Seamus Kirk
Ceist:43 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to pay an allowance to married women who stay at home to mind their families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1905/95]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Last year special arrangements were introduced designed to ensure that homemakers do not suffer a loss of pension entitlement because of time spent full-time at home looking after a child, or caring full-time for an elderly or incapacitated person. From 6 April 1994, time spent working in the home rearing young children up to six years of age or caring for incapacitated people will be disregarded for the purpose of calculating the yearly average condition in determining entitlement to contributory old age pension. A maximum of 20 years may be disregarded.
I announced in my recent speech on the budget my intention to increase the age of children being cared for under this scheme from six to 12 years. This improvement will be effective from the contribution year 1995-96 onwards. Of specific value to all families is the budget increase of £7 in the monthly child benefit payment for each child from September. This is the first step— the provision of a base line income support for children. The Government are committed to providing a basic income for children through the creation of a child benefit supplement, which will be payable to all families whose income is below a certain level. Having established a good basic child benefit payment this year, we are now preparing for the introduction of the supplement in future budgets. There are no plans to introduce a specific scheme along the lines indicated by the Deputy. Such a scheme would have major cost implications.