§ Mr. FlightTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of transfer payments, including social security benefits and tax credits directed at children and at people of working age, was in each year since 1991–92; and what projections have been made for the cost in(a)2003–04 and (b)future years. [147377]
350W
§ Mr. PondThe information for social security benefits administered by the Department for Work and Pensions is shown in the table, and is consistent with forecasts published in the pre-Budget Report on 10 December 2003.
The information is drawn from DWP's Benefit Expenditure Table 5 (Benefit expenditure by age-based client group, Great Britain, 1991–92 to 2005–06), which may be found on the Department for Work and Pensions website at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/ expenditure, asp. Forecasts of expenditure will next be updated at Budget 2004.
Tax credit expenditure and forecasts, and child benefit expenditure and forecasts from 2003–04 onwards, are the responsibility of the Inland Revenue.
£ million Children1 People of working age Outturn 1991–92 8,411 22,342 1992–93 9,767 26,727 1993–94 10,676 30,035 1994–95 10,827 31,251 1995–96 11,277 32,913 1996–97 11,659 33,640 1997–98 11,816 32,791 1998–99 12,105 32,685 1999–2000 13,129 31,989 2000–01 13,144 31,215 2001–02 13,729 31,827 Estimated outturn 2002;–03 14,386 32,421 Plans 2003;–04 5,410 33,251 2004–05 4,022 34,296 2005–06 1,802 35,515 1Spending on children drops in 2003–04 as a result of the transfer of child benefit to the Inland Revenue; during 2003–04 and 2004–05, spending on children is also reduced by the transfer of child elements of income support and income-based jobseekers allowance to child tax credit.