§ Mr. SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on behalf of how many children are parents receiving child benefit and what is the cost of paying it.
§ Mr. Needham[holding answer 1 February 1990]: The number of children for whom child benefit is currently being paid in Northern Ireland is 456,000. The total amount of benefit paid for the year ended 31 March 1989 was £172,969,000. The administrative cost of paying the benefit in that year was £3,456,000.