§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the total cost and what would be the net cost of replacing all existing benefits and allowances paid on behalf of children by a single. age-related scale of child benefit at November 1980 children's supplementary benefit rates, payable regardless of the employment or other circumstances of the parents (a) up to age 16 years and (b) up to age 19 years where the child continues in full-time education;
558W(2) what would be the average weekly payment per child if all existing benefits and allowances for children were replaced by a single age-related scale of child benefit at November 1980 children's supplementary benefit rates (a) up to age 16 years and (b) up to age 19 years where the child continues in full-time education.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe cost at November 1980 benefit rates throughout of proposal (b) would be of the order of £6 billion gross and £2¼ billion net. The gross cost of proposal (a) would be about £5½ billion. Complete statistics are not available to assess the net cost but it is thought it would be slightly under £2 billion. The average weekly payment per child of this age related child benefit, if the proposals were restricted to children up to age 16, would be about £8.60, and, if extended to include children up to age 19 years in full-time education, would be about £8.90.