§ Mr. Robin Cookasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what level of child benefit would be necessary at April 1988 to maintain its real value as at April 1979; and what is the reduction in expenditure in a full year achieved by the failure to maintain that value.
§ Mr. ScottUntil the April 1988 retail prices index is available, the rate of child benefit needed to maintain its April 1979 value will not be known. If its April 1979 value was expressed in April 1987 terms and then uprated by 4.2 per cent. (the latest available RPI movement, between September 1986 and September 1987), the level of child benefit would be £7.80 which would represent a total additional net cost of around £220 million a year.