§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional increases in child benefit would be required to restore it to the level it would have reached if it had been uprated in line with prices and average earnings, respectively, in each year from 1985 on, including the uprating announced on 21 October 1991.
§ Mr. JackThe additional increases would be £0.75 for the eldest eligible child and £2.60 for other children on the basis of movements in the index of retail prices applicable to the general uprating of benefits from November 1985 to April 1992. Information which would enable a similar calculation to be made on the basis of movements in average earnings over the same period will not be available until 21 November, and I will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much the real value of benefit for each child of a widow, invalidity pensioner or retirement pensioner—child benefit and dependency addition combined—will be increased or reduced by the uprating announced on 21 October 1991.
§ Mr. JackIt is proposed that the combined rates of child benefit and child dependency increase payable for each child of a widow, invalidity pensioner or retirement pensioner be increased in cash terms by £0.45 with effect from week commencing 6 April 1992. It is not possible to 331W calculate what such a cash increase would represent in terms of the real value of either the existing or previous rates of the benefits concerned until the retail prices index figures for April 1992 are available.