§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children are the subject of an allowance under social security; how many of these would still need assistance if the child benefit were raised to £15; and if he will estimate the saving that could be made in expenditure and the amount of the continuing liability, preferably in terms of a forecast for 1983–84.
§ Mr. NewtonFor estimates of savings, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 22 February.—[Vol. 37, c.425–6.] It is estimated that in 1983–84 there will be some 1.9 million children in families receiving supplementary benefit; in addition, child dependency additions to one of the benefits listed in my earlier reply will be paid in respect of some 610,000 children not in such families.
Entitlement to supplementary benefit depends on the circumstances of the family as a whole; an estimate of the number of children whose families would no longer be eligible for supplementary benefit could be provided only at disproportionate cost.