Written question asked by Anne Campbell (Labour) on Monday, 28 June 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 July 2004. It was answered by Chris Pond (Labour) on Monday, 19 July 2004 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Dept for Work and Pensions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what factors underlie the decision not to reward parents coming off benefits and into full-time education with the child maintenance bonus under the old scheme and child maintenance premium under the new scheme.

Answer: Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what factors underlie the decision not to reward parents coming off benefits and into full- time education with the child maintenance bonus under the old scheme and child maintenance premium under the new scheme. [181629] Mr. Pond: The child maintenance bonus is a measure to provide an incentive for parents with care to go into work. The child maintenance premium is a disregard of income for parents with care who are in receipt of either income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance. When a parent with care ceases to receive income- related benefit, she will receive all of the maintenance paid.

Secondary information