HL Deb 28 March 1996 vol 570 c149WA
Earl Russell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in assessing the cost to the Department of Health of reducing benefits for single parents, they took account of the report Poor Expectations—Poverty and Undernourishment in Pregnancy by the National Children's Homes Action for Children and the Maternity Alliance, published in November 1995.

The Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish)

No. While every attempt is made to identify direct implications for other departments arising from public expenditure decisions, it is not feasible to take account of every potential second-order effect, still less to quantify it. Many factors bear on social outcomes, and it is seldom possible to identify singular causes.