§ Mr. Altonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will review the arrangements governing the supplementary benefit entitlement of young people undertaking home-work.
§ Dr. BoysonI assume the hon. Member has in mind the arrangements whereby unemployed people are able to undertake a certain amount of study whilst seeking work, both during the three months qualifying period for the 21-hour rule and under the 21-hour rule itself. These provisions are designed to enable unemployed young people to undertake part-time study without putting at risk their entitlement to supplementary benefit. They exclude from their scope young peole continuing their normal full-time education outside the employment field, who continue to be treated as dependent on their parens to whom child benefit is payable. We continue to keep these arrangements, including the differing treatment of time spent on homework during the qualifying period and thereafter, under review.