§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the total extra annual cost at current year prices of statutory sick pay at £30 for single people and two-wage married couples, compared with flat-rate benefit at £18.50;
(2) what is his estimate of the total annual savings at current year prices of statutory sick pay at £30 for families with children compared with flat-rate benefit at £29.95 plus child additions at £1.70.
§ Mr. PrenticeEmployees as a whole will be no worse off than under the present arrangements except that sick pay will be taxable. Within this overall picture, some groups will gain from the provisions while others will lose, but, because many employers already have sick-pay schemes which make better provision than the statutory minimum proposed in Cmnd. 7864, it is not possible to identify the size of the groups affected.