Child Benefit

HC Deb 26 March 1996 vol 274 cc557-8W

Mr. Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the annual cost of raising the level of child benefit by £5 per eek for each first child only. [22782]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

It is estimated that the net cost would be £1.35 billion in 1996–97 prices, after taking account of the effect on income-related benefit expenditure.