Universal Character Of Child Benefit

EDM number 632 in 1989-90, proposed by Jimmy Wray on 01/03/1990.

That this House believes child benefit is one of the most important foundations of civilised and caring Britain; sees its universal, un-means tested and egalitarian characteristics as an expression of Britain's commitment, as a well organised society, to giving the best opportunities and start in life to all British children, without discrimination, especially if Britain also commits itself to their full, free and adequate education and training; deplores, consequently, the persistent erosion of child benefit value and the attacks on its un-means tested and universal character by Her Majesty's Government and supporters; is deeply worried by the hardship and anxiety which such attacks and freezing of this benefit cause to families, many of them single parent families, now falling within the low income bracket; rejects the alternative measures which Her Majesty's Government in theory offer to these families as inadequate and difficult to claim; and calls on the British people to reject any politician, dogmatic and blind enough to risk Britain's future, who supports attempts against child benefit's present universal, un-means tested and egalitarian nature.

This motion has been signed by a total of 35 MPs.