§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has plans to reduce the 15-month qualification period of receipt of invalid care allowance which, unless fulfilled, prevents subsequent 116W entitlement to sickness and other benefits.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisClass 1 credits are available for each week in which invalid care allowance is received. Such credits help protect a beneficiary's contribution record for the current contribution year which, since April 1975, has been the same as the tax year, running from April to April. One of the conditions for the receipt of sickness or unemployment benefit is that a certain level of contributions has been paid or credited for the "relevant tax year", that is, the year ending in the April preceding the calendar year during which the benefit is claimed. The interval from April to January is required for contributions to be recorded on the individual's contribution record. We have no plans for altering this system.