§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full year costs of raising child benefit to £9.95 (i) in 264W 1991–92 and (ii) 1992–93, including increases in linked, means-tested and national insurance benefits for Northern Ireland;
(2) what would be (a) the first year and (b) the full year costs of raising child benefit to £10 (i) in 1991–92 and (ii) 1992–93, including increases in linked, means-tested and national insurance benefits for Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. HanleyThe rates of child benefit from April 1991 were £8.25 for the eldest eligible child and £7.25 for each other child and were increased to £9.25 and £7.50, respectively, from October 1991. The estimated gross cost of increasing child benefit from those rates to £9.95 for each child throughout 1991–92 would be about £46 million. If the October 1991 rates had applied throughout 1991–92, the cost would be around £39 million. The gross full year cost in 1992–93 of paying £9.95, instead of the rates of £9.65 and £7.80 payable from April 1992, would be about £31 million.
Raising child benefit on the same basis to £10 instead of £9.95 would increase the above costs by about £1 million to around £47 million, £40 million and £32 million, respectively.