asked the Minister for Social Welfare arising from the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 48 of 29 January 1986 if he will: (a) introduce a ceiling on the aggregate board and lodging deductions that can be made where more than one family member is being means tested for unemployment assistance; (b) how the £90 parental allowance is arrived at; the elements of personal expenses taken into account; and when the current review is due to be completed; (c) if he will include as non-earners, for the purpose of dividing the remainder of net parental income, all persons in receipt of flat rate disability benefit and unemployment benefit, which is only marginally better than unemployment assistance; (d) the reason the parent working in the home and not in receipt of social welfare benefit or assistance is not counted as a non-earner for purposes of dividing the remaining net parental income, and if this practice will be changed; and (e) whether he would consider it more equitable to determine net parental income by reference to P.60 figures, and avoid the situation of wide divergence of board and lodging assessments on different members of the same family assessed on different dates.
Written Answers. - Means Test Procedures.
The existing method of assessing the value of the benfit of board and lodgings for unemployment assistance purposes is considered to put a fair and reasonable value on that benefit in the case of applicants generally and is designed effectively to safeguard the position of persons in large households and households with low incomes. Alternative formula incorporating some of the features suggested by the Deputy would not necessarily give a more equitable result in practice.
The Deputy's interest in this matter, as evidenced by the issues raised by him in this and in his previous question, is appreciated and he can be assured that these points will be fully taken into account in the Department's review. The points raised by him are also being referred for consideration to the Commission on Social Welfare which is examining in a more fundamental way the policy of assessing the value of board and lodgings for means purposes under the various social assistance schemes. It is considered that it would not be appropriate to make any change to the existing method of assessment until such time as the benefits of the commission's deliberations and recommendations on these matters are available.