Family Life (Development) (Hansard, 20 February 1986)

§ The Prime Minister

The development of family life is above all a responsibility of the members of families themselves. But the Government of course recognise the central importance of family life. They have sought to

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provide a framework of taxation, social security and other policies which take account of the need to protect and encourage family life.

So far as taxation is concerned, the married man 's personal allowance is now at its highest level in real terms since the second world war. We shall be publishing shortly a Green Paper on personal taxation, which will set out the option of moving to a new system in which allowances are transferable between husband and wife.

On social security, the position of families has been protected and improved since 1979. Most of the main benefits available to families have increased in real terms, including family income supplement. The White Paper in the "Reform of Social Security" (Cmnd. 9691) contains new proposals designed to help low-income families. Other specific areas in which Government policy has supported family life include: Encouraging wider home ownership, especially among young people; substanial increases in grants to voluntary organisations which assist families; measures to support those who provide care within families for elderly or disabled relatives; increased emphasis on encouraging school attendance and combatting truancy.

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In addition, the impact of particular proposals on family life is one of the considerations which is taken into account in the development of the whole range of Government policies.