Vol. 449 No. 7
205 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people in receipt of lone parent's allowance; the number who receive the full allowance; and the number who will benefit from the changes announced in the means test. [4294/95]
At 31 January 1995 there were 41,185 people in receipt of lone parent's allowance, of which 35,010 received the full rate.
As announced in the recent budget, it is intended to integrate the existing lone parent's allowance and deserted wife's benefit schemes into a uniform scheme for parents, men and women, caring for children on their own, and to abolish the requirement to prove desertion.
The number who will benefit from the changes cannot be estimated until the details of the new scheme are finalised.
I have indicated that I will be meeting with interested groups to seek their views before finalising the new scheme. The new scheme will not be means-tested but will be related to the number of children being cared for and the household income. It will also seek to ensure that there is no disincentive to return to work.
