Comments on: A better start http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/ Thoughts of Antonia, Labour activist and feminist in Oxford Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:29:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: jdc http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40632 jdc Mon, 11 Dec 2006 12:57:03 +0000 http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40632 Indeed. That was very annoying. "You can't pay child benefit, it's not a child". There's a bigger picture here than semantics, I think? Or do you think that's a good point - I just don't see it myself. Mind you, if we start paying it at the start of pregnancy, is it like tax credits, do they have to pay it back if they decide to terminate it (evidently this is fairly simple, if it's unwanted they hopefully just wouldn't claim to start with - but let's say they hadn't intended to but it turns out to be disabled) Indeed. That was very annoying. “You can’t pay child benefit, it’s not a child”. There’s a bigger picture here than semantics, I think? Or do you think that’s a good point - I just don’t see it myself.

Mind you, if we start paying it at the start of pregnancy, is it like tax credits, do they have to pay it back if they decide to terminate it (evidently this is fairly simple, if it’s unwanted they hopefully just wouldn’t claim to start with - but let’s say they hadn’t intended to but it turns out to be disabled)

]]> By: Antonia http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40619 Antonia Mon, 11 Dec 2006 10:30:37 +0000 http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40619 I think we've had this discussion, jdc. I imagine it was someone worried that paying a benefits premium to pregnant women might undermine abortion rights. I think we’ve had this discussion, jdc. I imagine it was someone worried that paying a benefits premium to pregnant women might undermine abortion rights.

]]> By: jdc http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40618 jdc Mon, 11 Dec 2006 10:10:25 +0000 http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40618 "Personally, I would start the payments much earlier in the pregnancy". I think I agree with this, though certainly the proposal as it stands is a good start. Can you guess the enlightened perspective and rationale of the speaker who argued against this proposal at a child poverty meeting I went to, addressed by Polly Toynbee and David Miliband? “Personally, I would start the payments much earlier in the pregnancy”.

I think I agree with this, though certainly the proposal as it stands is a good start.

Can you guess the enlightened perspective and rationale of the speaker who argued against this proposal at a child poverty meeting I went to, addressed by Polly Toynbee and David Miliband?

]]> By: Sam http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40113 Sam Sat, 09 Dec 2006 03:15:41 +0000 http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-40113 We don't often agree on policy details, Antonia, but on this one, we do. Paying child benefit to pregnant mothers is cheap, easy and doesn't suffer from the micro-managing hoop-jumping that features in so many of Mr. Brown's proposals. Personally, I would start the payments much earlier in the pregnancy, but that's not a reason to oppose this proposal. We don’t often agree on policy details, Antonia, but on this one, we do. Paying child benefit to pregnant mothers is cheap, easy and doesn’t suffer from the micro-managing hoop-jumping that features in so many of Mr. Brown’s proposals.

Personally, I would start the payments much earlier in the pregnancy, but that’s not a reason to oppose this proposal.

]]> By: Anji http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-39917 Anji Fri, 08 Dec 2006 08:03:52 +0000 http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-39917 Also, the milk tokens scheme has been thrown out and there is a scheme called Healthy Start instead, where the vouchers are exchangable not just for milk but also fresh fruit and vegetables, and you can also get free vitamins. For each child under five you get a £2.80 voucher. For each child under one you get two vouchers. I use mine for my milk from the milkman, because my son is only fifteen months so drinks about a pint a day of the stuff! Also, the milk tokens scheme has been thrown out and there is a scheme called Healthy Start instead, where the vouchers are exchangable not just for milk but also fresh fruit and vegetables, and you can also get free vitamins. For each child under five you get a £2.80 voucher. For each child under one you get two vouchers. I use mine for my milk from the milkman, because my son is only fifteen months so drinks about a pint a day of the stuff!

]]> By: Benjamin http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-39878 Benjamin Fri, 08 Dec 2006 05:09:25 +0000 http://www.antoniabance.org.uk/2006/12/08/a-better-start/#comment-39878 Tea and bread ain't bad for you. Preferably wholemeal. Tea and bread ain’t bad for you. Preferably wholemeal.

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