§ 16. Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the value of the child tax allowance for the years 1950 to 1976 for a standard rate tax payer.
§ Mr. Denzil DaviesWith permission, I shall circulate this information in the Official Report.
§ Mr. BottomleyWill the Minister confirm that in the last 10 months family benefits have declined by 20 per cent.? Is there an argument against index linking of family benefits, or is the present situation a result of the fact that neither children nor babies have a vote?
§ Mr. DaviesThe hon. Gentleman referred to family benefits, which cover a wide range, but the question referred to child tax allowances. In the period 1950 to 1976 there has been a fall in the real value of child tax allowances. Balanced against that there has been some rise in the real value of personal allowances and of family allowances.
§ The following is the information>:
1527| Year | All children * | Children not over 11 | Children over 11 but not over 16 | Children over 16 |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| 1969–70 | — | 47.44 | 57.75 | 68.06 |
| 1970–71 | — | 47.44 | 57.75 | 68.06 |
| 1971–72 | — | 60.06 | 69.75 | 79.44 |
| 1972–73 | — | 60.06 | 69.75 | 79.44 |
| 1973–74 | — | 60.00 | 70.50 | 79.50 |
| 1974–75 | — | 79.20 | 90.75 | 100.65 |
| 1975–76 | — | 84.00 | 96.25 | 106.75 |
| * For the years prior 10 1957–58 there was a single rate of allowance for all qualifying children, regardless of age. |