HC Deb 03 March 1977 vol 927 cc316-7W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures comparing the financial position of parents supporting their children at university (a)under existing arrangements with family allowance, child tax allowances and partial local education authority grant and (b)under the arrangements proposed for 1977–78, with no child benefit over the age of 19 years and reduced child tax allowances; and if he will confirm that no parents, including those paying tax at 55 per cent. and over, will be worse off as a result of the proposed changes.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

It is not possible to provide such figures at this stage, since the position of these parents in 1977–78 will depend on the level of grants and the parental contribution scale fixed for the academic year 1977–78. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science will be laying the relevant regulations in due course. The parental contribution scale will include, as stated by my right hon. Friend the

Member country January 1976 February 1976 March 1976 April 1976 May1976 June1976
Belgium … … -0.9 -8.3 -1.0 -2.0 -0.0 -3.1
Denmark … … +17.9 +15.2 +73.6 8.7 1.2 8.4
France … … 0.0 -1.0 +1.1 0.0 -1.0 -3.2
Germany (Federal Republic) … … -1.9 +3.8 -1.8 -3.7 -3.8 -10.0
Ireland (Quarterly) … … — -4.2 — — -0.6 —
Italy … … -1.8 +7.3 +17.8 +10.8 +8.4 -2.3
Luxembourg … … +8.3 -8.5 -4.6 +1.9 -1.0 -5.8
Netherlands … … -5.4 +8.0 -5.3 +11.2 -3.0 -2.1
United Kingdom … … -6.0 -2.1 -7.4 -10.8 -18.5 -10.4

Member country July 1976 August 1976 September 1976 October 1976 November 1976 December 1976
Belgium … … -2.1 -4.3 +5.7 -10.8 -8.4 0.0
Denmark … … 0.0 +1.3 +22.1 +43.6 -5.2 +2.3*
France … … +2.1 +1.1 +2.1 +2.1 +2.0 -2.0
Germany(Federal Republic) … … +4.4 -2.1 -13.0 -5.0 -2.6 +5.1
Ireland (Quarterly) … … — +16.7 — — +9.0 —
Italy … … -0.6 +4.9 +5.9 +15.0 +2.9 0.0*
Luxembourg … … -1.0 +4.1 -6.9 -9.6 -2.4 +2.4*
Netherlands … … -11.7 0.0 -1–2 +6.1 -2.3 -2.4
United Kingdom … … -6.5 +7.0 +3.6 +2.8 +2.0 +0.7
Source: OECD.
January figures are not yet available.
The December figures marked with an asterisk (*) are provisional.
The individual countries have varying methods of seasonally adjusting their price indices.