§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional administrative cost, for each benefit where applicable, of paying half the appropriate benefit rate for couples to each partner and paying any child addition to the partner taking the major responsibility for the child.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, for community charge benefit, couples are already assessed jointly; entitlement is divided between them, and their community charge bills are individually rebated.