§ Mr. Waldegraveasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate the increase or decrease in the number of families who would receive supplementary benefit in the period November 1980 to November 1981 if child benefit were to be raised in November 1980 by the following amounts (a) nil, (b) 50 pence, (c) 75p, (d) £1 and (e) £1.25;
423W(2) if he will estimate the increased or decreased cost to public funds of supplementary and other means-tested benefits payable to families in poverty in the period November 1980 to November 1981 if child benefit were raised in November 1980 by the following amounts (a) nil, (b) 50 pence, (c) 75p, (d) £1, and (e) £1.25;
§ Mrs. ChalkerIs is not possible to speculate what the numbers might be, but it is thought that very few families would cease to qualify for supplementary benefit even with the largest of the specified increases in child benefit. The full year savings of supplementary benefit would be of the order of (a) nil (b) £30 million (c) £45 million (d) £60 million and (e) £75 million.