§ Mr. Sproatasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total cost to public funds in 1975–76 and in 1976–77, respectively, of paying benefits in respect of each of the following: attendance allowance, child's special allowance, constant attendance allowance, death grant, family allowance, family income supplement, guardian's allowance, hospital pocket money, industrial death benefit, industrial disablement pension, injury benefit, invalid care allowance, invalidity allowance, invalidity pension, maternity allowance, maternity grant, mobility allowance, old person's pension, rent rebate and allowance, retirement pension, sickness benefit, student grant, supplementary benefit, unemployability supplement and allowance, unemployment benefit, war widow's pension, war disablement pension, war orphan's pension, widow's allowance, widowed mother's allowance and widow's age-related pension; and what percentage of the gross national product this total sum represents.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe provisional figures for 1975–76 and estimates for 1976–77 are listed below. They relate to Great Britain; detailed estimates for 681W Northern Ireland are not available. The total given for 1975–76 is equivalent to 9.4 per cent. of gross national product at factor cost.
£million Benefit 1975–76 1976–77 Attendance allowance 96 120 Child's special allowance 0.3 0.3 Constant attendance allowance 4 4 Death grant 15 15 Family allowance 537 525 Family income supplement 12 18 Guardian's allowance 2 2 Industrial death benefit 23 25 Industrial disablement pension 62 74 Injury benefit 39 44 Invalid care allowance — 6 Invalidity allowance 26 30 Invalidity pension 412 486 Maternity allowance 37 48 Maternity grant 15 16 Mobility allowance 0.6 0.8 Old person's pension 34 34 Rent rebate and allowance 304 381 Retirement pension 4,773 5,662 Sickness benefit 425 501 Student grant 275 330 Supplementary benefit 1,195 1,508 Unemployability supplement and allowance 10 12 Unemployment benefit 460 789 War widow's pension 78 86 War disablement pension 140 155 War orphan's pension 0.2 0.2 Widow's allowance 47 54 Widowed mother's allowance 124 142 Widow's age-related pension 48 57 Total 9,194.1 11,125.3 Hospital pocket money, subsumed in estimates above 13 15