To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be (a) the first year and (b) the full year costs of raising child benefit to £9·55 (i) for 1991–92 and (ii) 1992–93, including increases in linked means-tested and national insurance benefits, for Northern Ireland.
The rates of child benefit from April 1991 were £8·25 for the eldest eligible child and £7·25 for each other child and were increased to £9·25 and £7·50 respectively from October 1991. The estimated gross cost of increasing child benefit from those rates to £9·55 for each child throughout 1991–92 would be about £36 million. If the October 1991 rates had applied throughout 1991–92, the cost would reduce to around £29 million. The gross full year costs in 1992–93 of paying £9·55 for all children, instead of the rates of £9·65 and £7·80 which will be in payment from April 1992, would be about £21 million.