§ Q17. Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Prime Minister if it is the intention of the Government to close the gap between the level of child benefit and the long-term supplementay benefit for dependent children.
§ Mr. WhitelawI have been asked to reply.
The two benefits serve different purposes: supplementary benefit is a maintenance benefit, and child benefit is primarily an addition to the income of working families to help with the cost of bringing up children. It would cost £2½ billion to close the gap between the two levels of benefit, and the Government have no plans to make this change.