§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many children he estimates would benefit if all those families eligible for family credit claimed it;
(2) what is his latest estimate of the number of families entitled to receive family credit.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe latest information about the number of families eligible for family credit relates to 1988 and is contained in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 17 March at columns391–92. On that basis there would have been about 1.1 million children in such families, but this does not include families not already receiving family credit where someone is self-employed.
§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children covered by payments of family credit are receiving sums in lieu of free school meals; and what is the average sum in lieu that each received after allowing for consequent reductions in other benefits.
§ Mr. Peter LloydEach of the children's rates in family credit incorporates cash provision in place of free school meals or free welfare milk as appropriate. In March 1989 there were 392,000 children aged five or over in family22W credit families and for whom the cash provision might therefore be expected to be used in place of free school meals, but otherwise the information requested is not available.