To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many claims for (a) child benefit and (b) child tax credit were (i) made by and (ii) paid to migrant workers for children (A) living in the UK and (B) living abroad in each year since 2003-04; and if he will make a statement; (141091)

The additional information requested is not available.

The Accession monitoring report, last published on 22 May 2007 on the Home Office Borders and Immigration Agency website

http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/accession_monitoring_report

provides detailed information including the total number of workers from the new member states of the EU which acceded on 1 May 2004 and who have made a claim for child benefit and tax credits.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the Government’s policy is on payment of child tax credit to migrant workers in respect of children living outside the UK if such individuals receive child related benefits in the home country; and if he will make a statement; (141093)

The main purpose of child tax credit (CTC) and child benefit (ChB) is to support families living in the United Kingdom, The general rules for these benefits do not provide for them to be paid in respect of children who reside outside the UK. However, these general rules are supplemented by the co-ordinating rules in EC Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72, which the United Kingdom has applied since it joined the European Economic Community in 1973. The Regulations protect the acquired social security rights of European Economic Area (EEA) workers and their families moving within the Community.

The Regulations have detailed rules that determine which scheme a worker should contribute to, and which state has responsibility for the payment of family benefits. In general, it provides that the worker pays into the social security scheme of the member state where the work takes place and that state is responsible for the payment of family benefits. If entitlement to family benefits arises in more than one member state, the Regulations contain priority rules to determine who has responsibility for paying. More detailed information relating to these Community rules can be found in leaflet SA29 “Your social security insurance, benefits and healthcare rights in the European Economic Area”, published by the Department of Work and Pensions and available on their website.