§ Ms. Richardsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the precise sum to be paid to mothers eligible for the means-tested maternity grant to be introduced on 6 April 1987; and if he will give details of the information published by his Department which informs women about this new benefit and how to claim.
§ Mr. Clayasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the net annual cost of increasing the maternity grant to £165.
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§ Mr. MajorThe gross annual cost of increasing maternity grant to £165 would be about £95 million. There would be a consequent saving on supplementary benefit expenditure for single payments for maternity needs. In 1984, the latest year for which records are available, these payments amounted to nearly £13 million.