§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what would be the cost in 1991–92 of raising(a) one-parent benefit and (b) the widowed mother's allowance on behalf of the claimant, by 85p a week (i) assuming similar increases in income-related benefits for lone parents and widows and (ii) net of income-related benefits;
(2) what would be the cost in 1991–92 of raising one-parent benefit by £1.45 a week (i) assuming similar increases in income-related benefits for lone parents and (ii) net of income-related benefits.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 1 May 1991]: The information requested is in the following table.
Raising OPB and WMA by 85p a week £ million Raising OPB by £1.45 a week £ million (i) Assuming compensatory increases in income related benefits One-parent benefit 57 98 Widowed mother's allowance 3 — TOTAL 60 98 (ii) Assuming no increase in income related benefits One-parent benefit 17 30 Widowed mother's allowance 2 — TOTAL 19 30 Notes:
1. The table shows:
(i) The effects of increasing one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance and of making increases in the income related benefits to allow all claimants of one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance to get the full increases;
(ii) The cost of increasing one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance without making such increases in the income related benefits. In this case increases in one parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance for people on income related benefits would be offset by reductions in those benefits.
2. It is not possible to get both one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance.