To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost has been to his Department of sending letters to child benefit claimants notifying them of the annual increase in child benefit in the last 12 month period for which data are available; and how many letters have been sent. (193580)

During the last completed exercise, which ended on 28 March 2007, 7.4 million letters were issued advising customers of the amount of child benefit they would receive from 9 April 2007.

The issuing of the up-rating letter is a routine business process: it is only possible to provide a separate cost for the exercise at disproportionate expense.