§ Mr. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the cost of indexing child benefit in line with the expected rate of inflation between 1984–85 and 1985–86, giving the gross and net full year costs.
§ Mr. WhitneyIf child benefit were to be increased in November 1985 by 4.75 per cent., in line with the general assumption in the Government's Expenditure Plans 1985–86 to 1987–88 (Cmnd. 9428), the estimated gross cost of child benefit would be £163 million higher in 1985–86 than in 1984–85. The corresponding estimated net cost would be £125 million.