§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of families who are eligible for family income supplement, of the number of families in receipt of family income supplement, and of the proportion of the former who are also liable for income tax.
§ Mr. Robert Sheldon80,000 families were eligible for family income supplement in 1975, the latest year for which an estimate is available. 60,000 families were receiving family income supplement in 1975, and 94,000 in March 1978, the latest month for which an estimate is available.
I regret that a precise estimate of the proportion of those eligible who are also liable to pay income tax is not possible, but the percentage is very small.