.99 … … 9,000 £7–£7.99 … … 7,000 £8–£8.99 … … 10,000 £9–£9.99 … … 6,000 £10 and above … … 3,000 All amounts … … 69,000 * All figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000: consequently the sum of the components does not equal the total.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what amounts have been spent on advertising the family income supplement scheme for each year since the scheme was introduced.
§ Mr. OrmeThe amounts spent on advertising the family income supplements80W scheme in each financial year since its introduction are as follows:
£ thousands 1971 … … … … 326 1972 … … … … 309 1973 … … … … 161 1974 … … … … 124 1975 … … … … 91 1976 … … … … 172
§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what have been the prescribed income levels for family income supplement for one-child, two-child and four-child families, respectively, together with the tax threshold for these families for each year since the scheme was introduced.
§ Mr. OrmeI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedwelty (Mr. Kinnock) on 29th April.—[Vol. 910, c.163–4.]—The information for 1976 is as follows:
1 Child Family July 1976 £ Prescribed amount … … 39 Tax threshold … … 26.63 2 Child Family July 1976 £ Prescribed amount … … 43.50 Tax threshold … … 31.40 4 Child Family July 1976 £ Prescribed amount … … 52.50 Tax threshold … … 42.29
§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average size of payments for family income supplement for each year since the scheme's conception; and if he will also express these payments as percentages of average earnings for each of the years under consideration.
§ Mr. OrmeFollowing is the information requested for each calendar year:
81W
Average FIS payments Percentage of average earnings* 1971 … 1.73 5.3 1972 … 2.05 5.6 1973 … 2.47 5.9 1974 … 2.97 6.2 1975 … 3.76 6.2 * The average earnings figures used are the average gross earnings of men aged 21 and over in full-time employment in Great Britain, when absence has not affected their pay, derived from the Department of Employment's New Earnings Survey. The average earnings figure relates to April of the relevant year.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how large child benefit payments will need to be next April if they are to take all working families off the family income supplement at the current prescribed levels.