§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual saving in the 1983–84 benefit year resulting from the change made in the method of uprating the child dependency additions to (a) pensioners and (b) widows; and how many parents and children are affected by the change.
§ Mr. NewtonThe net savings in the year starting November 1983, after taking account of extra expenditure72W on supplementary benefit, are £3 million for retirement pension and £13 million for widows benefits. The number of retirement pensioners and widows affected is 110,000. The number of children is 160,000.