§ 15. Mrs. BrowningTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual spending on family credit; and what was the spending on family income supplement in 1979.
§ Mr. BurtThe published forecast for family credit expenditure for 1993–94 is £965 million. This is 14 times more in real terms than the £24 million spent on family income supplement in 1978–79. The 1994 departmental report, to be published in March, will give a revised estimate.
§ 25. Mr. DayTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the results of the introduction of payment of family credit as a lump sum.
§ Mr. BurtSince 25 October 1993, over 3,000 awards of family credit of £4 a week or less have been made by lump sum payment.