asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total payment made in 1974–75 and 1976–77 to families under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 for England and Wales;(2) what was the amount paid out per family under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 for England and Wales.

Expenditure under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 is not separately identified in the financial returns received from local authorities. However, these returns show that expenditure in England and Wales on preventive and supportive services, which is largely financial assistance under this section, was £3·5 million in 1974–75 and £5·5 million (provisional) in 1975–76. It is not possible from information held centrally to relate these figures to the number of families helped.