HC Deb 22 January 1980 vol 977 c164W
Sir Brandon Rhys Williams

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the net cost of increasing child benefit to (a) £6, (b) £8 and (c) £10 per week; and what would be the net cost of making such increases payable only in respect of second and subsequent children.

Mrs. Chalker

The net cost would be of the order of:

£ billion
all children second and subsequent children
(a) ½
(b) 1
(c)

Sir Brandon Rhys Williams

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table comparing, at constant November 1979 prices, for a single-wage married couple with two children aged 8 years and 12 years, and for a single-wage married couple with three children aged 8, 12 and 17 years, the value of £4 child benefits with the value of family allowance/child benefit plus child tax allowances in April 1960, April 1970, April 1976 and November 1978, assuming (a) standard rate taxpayers in each case and (b) that the families earned 50 per cent., 75 per cent. and 100 per cent. of average male manual earnings in each case.

Mrs. Chalker

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.