§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide the evidence on which the statement by the Under-Secretary, Official Report, 29 January, column 1112, that the value of child benefit at present is higher than at any time going back to 1971, was based.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMy answer related to support for families with children under 11, and I regret that this qualification was not made in the heat of Question Time.
The following table shows the combined value to standard rate taxpayers of child tax allowances—after clawback—and family allowances for each child at November 1979 prices. The value of child benefit to most families is higher now than it was in any year going back to, but not including, 1971.
393W394W
COMBINED VALUE TO STANDARD RATE TAX PAYER OF CHILD TAX ALLOWANCES, AFTER CLAWBACK, AND FAMILY ALLOWANCES PER CHILD EXPRESSED AT NOVEMBER 1979 PRICES Married couple with April 1971 April 1972 April 1973 April 1974 April 1975 April 1976 April 1977 April 1978 April 1979 1 child under 11 … … … … 3.47 3.27 2.97 3.41 2.98 3.13 3.01 3.58 4.44 2 children under 11 … … … … 3.94 3.71 3.34 3.72 3.55 3.61 3.22 3.59 4.44 3 children under 11 … … … … 4.16 3.92 3.53 3.87 3.74 3.77 3.30 3.58 4.44 4 children under 11 … … … … 4.28 4.02 3.62 3.95 3.84 3.85 3.34 3.59 4.44 1 child 11–15 … … … … 4.01 3.78 3.51 3.92 3.41 3.48 3.31 3.86 4.44 2 children 11–15 … … … … 4.49 4.23 3.87 4.21 3.99 3.97 3.53 3.85 4.44 3 children 11–15 … … … … 4.72 4.44 4.05 4.37 4.17 4.13 3.60 3.86 4.44 4 children 11–15 … … … … 4.83 4.54 4.13 4.44 4.27 4.22 3.64 3.86 4.44 1 child 16+ … … … … … 4.58 4.31 3.95 4.35 3.77 3.81 3.57 4.09 4.44 2 children 16+ … … … … 5.05 4.75 4.31 4.64 4.35 4.29 3.78 4.09 4.44 3 children 16+ … … … … 5.27 4.96 4.49 4.79 4.55 4.45 3.86 4.09 4.44 4 children 16+ … … … … 5.39 5.07 4.59 4.87 4.64 4.53 3.90 4.09 4.44