MPs and ministers are on vacation but political disagreements continue to rage.
Government spokesman Olivier Véran and left-wing officials denounced on Wednesday a bill from elected Les Républicains (LR) to "frame the use of the back-to-school allowance" and "fight against fraud".
“The back-to-school allowance is useful and fair!
It is a precious help for three million families to finance the supplies of the children and to face the expenses of the re-entry.
Let's stop the stigmatization, ”tweeted Olivier Véran.
The back-to-school allowance is useful and fair!
It is a precious aid for 3 million families to finance children's supplies and to meet back-to-school expenses.
Stop the stigma.
pic.twitter.com/fkh6xtjSes
— Olivier Véran (@olivierveran) August 17, 2022
According to the explanatory memorandum to this bill, co-signed in particular by the interim president of LR Annie Genevard, "the lack of control over the expenses incurred" with this allowance "allows de facto beneficiaries to use this aid to d 'purposes other than the needs of their children for their schooling'.
"The back-to-school chestnut tree"
This text advocates making available to families, "for each child", a "kit of supplies and a back-to-school allowance in the form of vouchers so that families can dress their children or buy them books and tools necessary for their education.
The latter also aims to “require, as a prerequisite, the production of proof of schooling to avoid fraud.
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“The back-to-school chestnut tree.
Every year parents are accused of buying plasma screens with the back-to-school allowance... new rims... smartphones... The old fantasy of the poor who drink the money from the allowances", mocked the PS vice-president of the Senate and former Family Minister Laurence Rossignol.
“Behind this proposal, there is a questioning of the ability of the poorest parents to take care of their children.
And it's serious, ”said the Green MP for Paris Sandrine Rousseau.
Read alsoBack to school: good news, families should spend less than last year
The back-to-school allowance (ARS) is paid at the end of August, subject to resources, to families with at least one school-going child aged between six and 18 years.
For the start of the 2022 school year, the amount is €376.98 per child aged six to 10, €397.78 per child aged 11 to 14 and €411.56 per child aged 15 to 18.
