asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the future of Acton Hospital.

EXPENDITURE (£ MILLION)
(Estimated)
				1973–74	1978–79	1979–80*
Widowed mother's allowance	…	…	…	74	155	151†
Child special allowance	…	…	…	0·14	0·4	0·4
Child benefit (increase)	…	…	…	—	18	26
TOTAL (rounded)	…	…	…	75	174	178
* Assuming no increases in these benefits in 1979–80.
† After adjustment for the increases in child benefit already announced for April 1979.

One-parent families have, however, shared in the improvements which the Government have made in a much wider range of benefits, including increases in the rates of benefit and other provisions. In particular, several changes favourable to one-parent families have been made in the supplementary benefits scheme, which caters for a substantial number of such families. A full statement of the Government's measures to help one-parent families is contained in the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn and Hatfield (Mrs. Hayman) on 3rd August.—[Vol. 955, c.