§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect of minimum wages fixed by wages councils on the number of recipients of and sums spent on family credit in 1992–93 and 1993–94.
§ Mr. BurtIt is not possible to identify families receiving family credit whose wages are covered by wages councils. The benefit is payable to any low-income family with children irrespective of whether or not their wages are fixed by wages councils. The biggest determinant of the size of a family credit award is the number and ages of the children rather than variations in the level of wages.