§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table comparing the net weekly spending power, as defined in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk North on 10th June 1975, Official Report, c. 156, of one-parent families before and after introduction of child interim benefit, assuming (a) weekly earnings of £25, £30 and £35 and (b) that the family is on supplementary benefit, in each of the following family circumstances: (i) one child aged 5 years, (ii) two children aged 4 and 6 years, (iii) three children aged 6, 8 and 10 years and (iv) four children aged 6, 8, 10 and 12 years.
§ Mr. OrmeThe tables below give information for families with one and four children. They show the position in March and August 1976 for the reason given in my reply to the hon. Member on 14th May, in which I provided similar information for a 2-child family. —[Vol. 911, c.313–15.]
485WThis information is taken as far as possible from figures already available within the Department. The cost of providing the other information requested by the hon. Member could not be justified.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services further to the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk
Single Parent with 2 children aged 5 and 10 Earnings FA CHIB Income Tax NI Conts FIS Rebated Rent Rebated Rates Work Expenses Value of Free School Meals £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ March 1976 25 1.50 — — 1.38 4.30 Nil 0.06 1.00 1.50 30 1.50 — 1.72 1.65 1.80 0.39 0.26 1.00 1.50 35 1.50 — 3.47 1.92 — 1.19 0.52 1.00 1.50 August 1976 25 1.50 1.50 — 1.44 7.80 1.18 0.53 1.75 1.50 30 1.50 1.50 0.91 1.73 5.30 1.80 0.73 1.75 1.50 35 1.50 1.50 2.66 2.01 2.80 2.25 0.89 1.75 1.50 The net increase in spending power is due to the combined effect of the payment of child interim benefit, and increase in child tax allowances and family income supplement partially offset by in. creased national insurance contributions and the increase in estimated work expenses, and by reductions in rent and rates rebates.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is aware that a single parent with two children has only 34p per week more spending power by earning £35 per week than by earning £25 per week; and what action he intends to take to remedy this situation.
§ Mr. OrmeThe phasing out of means tested benefits as income increases is a necessary and important feature of our social security system. I have no plans to alter this.