§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the estimated additional costs in the tax year 1978–79 if child benefit were uprated (a) by £1 in November 1978 for all children, (b) £1 in November 1978 but by £2 for one-parent families, and (c) by £1.70 in November 1978 for all children.
§ Mr. OrmeThe estimated additional cost of uprating child benefit in Great Britain in the 1978–79 tax year net of savings on other social security benefits is:—
These figures represent part-year costs only.
- a. about £230 million;
- b. about £235 million—assuming that the one-parent family premium is increased to £2;
- c. about £395 million.
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of child benefit for the tax year 1977–78 and how much of this can be set against the savings made on child tax allowance.
§ Mr. OrmeThe estimated cost of paying child benefit in Great Britain in 1977–78 is about £890 million; the increased basic rate yield from the reduction of child tax allowances in Great Britain in 1977–78 is estimated at about £205 million.
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to the reply of
Amount paid to Number of payments to families Week ending Families Single strikers £ £ 22nd November 1977 … … 4,316 — 325 29th November 1977 … … 43,45 8 2,131 6th December 1977 … … 72,174 48 3,644 13th December 1977 … … 118,051 96 5,780 20th December 1977 … … 249,354 515 11,242 27th December 1977 … … 175,551 471 6,963 3rd January 1978 … … 168,014 418 8,040 10th January 1978 … … 252,146 824 12,508 17th January 1978 … … 196,113 557 9,871 In general, these claims were dealt with in the same way as those from other
390W6th December that the estimated cost of child benefit for the tax year 1978–79 would be in the order of £1,650 million, how much of this can be set off against savings which will be made in child tax allowances.
§ Mr. OrmeThe yield from reducing child tax allowances by a total of £200 down to £100 per year is about £545 million.