HC Deb 23 May 1979 vol 967 cc129-31W
Mr. Field

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the

TABLE I
FIS awards current on last pay-day in each of 1978 analysed by type of family
Great Britain
1978 All Families Two-Parent Families One-Parent Families-Motherless One-Parent Families-Fatherless
31 January … … … 92,150 52,550 1,290 38,310
28 February … … … 93,910 53,660 1,400 38,850
28 March … … … 94,820 54,130 1,380 39,310
25 April … … … 96,010 54,700 1,380 39,930
30 May … … … 95,900 54,530 1,370 40,000
27 June … … … 96,380 54,970 1,330 40,080
25 July … … … 94,380 53,460 1,310 39,610
29 August … … … 91,150 51,420 1,270 38,460
26 September … … 89,000 50,000 1,000 38,000
October … … … 85,000 47,000 1,000 37,000
November … … 82,000 45,000 1,000 36,000
December … … … 81,000 44,000 1,000 36,000
TABLE II
Estimates of the number of children in families in receipt of FIS at December each year
Great Britain
Number of children in family Number of children
1971 1972 1973 1974
1 … … … … … … 26,000 35,000 38,000 28,000
2 … … … … … … 32,000 42,000 46,000 34,000
3 … … … … … … 33,000 39,000 45,000 33,000
4 … … … … … … 32,000 32,000 40,000 28,000
5 … … … … … … 25,000 20,000 25,000 20,000
6 or more … … … … 24,000 18,000 24,000 18,000
Total number of children … … 172,000 186,000 218,000 161,000

numbers of one and two-parent families claiming family income supplement and the number of children involved for each year since the scheme's inception;

(2) if he will list the numbers of children covered by family income supplement payments for each year since the scheme's inception.

Mrs. Chalker

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. The hon. Member may find it helpful to refer to table 32.10 in "Social Security Statistics 1977" published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office which shows, with additional detail, the numbers of family income supplement—FIS—awards held by one and two-parent families since the scheme's inception. Table I below gives corresponding information for 1978. Table II below gives estimates of the numbers of children in families in receipt of FIS at December each year since the scheme's inception.

TABLE II
Estimates of the number of children in families in receipt of FIS at December each year
Great Britain
Number of children in family Number of children
1975 1976 1977 1978
1 … … … … … … 24,000 28,000 32,000 29,000
2 … … … … … … 32,000 44,000 50,000 46,000
3 … … … … … … 27,000 39,000 51,000 45,000
4 … … … … … … 24,000 32,000 36,000 36,000
5 … … … … … … 15,000 15,000 20,000 20,000
6 or more … … … … 12,000 12,000 12,000 12,000
Total number of children … … 134,000 170,000 201,000 188,000
Notes:
1. Tables I and II are derived from a routine sample survey of FIS recipients and are therefore, subject to statistical error.
2. Figures for October, November and December in table I and for 1978 in table II are provisional.