asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to implement the provision in schedule 1 to the Supplementary Benefit Act 1976 to allow either spouse or partner in a household to be nominated as the principal person in the household for the purpose of state benefit assessments.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Crewe (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 2 February—[Vol. 17, c. 116.]