§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the new estimates for the cost of the increased child benefit to be paid next April are £50 million less than was announced by the Government on 15th July 1977.
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§ Mr. OrmeThere has been no change in the estimated net cost of over £300 million announced in his statement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15th July—[Vol. 935, c. 991–2.]. It has, however, been necessary to correct the figures given at a subsequent Press conference for the two main components in the calculation, ie. the gross cost of increasing child benefit and the offset for reductions in child tax allowances, each of which were £50 million in excess of the correct figure. The estimated net cost remains at £310 million.