HC Deb 26 February 1980 vol 979 cc529-32W
27. Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representation he has received supporting an increase in child benefit.

32. Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received requesting an increase in child benefit and what response he has made.

38. Mr. Allen McKay

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received advocating an increase in child benefit.

47. Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received since 1 January about the level of child benefits.

68. Mr. Field

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects next to make a statement on increasing child benefit.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

I refer the right hon. and hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs) earlier today.

34. Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what increase in child benefit will be required to compensate fully a family with three children of school age, and not drawing supplementary benefit or family income supplement, who will in future have to pay for school meals and school transport.

Mrs. Chalker

Because the price of school meals and transport will be at the discretion of local authorities, it is not possible to say what increase, if any, in child benefit would be required to compensate the family referred to.

41. Mr. Cook

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current value of child benefit at the survey prices relevant at the date of introduction of the scheme.

Mrs. Chalker

£2.94, based on the retail price index for January 1980.

45. Mr. Allan Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report those persons or bodies from which he has received representations relating to child benefit.

Mrs. Chalker

No. This information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost, but I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs) earlier today.

49. Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reply he has sent to the Conservative Women's National Advisory Committee regarding its request for an increase in child benefit.

54. Mr. Stan Thorne

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reply he has sent to the Conservative Women's National Advisory Committee regarding its request for an increase in child benefit.

57. Mr. Stoddart

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reply he has sent to the Conservative Women's National Advisory Committee regarding its request for an increase in child benefit.

66. Dr. M. S. Miller

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reply he has sent to the Conservative Women's National Advisory Committee regarding its request for an increase in child benefit.

Mrs. Chalker

I refer the hon. Members to my reply to the hon. Members for Barking (Miss Richardson) and Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) today.

33. Mr. Jim Marshall

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to enable the parents of 19-year-olds still in full-time education at school to obtain child benefit allowance.

Mr. Patrick Jenkin

No. There has to be an upper age limit on the age to which a young person can be regarded as a child for child benefit purposes and I consider it reasonable that this should be put at age 19. This corresponds to the age at which the great majority of young persons have completed their secondary education and have either entered the employment field or gone on to higher education.

65. Mr. Peter Bottomley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the value of child tax allowance at the standard rate and family allowance or child benefit as a proportion of the main national insurance benefit for children for one and two-children two-parent families for the period since 1945.

Mrs. Chalker

The information required is as follows:

VALUE TO A BASIC RATE TAXPAYER, OF CHILD TAX ALLOWANCE FOR CHILDREN AGED UNDER 11, PLUS FAMILY ALLOWANCE/CHILD BENEFIT FOR A TWO-PARENT FAMILY EXPRESSED AS A PERCENTAGE OF SICKNESS BENEFIT* CHILD DEPENDENCY ADDITION, PLUS FAMILY ALLOWANCE/CHILD BENEFIT†
1 child 2 children
July 1948 138.7 192.0
April 1949 138.7 192.0
April 1950 138.7 192.0
April 1951 170.7 228.8
April 1952 156.0 195.4
April 1953 141.0 164.8
April 1954 141.0 164.8
April 1955 156.2 181.0
April 1956 142.6 165.2
April 1957 142.6 165.2
April 1958 109.3 126.7
April 1959 100.0 118.0
April 1960 100.0 118.0
April 1961 85.7 101.0
April 1962 85.7 101.0
April 1963 86.0 99.5
April 1964 86.0 99.5
April 1965 80.9 93.3
April 1966 80.9 93.3
April 1967 80.9 93.3
April 1968 65.0 73.2
April 1969 65.0 75.0
April 1970 58.7 67.7
April 1971 74.8 84.8
April 1972 62.7 71.1
April 1973 54.8 61.7
April 1974 66.1 72.2
April 1975 52.3 62.3
April 1976 57.7 66.6
April 1977 56.3 60.4
April 1978 65.2 65.2
April 1979 82.5 82.5
November 1979 70.2 70.2
* National insurance sickness benefit was introduced in July 1948.
† Child dependency additions have always been reduced to take account of family allowance/child benefit and the table is based on the combined amount of child support for a person in receipt of sickness benefit.