§ Mr. Skinner asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now restore all benefits to dependent children; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Chalker: Mext month's increase of 50p in child benefit is in line with the forecast of price increases at the time the uprating was announced and one-parent benefit, formerly known as child benefit increase, has been increased by more than the rise in prices since May 1979. In order to achieve a small contribution to savings, it was necessary, in 1980 and 1981, to restrict the uprating of the child dependency additions payable with national insurance benefits to the minimum permitted by law. Supplementary benefit scale rates have been uprated in 481W line with prices to ensure that this benefit for the poorest families continued to be protected against prices. In present economic circumstances we are unable to do more than this.