§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of extending family credit to(a) childless couples and (b) single persons assuming the present rules otherwise remain the same; and how many additional recipients there would be in each case.
§ Mr. BurtThe estimated cost of extending family credit to childless couples is £65 million with 70,000 additional recipients. The cost for single people is £1.5 billion with 1.5 million additional recipients.
Note: Estimates are drawn from the 1989,90 and 91 family expenditure surveys and uprated to 1994–95 prices and benefit levels. The basis of the award is assumed to be the existing adult credit rate, without child credits, to people of 18 years of age and over. Estimates of the two costs are rounded to the nearest £5 million and £100 million respectively, and numbers of gainers are rounded to the nearest 10,000 and 100,000 respectively. These estimates do not include the financial effects of any behavioural response.
§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what sums were distributed in family credit and income support in the 12 months immediately(a) preceding and (b) following the abolition of the wages councils.
§ Mr. BurtLevels of expenditure on family credit and income support are affected by a large number of factors.
Information is available only for financial years. Figures for the last two years are as follows:
Income support £M Family credit £M 1992–93 14,790 929 1993–94 (estimated) 15,773 1,091 Note: Figures from Departmental Report March 1994