§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be for 1984–85 (a) the gross and (b) the net cost of extending widowed mother's allowance on a non-contributory basis to all single parents, assuming abolition of one-parent benefit and taking into account savings on means-tested benefits, revenue from taxation of the benefit and recovery of maintenance from liable relatives; how many people would be removed from eligibility for supplementary benefit and family income supplement as a result; and what would be the corresponding figures for a benefit paid at the same rate as non-contributory invalidity pension.
. BoysonThe most recent estimate was that given in my reply to the hon. Member on 14 March 1983 at column60–61. That estimate proved to be expensive to prepare, and we could not justify bringing the figures up-to-date because of the disproportionate cost.