§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much family allowance was paid to families with (a) one child, (b) two children, (c) three children and (d) more than three children in each year since 1979–80 until the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many families benefited from such allowances in each case.
§ Mr. NewtonChild benefit is a weekly flat rate benefit paid for each child in a family. From April 1979 the rate was £4; from November 1980 it was £4.75; from November 1981 it was £5.25 and from November 1982 it has been £5.85. From November 1983 child benefit will be raised to £6.50. The number of families, by size of family, receiving benefit at 31 December was as follows:
1979 1980 1981 One-child families 2,875,000 2,908,000 2,923,000 Two-child families 2,978,000 2,981,000 2,974,000 Three-child families 993,000 965,000 937,000 Families with more than three children 344,000 320,000 302,000 One-parent benefit is an additional weekly flat rate benefit paid, for the first child in a family, to a person bringing up a child alone. From November 1979 the rate was £2.50; from November 1980 it was £3; from November 1981 it was £3.30 and from November 1982 it has been £3.65. From November 1983 one-parent benefit will be raised to £4.05. The number of families, by size of family, receiving benefit at 31 December was as follows:
391W
1979 1980 1981 One-child families 223,000 254,000 279,000 Two-child families 116,000 134,000 141,000 Three-child families 33,000 38,000 38,000
1979 1980 1981 Families with more than three children 10,000 11,000 11,000 Figures for December 1982 are not yet available.