asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider increasing the prescribed relative's allowance to a more realistic figure bearing in mind that people in receipt of this allowance have given up their employment to look after elderly relatives and that the present allowance of £14.70 is inadequate.

Under the provisions of this year's budget the prescribed relative allowance was raised from the beginning of April from £11.75 a week to £14.70 a week, an increase of 25 per cent. I consider this to be a reasonable increase and I do not contemplate a further increase at present.

Does the Minister consider that, apart from the social end, it is not economically sound to give increased allowances whereby people who are now in homes and institutions could be brought out and kept at home by a caring relative?

I agree that is an area which it is desirable to develop and I am interested in doing that.

Would the Minister acknowledge that a figure of £14.70 for some relative to give up work and look after an aged person is inadequate?

A 25 per cent increase would apply this year and a 25 per cent increase applied last year but the general question of to whom it should be paid and what the general policy should be is one that is worthy of review.

42.