§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish tables similar to those in theOfficial Report, 3 August 1978, Vol. 955, c. 706–8, which show the total net weekly gains since April 1977, at current and constant prices, and after housing benefits have been adjusted, for two-parent and one-parent families as a result of the switch to child benefits and the phased withdrawal of child tax allowances.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI shall write to my hon. Friend about this matter.
§ Dr. McDonaldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost at current values of each extra 1p on child benefits in 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1982–83 on the assumptions about the reduction in the number of children made in the 1979 public expenditure White Paper.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI am advised that calculations based on the 1979 public expenditure White Paper as requested by the hon. Member are time-consuming and302W regret that I could not justify the use of additional resources for their preparation. However, the latest estimates of the number of children attracting child benefit, the cost at current values of each extra 1p on child benefits would be:
1980–81 … … £5.6 million 1981–82 … … £5.4 million