§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the statement of the Secretary of State for Social Services to the House, Official Report, 9th February, column 1509–10, what would be the net cost to public funds of introducing the tax credit scheme as amended by the following assumptions: (a) child tax allowances for children under 11 years of age to be abolished and allowances for children over 11 years of age to be reduced correspondingly and child benefit to be introduced at a weekly rate of £2.34 plus a 30p supplement for each third and subsequent child, (b) the single and married tax allowances to be replaced by credits equivalent to the cash value of the tax allowances at the basic rate of income tax, (c) the age allowances for single and married people to be replaced by credits equivalent to the cash value of the allowances at the basic rate of income tax, and (d) the tax allowance for married men in work and the self-employed tax arrangements to continue as at present; and whether he will show the overall cost less the savings on social security and also provide a breakdown of cost as between categories (a) to (c) above.
§ Mr. Robert SheldonI will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.