§ Sir George Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the future of Acton Hospital.
EXPENDITURE (£ MILLION) (Estimated) 1973–74 1978–79 1979–80* Widowed mother's allowance … … … 74 155 151† Child special allowance … … … 0.14 0.4 0.4 Child benefit (increase) … … … — 18 26 TOTAL (rounded) … … … 75 174 178 * Assuming no increases in these benefits in 1979–80. † After adjustment for the increases in child benefit already announced for April 1979. One-parent families have, however, shared in the improvements which the Government have made in a much wider range of benefits, including increases in the rates of benefit and other provisions. In particular, several changes favourable to one-parent families have been made in the supplementary benefits scheme, which caters for a substantial number of such families. A full statement of the Government's measures to help one-parent families is contained in the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn and Hatfield (Mrs. Hayman) on 3rd August.—[Vol. 955, c. 671–74.]