HC Deb 07 March 1978 vol 945 cc1214-5
16. Mr. MacKay

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to take further decisions about the level of child benefit.

Mr. Orme

I can add nothing to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn and Hatfield (Mrs. Hayman) on 7th February.

Mr. MacKay

Bearing in mind that the level of child support under this Government is now even less than it was 30 years ago, is not it time that we inflation-proofed child benefits in line with tax allowances for adults and other supplementary benefits?

Mr. Orme

I remind the hon. Member that child benefit will increase to £2.30 per child next month and that this Government introduced child benefit for the first child. Although we always want to improve it, there has nevertheless been a considerable improvement in child support.

Mrs. Hayman

Before succumbing to the demands for index-linking, will my right hon. Friend ensure that child benefit is at a reasonable level? Does he agree that at the moment it is far too low to be index-linked, that it needs to be raised substantially in the forthcoming Budget and that in the interests of fairness it should be at the same level as the child portion in national insurance benefits?

Mr. Orme

I agree that child benefit is not yet at the level where it should be index-linked. I note what my hon. Friend said about the Budget. No doubt she will draw it to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree with the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the Labour Party Conference that he would not use any of the available money to increase child benefit because it would be unfair to single or married people without children? Does he share that view?

Mr. Orme

I have not the words of my right hon. Friend before me, but he has been consistent in supporting an increase in child benefit, and it is the intention of this Government to continue that support for children and the family.