HC Deb 02 April 1990 vol 170 cc485-6W
20 Mr. Rees

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current percentage uptake of child benefit.

24. Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current percentage uptake of child benefit.

36. Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current percentage uptake of child benefit.

62. Mr. Fisher

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current percentage uptake of child benefit.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Virtually 100 per cent.

23. Mr. Allen McKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the increase in child benefit since 1987.

46. Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the increase in child benefit since 1987.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the increase in child benefit since 1987.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

We have, however, since then devoted considerable extra resources totalling some £350 million in real terms to the least well-off families—those on income support and family credit—who do not gain from an increase in child benefit of itself and who are now therefore better off than they would have been if child benefit had been uprated.

26. Mr. Campbell-Savours

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on the uprating of child benefit; and if he will make a statement.

52. Ms. Short

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on the uprating of child benefit; and if he will make a statement.

57. Mr. Michael

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on the uprating of child benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) earlier today.

30. Mr. Pendry

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the current value of child benefit if it had been uprated in line with inflation over the last three years.

31. Mr. Illsley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the current value of child benefit if it had been uprated in line with inflation over the last three years.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Orme) earlier today.

34. Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the application of the criteria used to assess potential changes in benefits policy to the decision to freeze child benefit in the last financial year.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The considerations which led my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to his decision not to increase child benefit from April 1990 were fully explained by him in his statement to the House on 25 October 1989 at columns 841–45.

49. Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the value of child benefit at 1979 prices.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I refer the hon. Member to my reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Sir I. Gilmour) on 12 December 1989 at columns583-84.