11.   The governing Social Democrats on Wednesday continued their pre-election flurry of spending increases, announcing a hike in the child allowance and the student allowance.

12.   The union also is asking the government to increase the child allowance and to pay double for overtime work.

13.   An alternative proposal would entail child allowances being frozen for large families, but benefits being increased to families with five or more children already receiving certain benefits.

14.   The Social Democrat opposition has warned the government that any attempt to delay planned increases in child allowances, which has been mooted, would be unconstitutional.

15.   Pensions and child allowances have not been paid out since last May or June, he stressed.