UK Parliament / Open data

Savings Accounts and Health in Pregnancy Grant Bill

I am slightly suspicious about the extent to which the hon. Gentleman speaks with authority on what the women who come to see him in his surgery spend their health in pregnancy grant on. I cannot imagine them saying, ““I'm off now to spend my grant on rather a lot of packets of fags.”” What is the difference between the point that the hon. Gentleman is arguing now—that during pregnancy women should not be given a lump sum that they can spend in any way they choose because some of them might spend it on the wrong things—and what happens with child benefit after a child is born? Surely mothers could spend their child benefit on cigarettes, drugs and alcohol. If that is pursued to its logical conclusion, is it not an argument against giving them child benefit?

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

519 c111 

Session

2010-12

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber
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