§ Mr. David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why a married woman living with her husband in full-time work with a suitably low income is excluded from being recognised as a bread-winner for purposes of family income supplement.
§ Mr. OrmeBy virtue of Section 1(1) of the Family Income Supplements Act 1970.
As has been explained in debates on the European Commission document R/48/77—[Vol. 941, c. 423–454; Official Report, House of Lords, Vol. 388, c. 311–332]—the Government are in principle sympathetic to some further recognition in the social security system as a whole of wives who are the main bread-winners in a family. It would, however, not be appropriate to make changes in the FIS scheme alone, without regard to the position elsewhere in the system. The position of women in the supplementary benefit scheme is particularly relevant, and this is currently under review.