asked the Minister for Finance the current net estimated cost to the Exchequer of (a) child income tax allowances; (b) the general scheme of children's allowances and the number of children covered by the general scheme; and the net estimated tax free payment per week for each child which could be paid to the mother in the event of the abolition of (a) and (b) at current rates.
Written Answers. - Tax Allowances for Children.
139.
(a) The current estimated cost of the income tax child allowance is £47 million in a full year; (b) The current cost of the social welfare children's allowance is in the region of £66 million. The number of children involved is approximately 1,198,000; (c) If both the income tax child allowance and the social welfare children's allowance were abolished and the resultant saving paid to the mother it would, on the basis of the number of eligible children and costings mentioned above, result in a weekly allowance of approximately £1.80 per child.