§ Sir B. Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the net cost of increasing family allowances and interim benefit in 1976–77 to £4 per week for all children now 668W entitled and for all children including the first, assuming no change in the person provisions for taxation, and that the allowances are made free of tax.
§ Mr. MeacherAssuming no change in taxation arrangements, the costs for that year would be about £750 million and a little over £2,000 million respectively. If family allowances and child interim benefit were made free of tax and clawback the total Exchequer costs would be about £1,000 million and nearly £2,300 million respectively.