In other teenage mums news, last week’s Guardian Backbencher email offered a prize for telling her

how much teenage parents will be paid each week to attend parenting classes under the Respect Action Plan (and if you like, what percentage of the standard 16- or 17-year-olds’ jobseekers’ allowance that represents).

Hold your fire, here’s the response in this week’s Backbencher:

Last week’s competition
Mike Cushman correctly pointed out that attending the government’s “Respect the Infant” parenting classes will qualify teenage parents for an additional GBP30 per week - unless, of course, they are already receiving some sort of educational maintenance allowance. On the other hand, he adds, their income support will be lopped by a fifth if they don’t turn up for a “learning-focused interview” with Connexions in Jobcentre Plus areas. And contrary to what the Backbencher suggested last week, under-18s are not usually eligible for the jobseekers’ allowance. Frankly, she wishes she hadn’t asked.

Glad she noticed her mistake. I would have entered the competition myself, but the last time I did I won the prize - a signed copy of The Devil’s Tune by Iain Duncan Smith. Rather puts one off entering. Anyway, I digress…

So what’s the answer to her question? Well, if you assume that she meant to say income support instead of JSA, then the percentage that the EMA of £30 per week represents is 88%. Worth going to those classes, kids - that £30 will be a 28% rise on your total take home - from £104.12 to £134.12. Lap of luxury.