§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the total cost of child benefit for each year since November 1978; and if he will state how much of this arises from increases in benefit beyond the increase in real terms over the period in question.
§ Mr. NewtonThe total cost of child benefit in the relevant financial years was as follows:
£ million 1979–80 2,787 1980–81 2,944 1981–82 3,372 1982–83 3,660 1983–84 4,011 Child benefit was uprated at the beginning of 1979–80, and was next increased in real terms in November 1983. The cost in 1983–84 of this real increase was slightly less than £35 million.