HC Deb 03 July 1979 vol 969 cc566-7W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the ratio of public expenditure specifically directed to people under 16 years to that directed to people over 65 years in each of the past 10 years; and what is his estimate of the ratio in each of the next 10 years.

Sir George Young

Precise figures are not available, but the table below sets out broad estimates of the ratio between total net public expenditure on health and personal social services benefiting those aged 65 years and over and that benefiting those under 16 years of age. The figures for the next 10 years assume that the ratio between expenditure per head on these age groups remains as in 1977, whilst the age structure of the population changes in accordance with the 1977-based population projections of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

HEALTH AND PERSONAL SOCIAL SERVICES
Expenditure on those aged 65+ Expenditure on those aged under 16 years (1)
1970 1.6
1971 1.6
1972 1.6
1973 1.6
1974 1.6
1975 1.7
1976 1.8
1977 1.8
1978 1.9
1979 1.9
1980 2.0
1981 2.0
1982 2.1
1983 2.1
1984 2.1
1985 2.1
1986 2.2
1987 2.2
(1) including expenditure on births

It is not possible to isolate from social security expenditure a proportion which can be specifically related to children under 16 years of age. Information on the expenditure on benefit, by broad groups of beneficiaries, including the elderly (those over pension age) is given in the table on page 151 of the White Paper on "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1979–80 to 1982– 83" Cmnd.7439.