§ Miss Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many lone mothers are now receiving less family income supplement than they otherwise would as a result of the change in the treatment of maintenance payments to children; what is the average amount involved; and what it would cost to repeal the regulations and repay the amounts of family income supplement denied to the mothers involved.
§ Mr. PrenticeI regret that this information is not available. In 1978, however, it was estimated that there were then about 45 family income supplement (FIS) cases in which a court order specified that maintenance payments should be made to children. The total amount of FIS paid because such maintenance payments were disregarded in calculating a family's gross income was thought to be around £15,000 a year at that time. Under the 1979 amendment regulations, such payments are now taken into account for FIS purposes. This has always been the case with maintenance payments made to a mother for her child. The Government do not intend to restore the anomaly and return to the inequity of the former arrangements by repealing the regulations.