On Report Stage I intend to extend the application of this matter to all social assistance schemes. An amendment to section 37 will enable me to exclude the compensation a person may receive from the tribunal which is hearing cases in relation to the hepatitis C issue. The amendment provides that assessments in relation to disabled person's maintenance allowance will be ignored in the assessment of means for household income. I intend to put down a Report Stage amendment which will extend this provision regarding the compensation to other social assistance schemes also.
SECTION 37.
Question proposed: "That section 37 stand part of the Bill."
The move is most welcome.
Question put and agreed to.
SECTION 38.
Question proposed: "That section 38 stand part of the Bill."
This is a small, but important advance and of particular assistance to parents on long-term payments. Deputies may recall that last year child dependant allowances were extended up to the 22nd birthday. During the year it was found that a number of people reached their 22nd birthdays in the middle of an academic year and they were, therefore, deprived of this support for the remainder of the year. Section 38 provides that it will end on the 22nd birthday or the end of the academic year, whichever is the later. It is a relatively small cost item but important to the few people who are dependent on the allowance to keep a young person in college.
Question put and agreed to.
Section 39 and 40 agreed to.