To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families with children in full-time education (a) 16 years, (b) 17 years and (c) 18 years were in receipt of (i) income support, and (ii) family credit, in 1989–90; and how many families lost the child allowance in the benefit during the course of that year because the child, even though in full-time education, reached the age of 19 years.

The information requested is set out in the table. Families appear in each age category in which they have a child.

Families with children	On income support1	On family credit2
Aged 16 years	66,000	20,000
Aged 17 years	26,000	9,500
Aged 18 years	15,000	5,000
1Source: annual statistical inquiry May 1989.
2 Figures relate to awards current at 31 March 1990 and refer to the age of the child at the beginning of the 26-week award.

I regret that information on the number of families on income support where the child's personal allowance was lost during 1989–90 is not available. Family credit awards have regard to the age of the child at the start of the award and the amount payable remains unchanged throughout the period of the 26-week award, even if the 19th birthday falls in that period. No information is available about the number of 19-year-olds still in full-time, non-advanced education at the expiry of the last family credit award in which they were included as a dependant.