§ Mr. Adam Butlerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current annual cost of the death grant; and what would be the estimated annual cost of restoring the real value of the grant to what it was when it was first introduced at £30.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe current annual cost of the death grant is about £16 million. Based on the movement of the retail prices index up to January 1979, the latest month for which figures are available, the present grant would have to be increased to nearly £100 to restore its value in 1967 when it was increased to £30. The additional cost would be over £37 million a year.