§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest figure available for the cost per claimant of processing a claim for(a) child benefit and (b) family credit.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe information requested is not readily available. The latest available administrative figures for child benefit are for 1986–87. These suggest that the administrative costs of child benefit and one-parent benefit represent about 2.2 per cent. of benefit expenditure. The average weekly administrative cost per beneficiary was about 20 pence. For family income supplement the corresponding figures are 5.4 per cent. and 80p respectively.