HC Deb 03 December 1974 vol 882 cc417-8W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated cost of increasing family allowances to £2 and £3 per child, assuming clawback to be retained.

Mr. Alec Jones

If clawback is retained at its present level of £52 for each child for whom family allowances are payable, the additional net cost to the Exchequer compared with the current rate of family allowances would be about £225 million or about £435 million, respectively, a year. Included in these figures is the net Exchequer cost of £120 million a year in respect of the increase in family allowances to £1.50 a week next April.