Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:58 pm on 28 November 1996.

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Photo of Peter Lilley Peter Lilley Secretary of State for Social Security 4:58, 28 November 1996

I shall complete this section first, and the hon. Lady may find her question answered, if it has not been answered already.

The net result of the changes that we have introduced, plus the temporary measures introduced by the Labour Government, has been that couples who are out of work or on low incomes receive less money relative to their needs than do lone parents. That cannot be right. It sends out a strange signal when the state discriminates against married couples.

That is why we intend new lone parents who claim benefit after April 1998 to receive the same family premium and child benefit as married couples do. We shall protect existing lone parents, who will retain their present higher benefits.

That does not reflect any punitive attitude towards lone parents on our part.