§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many additional(a) families and (b) children in families will be eligible for income related benefits as a result of the freeze in child benefit (i) since April 1987 and (ii) since April 1989.
§ Mrs. Gillian Shephard[holding answer 9 February 1990]: It is impossible to give any meaningful estimate of the number of people who have or will become dependent on income-related benefits as a direct consequence of not uprating child benefit in April 1988, 1989 and 1990 because the effects cannot be viewed in isolation. It is important to remember that eligible populations and their constituents for all the income-related benefits change constantly as family incomes and circumstances change. Gross earnings have risen, and our policies to reduce tax and national insurance contributions have succeeded in enabling families with children to keep more of their earnings. In addition, we have channelled extra help to families with children through the income-related benefits.