§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is her intention when she introduces Child Benefit in April 1977, that the new benefit will replace in entirety the present multifarious system of more than 30 different rates of allowance/benefit quoted in her reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 18th February 1976, Official Report, columns 749–50.
§ Mr. O'MalleyIt is the intention to continue the long-established practice under which any dependency benefits paid for children are set at a rate which takes account of the family support payments being made.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the 189W estimated total net cost in the current financial year of each of the following: child tax allowances, family allowance, family income supplement, child additions to national insurance benefits, and child additions to supplementary benefit, non-contributory invalidity pension and other non-contributory benefits; and what rate of non-taxable family allowance or child benefit could be paid at no extra cost to the Exchequer, if all these allowances and benefits were replaced by a single unified system of non-taxable benefit payable to all children as of right, regardless of changes in the circumstances of their parents.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThe estimated net costs are about £1,200 million, £275 million, £12 million, £210 million and £130 million, respectively. These amounts would provide a tax free child allowance of £2.45 a week.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what rate of taxable family allowance or child benefit could be paid at no extra cost to the Exchequer if all the allowances and benefits quoted in the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 18th February, c. 749–50, were replaced by a single unified system of taxable benefit payable to all children as of right, regardless of changes, other than changes in tax liability in the circumstances of their parents.
§ Mr. O'MalleyAbout 65p a week in addition to the present family allowance of £1.50 a week for second and subsequent children, on the assumption that child tax allowances are retained at their present level.