§ Mr. SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many standard rate taxpayers receive child benefit, excluding those on family credit; how many higher rate taxpayers receive child benefit; and what is the cost of paying child benefit to such families in each case;
(2) how much he would save by withdrawing child benefit from higher rate taxpayers.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer 2 November 1989]: The number of families in receipt of child benefit, excluding those on family credit, who are standard rate taxpayers is estimated for 1989–90 as 4.5 million, with a child benefit cost of approximately £3 billion. The estimate of the number of families paying higher rate tax is 0.5 million, with a child benefit cost of around £300 million.