§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is(a) the number of eligible claimants for child benefit in Wales and (b) the total child benefit paid in Wales for each of the last five years in (i) cash prices and (ii) constant prices.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe latest available figure is for December 1988, when about 348,000 claimants in Wales were receiving child benefit in respect of some 623,000 children. The estimated proportion of child benefit expenditure for Wales in each year from 1984–85 was:
£ million Cash prices 1988–89 prices 1984–85 220.5 271.1 1985–86 230.6 268.8 1986–87 234.3 264.6 1987–88 238.3 255.7 1988–89 234.0 234.0