§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown by benefit of the 25 per cent. real increase in family benefits since 1978–79.
§ Mr. MooreA breakdown by benefit of the 25 per cent. real increase in family support since 1978–79 is provided in the table.
Since I quoted this figure to the House on 18 January 1989 at column 359 I understand that the Inland Revenue has advised DSS officials that its provisional estimate of the value of child tax allowances in 1978–79 has been revised down from £515 million to £460 million. The effect of this change is to reduce family support in real terms in 1978–89 to £6,741 million; this produces a real increase of 27.3 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1988–89.
Family support 1978–79 to 1988–89 £ million 1978–79 cash 1978–79 real 1988–89 cash/real Child benefit 1,776 3,872 4,522 One parent benefit 22 48 174 Child tax allowances 515 1,123 — Additional personal tax allowance (lone parent) 60 131 165 Family income supplement 24 52 — Family credit — — 422 Maternity grant 16 35 — Maternity allowance 105 229 27 Statutory maternity pay — — 240 Supplementary allowance1 569 1,241 — Income support1 — — 2,009 Housing benefit1 2 60 131 971 Social Fund — — 49 Total 3,147 6,861 8,579 1 Supplementary allowance, Income Support and Housing Benefit paid to one parent families and to people looking after elderly persons. 2 Includes rate rebates.