BABY BONUS AND THE CHILD TAX CREDIT

Early day motion 1557, tabled 8 July 2003 by Sue Doughty (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 74 members.

That this House welcomes the baby bonus element of the child tax credit but notes with concern that this bonus is payable by birth and not by child; acknowledges that multiple births result in much higher costs to a family; recognises that families with twins miss out on ú545 and those with triplets are short changed by over ú1,000; notes that the estimated cost of paying baby bonus in respect of each baby would be ú5 million per year; and calls upon the Government to take urgent action to end this discriminatory approach to families of twins, triplets and other multiple births.

Signatures by party: Labour 35, Liberal Democrat 25, Conservative 6, Labour/Co-operative 3, Scottish National Party 2, UUP 2, Plaid Cymru 1.