§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many teenagers are now in receipt of social security benefit; and how many received it in each of the last six years.
§ Mr. Deakins, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5th May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 311], gave the following information:
§ Mr. Stanley Orme, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th May 1978; Vol. 949, c. 363], gave the following information:
It is estimated from family expenditure survey sources that the proportion of child benefit, payable at the rates announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget Statement on 11th April 1978—[Vol. 947, c. 1195–8]—which will go to families where the head is earning above 55W the national average the national wage, or the joint income of husband and wife is above, is about 52 per cent. But if the average income of families with children is taken, 44 per cent. of child benefit would go to families whose income is higher than the average.