FAMILY FUND

Early day motion 1234, tabled 8 December 2005 by Hugh Bayley (Labour). Signed by 86 members.

That this House congratulates the Family Fund on its campaign for funding to extend its grant-making powers to low income families with severely disabled or seriously ill children who are 16 or over; urges the Government to increase the Family Fund's annual grant to enable them to do this; recognises the injustice of financial help from the Fund stopping at the age of 16 and understands the hardships families experience as a consequence; further recognises that families are often forced into serious debt as a result of meeting the costs of their child's needs, which are three times as high for a disabled child as they are for others; and acknowledges the vital contribution that Family Fund grants make on a daily basis to the lives of around 45,000 families annually who are helped with anything that alleviates the stresses and strains of having a severely disabled child, be it a stress-relieving family holiday or basic household goods that are an essential part of enabling these families to enjoy the ordinary life that most people take for granted.

Signatures by party: Labour 51, Liberal Democrat 15, Conservative 10, DUP 5, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Plaid Cymru 1, UUP 1.