Baroness Vickersasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the estimated annual cost of extending the invalid care allowance to married women.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Glenarthur)Taking account of the increased numbers of recipients of attendance allowance since the cost was last estimated in 1982, and the increases in rates of benefits since then, we estimate that the net cost of extending invalid care allowance to married women at November 1984 rates would be about £85 million a year.