To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what percentage of total Government expenditure on child benefit goes to families with incomes below the mean, on an equivalent income basis;(2) what percentage of families receiving child benefit have income levels below the mean, on an equivalent income basis.

The proportion of families receiving child benefit with household incomes below the mean of equivalised income before housing costs has changed little since 1979 and remains in the region of 70 per cent. About 74 per cent. of total Government spending on child benefit went to these families.