§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of doubling the value of child benefit; and what would be the cost if the benefit at this new level were made part of taxable income and the saving on other social security payments.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 17 April 1989]: Precise costs and savings would depend on the assumptions made for the calculation of social security benefits other than child benefit. In broad terms, the orders of magnitude might be as follows:
80W
£ billion Child Benefit Cost 4.5 Saving in income related benefits and child dependency increases 1.1 Increase in income tax revenue 1.9 Net Cost 11.6 1The figures do not sum due to rounding.