§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing the gross income equivalents which will entitle families of different sizes to free school meals after next November, using the new scale shown in part III of Statutory Instrument 1979 No. 695, and assuming that the father can claim £10 a week in travel expenses, £4 a week life assurance, £3 a week trade union dues, £28 a week mortgage, and £5 a week in rates.
§ Dr. Boyson,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 9 July 1979; Vol. 970, c. 43], gave the following answer:
On the basis of the various allowances which my hon. Friend has assumed, the following are the levels of gross weekly income—including child benefit at the two-parent rate—and earnings below which parents will qualify for free school meals for all their children from 12 November next:
Income £ Earnings £ One child family 118 114 Two child family 128 120 Three child family 138 126 These figures assume that life assurance and mortgage repayments are linked to form an endowment mortgage and that the full £28 per week is eligible for income tax relief. If none of the mortgage payment was allowed for tax purposes the gross earnings-income figures would be about £10 higher.
441WHowever, these figures are well above the levels which are likely to be encountered in the majority of cases.