§ Mrs. Castleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many child benefit books have already been printed and at what cost; whether they are going to be used for the payment of the £1 benefit for the first child; and, if not, how the £1 is going to be paid.
§ Mr. EnnalsOnly a few completed books have actually been produced. The final stage—the printing of the foils—began only after my statement to the House on 25th May. I regret that costs so far incurred cannot be isolated from total printing costs. These books will be used for child benefit payments for only children and will also be issued to families now getting family allowances as their existing books fall due for replacement from the late summer onwards. For families whose family allowance books have not been replaced by April 1977,726W arrangements will be made to give them the £1 for the first child by overstamping their family allowance books in Department of Health and Social Security local offices.