HC Deb 21 March 1957 vol 567 c541
29. Mr. Freeth

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the cost to the Revenue of increasing the child allowance for Income Tax purposes from £100 to £120 per child on all children over 11 years old only.

Mr. Powell

About £11 million in a full year.

Mr. Freeth

Does not my hon. Friend agree that for a very small sum the Treasury could give very great help to people whose children are reaching the most expensive period of their lives, and it would, in addition, be a very great incentive to parents to keep their children at school after they reached the age of 15 years if the child allowance were graduated in this way?

Mr. Powell

My hon. Friend will realise that that is a matter falling within the scope of the Budget, which I cannot anticipate.