§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the phasing in of the child benefit scheme from April 1977 to April 1979, any increase in the rate of child benefit for the first or any subsequent child will go in full to recipients of unemployment, sickness or supplementary benefit with children or whether the child additions to these benefits will be reduced in line with any increases in child benefit.
§ Mr. OrmeSo far as unemployment and sickness benefit are concerned, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) on 8th November 1976. As regards supplementary benefit, child benefit will be taken into account in full as a resource in assessing entitlement for supplementary benefit purposes.